24-08-05 THE INCREDIBLE THEFT One As the butler handed round the souffl, Lord Mayfield leaned confidentially towards his neighbouron the right, Lady Julia Carrington. Known as a perfect host, Lord Mayfield took trouble to live upto his reputation. Although u...

24-08-05 II Japp gave a longa very prolongedwhistle. Well, Im damned! he said. Poirot sat down and smiled at him amiably. It was quite a long time before the silence wasbroken. Then Japp said: Not murder disguised as suicide, but suicide made to look like mu...

24-08-05 Ten IPoirot stepped back, his head a little on one side as he surveyed the arrangement of the room. Achair hereanother chair there. Yes, that was very nice. And now a ring at the bellthat wouldbe Japp. The Scotland Yard man came in alertly. Quite ri...

24-08-05 Nine Pretty the way he went all to pieces, said Japp with professional appreciation, later that day. He and Poirot were driving in a car along the Brompton Road. He knew the game was up, said Poirot absently. Weve got plenty on him, said Japp. Two o...

24-08-05 Eight Major Eustace received the two men with the easy assurance of a man of the world. His flat was small, a mere pied terre, as he explained. He offered the two men a drink andwhen that was refused he took out his cigarette case. Both Japp and Poi...

24-08-05 II At half past eleven, Charles Laverton-West was ushered into Chief Inspector Japps room. Japprose and shook hands. The M.P. was a man of medium height with a very definite personality. He was clean-shaven,with the mobile mouth of an actor, and the...

24-08-05 Seven IIt was the following day when Japp walked into Poirots flat, flung his hat on the table in deepdisgust and dropped into a chair. Well, he growled. Shes out of it! Who is out of it? Plenderleith. Was playing bridge up to midnight. Host, hostes...

24-08-05 Six On reentering the sitting room of No. 14, Japp wasted no time in beating about the bush. He camestraight to the point. Now look here, Miss?Plenderleith, dont you think its better to spill the beans here and now. Its going to come to that in the...

24-08-05 Five Japp was just engaging his third chauffeurs wife in conversation when Poirot, walking noiselesslyas a cat, suddenly appeared at his elbow. Whew, you made me jump, said Japp. Got anything? Not what I was looking for. Japp turned back to Mrs.?Jam...

24-08-05 Four That young womans too cocky by half, Japp complained. The two men were once more in Mrs.?Allens bedroom. The body had been photographedand removed and the fingerprint man had done his work and departed. It would be unadvisable to treat her as a...