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Chapter six

Lennox Boynton came into the room with a quick, confident step. Instead of looking exhausted, he now looked lively and wide awake - and nervous.

‘Good morning, Monsieur Boynton.’ Poirot stood up politely. ‘Thank you for talking to me.’

‘Why are you asking everyone questions?’ Lennox said crossly. ‘That’s what I want to know.’

‘If you do not want to answer -‘ Poirot said.

Lennox Boynton said quickly, ‘No, not at all. Only - it seems - all so unnecessary.’

‘I understand,’ replied Poirot, ‘but it is just a matter of routine. Now, on the afternoon of your mother’s death, I believe you left the camp at Petra and went for a walk?’

‘Yes. We all went - except mother and Ginevra.’

‘Was your mother then sitting outside her cave?’

‘Yes, she sat there every afternoon,’ said Lennox.

‘When did you leave the camp?’ asked Poirot.

‘Soon after three, I believe.’

‘And when did you return from your walk?’

‘I don’t know what time it was,’ said Lennox. ‘Four or five o’clock, perhaps. About an hour or two after I left.’

‘Did you pass anyone on your way back? Two ladies sitting on a rock, for instance?’

‘I don’t know. Yes, I think I did.’

‘Did you speak to your mother when you got back to the camp?’

‘Yes - yes, I did.’

‘She did not complain of feeling ill?’

‘No - no, she seemed perfectly all right.’

‘May I ask what you both said?’

Lennox paused. ‘She said I was back soon. I said, yes, I was.’ He paused again, thinking hard. ‘I said it was hot. She - she asked me the time - said her watch had stopped. I took it from her, wound it up. set the time, and put it back on her wrist.’ Poirot interrupted. ‘And what time was it?’

‘It - it was twenty-five minutes to five.’

‘So you do know exactly the time you returned to the camp,’ said Poirot gently.

Lennox reddened. ‘Yes, how stupid of me! I’m sorry, Monsieur Poirot, I can’t think properly. All this worry -‘

‘Oh! I understand,’ said Poirot quickly. And what happened next?’

‘I asked my mother if she wanted anything,’ continued Lennox. ‘She said no. Then I went to the marquee. None of the servants seemed to be there. I drank some water and sat there reading the old newspapers - and I think I fell asleep. Then Nadine came in.’

And you did not see your mother alive again?’ asked Poirot. ‘No.’

‘Did she seem annoyed or upset when you talked to her?’

‘No, she was exactly as usual.’

‘She did not speak about any trouble with one of the servants?’ Lennox stared. ‘No, nothing at all.’

And that is all you can tell me?’

‘I am afraid so - yes.’

‘Thank you, Monsieur Boynton - that is all.’

Lennox didn’t seem to want to go. ‘Er - there’s nothing else?’

‘Nothing,’ replied Poirot. ‘Please could you ask your wife to come in next?’

As Lennox went out slowly, Poirot wrote on the paper beside him, L.B. 4.35 p.m.