"He didn't understand."
"He understood all right.
The man's dead now – otherwise I can tell you I'd have given him a piece of my mind."
"You actually came round to do so on the morning of his death, did you not?" Hercule Poirot inquired gently.
Frank Carter said angrily: "Who's been saying so?"
"You did come round, did you not?"
"What if I did?
I wanted to see Miss Nevill here."
"But they told you she was away."
"Yes, and that made me pretty suspicious, I can tell you.
I told that red-headed oaf I'd wait and see Morley myself.
This business of putting Gladys against me had gone on long enough.
I meant to tell Morley that instead of being a poor unemployed rotter, I'd landed a good job and that it was about time Gladys handed in her notice and thought about her trousseau."
"But you did not actually tell him so?"
"No, I got tired of waiting in that dingy mausoleum. I went away."
"What time did you leave?"
"I can't remember."
"What time did you arrive then?"
"I don't know.
Soon after twelve, I should imagine."
"And you stayed half an hour – or longer – or less than half an hour?"
"I don't know, I tell you.
I'm not the sort of chap who's always looking at a clock."
"Was there anyone in the waiting room while you were there?"
"There was an oily fat bloke when I went in, but he wasn't there long.
After that I was alone."
"Then you must have left before half-past twelve – for at that time a lady arrived."
"Daresay I did.
The place got on my nerves as I tell you."
Poirot eyed him thoughtfully.
The bluster was uneasy – it did not ring quite true.
And yet that might be explained by mere nervousness.
Poirot's manner was simple and friendly as he said:
"Miss Nevill tells me that you have been very fortunate and have found a very good job indeed."
"The pay's good."
"Ten pounds a week, she tells me."
"That's right.
Not too dusty, is it?
Shows I can pull it off when I set my mind to it."
He swaggered a little. "Yes, indeed.
And the work is not too arduous?"
Frank Carter said shortly: "Not too bad."
"And interesting?"
"Oh, yes, quite interesting.
Talking of jobs, I've always been interested to know how you private detectives go about things?
I suppose there's not much of the Sherlock Holmes touch really? Mostly divorce nowadays?"
"I do not concern myself with divorce."
"Really?
Then I don't see how you live."
"I manage, my friend, I manage."