THE DREAM Hercule Poirot gave the house a steady appraising glance. His eyes wandered a moment to its surroundings, the shops, the big factory building on the right, the blocks of cheap mansion flats opposite. Then once more his eyes returned to Nort...
FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS Hercule Poirot was dining with his friend, Henry Bonnington at the Gallant Endeavour in the Kings Road, Chelsea. Mr. Bonnington was fond of the Gallant Endeavour. He liked the leisurely atmosphere, he liked the food which w...
On the first day of my forced sabbatical, I noticed a car driving down Nassau Street with a large spherical device extending from its top. It looked like the pasts vision of the future. I assumed it was part of some meteorology or physics or even psy...
Breathing hard, not quite panting, Kinnell hurried back into the entryway. The picture was still there, but it had changed once more. Now it showed two glaring white circlesheadlightswith the dark shape of the car hulking behind them. Hes on the move...
Aunt Trudy recovered her savoir-faire almost as soon as the watercolor was back in the trunk. They talked about Kinnells mother (Pasadena), his sister (Baton Rouge), and his ex-wife, Sally (Nashua). Sally was a space-case who ran an animal shelter ou...
Richard Kinnell wasnt frightened when he first saw the picture at the yard sale in Rosewood. He was fascinated by it, and he felt hed had the good luck to find something which might be very special, but fright? No. It didnt occur to him until later (...
When I reached the inner office my anger mounted to murderous levels: my mothers olivewood box lay in pieces in the garbage. I pulled it out. They had pried it apart, and torn out the velvet lining. One shred of pale green lay on the floor. I scrabbl...
VI Damn it, Warshawski, what were you doing here anyway? Sergeant John McGonnigal and I were talking in the back room of Mr. Fortieris shop while evidence technicians ravaged the front. I was as surprised to see him as he was me: Id worked with him,...
I collected my Trans Am from the doorman and drove down to the Golden Glow, the bar at the south end of the Loop owned by my friend Sal Barthele. My appearance with a good-looking stranger caused a stir among the regularsas Id hoped. Murray Ryerson,...
I GABRIELLA SESTIERI OF PITIGLIANO. Anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts should contact the office of Malcolm Ranier. I WAS READING the Herald-Star at breakfast when the notice jumped out at me from the personal section. I put my coffee down with...
(said) Poirot severely. You have drunk it? One sip was enough! said Bridget. I'm all right. Did I do it well, M. Poirot? Goodness, my arm hurts still after that tourniquet you made me put on it. You were splendid, my child, said Poirot. Splendid. But...
The scene was indeed dramatic enough. A few yards away Bridget lay in the snow. She was wearing scarlet pyjamas and a white wool wrap thrown round her shoulders. The white wool wrap was stained with crimson. Her head was turned aside and hidden by th...
Said Poirot gravely. I have been a bachelor for many long years and it is unlikely that I shall change that status now. Oh, never say die, said Michael. I saw in the paper that someone of ninety-five married a girl of twenty-two the other day. You en...
They'd been very sweet, really, letting her lead her own life, not understanding in the least why she wanted to live in Chelsea in the way she did, but accepting it. That was due to Em of course. Grandfather would have kicked up no end of a row. Sara...
Well, of course not. Why should I be? Old Colonel Lacey laughed, a deep, rumbling laugh. I wouldn't put it past you, Em, he said. When you look your most innocent is when you are up to something. Revolving these things in her mind, Mrs Lacey went on:...
