When Parker had departed, Poirot picked up his overcoat once more.
‘Going out again?’ I asked.
‘Yes, we will pay a little visit to the good M. Hammond.’
‘You believe Parker’s story?’
‘It is credible enough on the face of it.
It seems clear that unless he is a very good actor indeed - he genuinely believes it was Ackroyd himself who was the victim of blackmail.
If so, he knows nothing at all about the Mrs Ferrars business.’
‘Then in that case - who - ?’
‘Precisement\ Who?
But our visit to M. Hammond will accomplish one purpose.
It will either clear Parker completely or else ‘
‘Well?’
‘I fall into the bad habit of leaving my sentences unfinished this morning,’ said Poirot apologetically. ‘You must bear with me.’
‘By the way,’ I said, rather sheepishly, ‘I’ve got a confession to make.
I’m afraid I have inadvertently let out something about that ring.’
‘What ring?’
‘The ring you found in the goldfish pond.’
‘Ah! yes,’ said Poirot, smiling broadly.
‘I hope you’re not annoyed?
It was very careless of me.’
‘But not at all, my good friend, not at all.
I laid no commands upon you.
You were at liberty to speak of it if you so wished.
She was interested, your sister?’
‘She was indeed.
It created a sensation.
All sorts of theories are flying about.’
‘Ah! And yet it is so simple.
The true explanation leapt to the eye, did it not?’
‘Did it?’ I said drily.
Poirot laughed.
‘The wise man does not commit himself,’ he observed. ‘Is not that so?
But here we are at Mr Hammond’s.’
The lawyer was in his office, and we were ushered in without any delay. He rose and greeted us in his dry, precise manner.
Poirot came at once to the point.
‘Monsieur, I desire from you certain information, that is, if you will be so good as to give it to me.
You acted, I understand, for the late Mrs Ferrars of King’s Paddock?’
I noticed the swift gleam of surprise which showed in the lawyer’s eyes, before his professional reserve came down once more like a mask over his face.
‘Certainly. All her affairs passed through our hands.’
‘Very good.
Now, before I ask you to tell me anything, I should like you to listen to the story Dr Sheppard will relate to you.
You have no objection, have you, my friend, to repeating the conversation you had with Mr Ackroyd last Friday night?’
‘Not in the least,’ I said, and straightway began the recital of that strange evening.
Hammond listened with close attention.
‘That is all,’ I said, when I had finished.
‘Blackmail,’ said the lawyer thoughtfully.
‘You are surprised?’ asked Poirot. The lawyer took off his pince-nez and polished them with his handkerchief.
‘No,’ he replied,
‘I can hardly say that I am surprised.
I have suspected something of the kind for some time.’