It was orl just as usual."
"Did any strangers come to the house?"
"No, sir."
"Not even among the patients?"
"I didn't know as you meant the patients.
Nobody come what hadn't got an appointment, if that's what you mean. They were all down in the book."
Japp nodded.
Poirot asked: "Could anybody have walked in from outside?"
"No, they couldn't. They'd have to have a key, see?"
"But it was quite easy to leave the house?"
"Oh, yes, just turn the handle and go out and pull the door to after you.
As I was saying, most of 'em do.
They often come down the stairs while I'm taking up the next party in the elevator, see?"
"I see.
Now just tell us who came first this morning and so on.
Describe them if you can't remember the names."
Alfred reflected a minute.
Then he said: "Lady with a little girl, that was for Mr. Reilly, and a Mrs. Soap or some such name for Mr. Morley."
Poirot said: "Quite right. Go on."
"Then another elderly lady – bit of a swell she was – come in a Daimler.
As she went out a tall military gent come in, and just after him, you came." He nodded to Poirot.
"Right."
"Then the American gent came -"
Japp said sharply: "American?"
"Yes, sir.
Young fellow.
He was American right – you could tell by his voice.
Come early, he did. His appointment wasn't till 11:30 – and what more he didn't keep it – neither."
Japp said sharply: "What's that?"
"Not him. Come in for him when Mr. Reilly's buzzer went at 11:30 – a bit later it was, as a matter of fact, might have been twenty to twelve – and he wasn't there.
Must have funked it and gone away."
He added with a knowing air, "They do sometimes."
Poirot said: "Then he must have gone out soon after me?"
"That's right, sir.
You went out after I'd taken up a swell what come in a Rolls.
Oh – it was a lovely car – Mr. Blunt's.
Then I come down and let you out and a lady in.
Miss Some Berry Seal, or something like that – and then I – well, as a matter of fact I just nipped down to the kitchen to get a bite to eat, and when I was down there the buzzer went – Mr. Reilly's buzzer – so I come up and as I say, the American gentleman had gone out.
I went and told Mr. Reilly and he swore a bit, as is his way."
Poirot said: "Continue."
"Lemme see, what happened next?
Oh, yes, Mr. Morley's buzzer went for that Miss Seal, and the swell came down and went out as I took Miss Whatsername up in the elevator.
Then I come down again and two gentlemen came – one a little man with a funny squeaky voice – I can't remember his name. For Mr. Reilly, he was.
And a fat foreign gentleman for Mr. Morley.
"Miss Seal wasn't very long – not above a quarter of an hour.
I let her out and then I took up the foreign gentleman.
I'd already taken the other gent in to Mr. Reilly right away as soon as he came."
Japp said: "And you didn't see Mr. Amberiotis, the foreign gentleman, leave?"
"No, sir, I can't say as I did.
He must have let himself out.