فصل 09

CHAPTER NINE

Elise Grandier

As soon as they had arrived in Paris, Poirot and Fournier went to number three, Rue Joliette. An old servant let them into the house, unwillingly. ‘The police here again! This will give the house a bad name,’ he complained.

Madame Giselle’s office was a small, windowless apartment on the first floor. There was a safe in one corner, a large desk, and several chairs.

‘I will not insult you, my friend, by searching here,’ said Poirot. ‘If there were anything to find here, you would have found it, I am sure.’ He looked across at the safe. ‘It was empty?’

‘Yes. The maid destroyed everything.’

‘Ah, yes, the maid. There is no personal touch in this room… I find that interesting. Come on, let us see this maid.’

Elise Grandier was a middle-aged woman with a red face and small, intelligent eyes.

‘Mademoiselle Grandier,’ said Fournier, ‘Monsieur Poirot and I have returned today from London. The inquiry into the death of Madame took place yesterday. Madame was poisoned.’

The Frenchwoman shook her head. ‘Poisoned? Who could have done such a thing?’

‘Perhaps you can help us find out, Mademoiselle?’

‘I will do all I can to help the police, Monsieur. But I know nothing at all.’

‘You know that Madame had enemies?’

‘That is not true. Why should she?’

‘Come, Mademoiselle,’ said Fournier. ‘Being a moneylender can sometimes be… unpleasant.’

‘It is true that sometimes Madame’s clients were not reasonable,’ agreed Elise.

‘They made scenes, eh? Threatened her?’

The maid shook her head. ‘No, no. They did not threaten. They cried, complained, swore that they could not pay her.’ She shrugged her shoulders. ‘They usually paid in the end.’

‘Madame Giselle was a hard woman. You don’t feel sorry for the victims?’

‘Victims! Is it necessary to get into debt, to borrow money and then expect to keep it as a gift? It is not! Madame lent, and she expected repayment. That is fair. She had no debts. You say that Madame was a hard woman, but it is not the truth! Madame was kind. She gave money to charities. You do not understand Madame at all!’

‘You said that Madame’s clients usually paid in the end. Do you know how she made them pay?’

‘I know nothing, Monsieur.’

‘You knew enough to burn Madame’s papers.’

‘I was following her instructions. If she died away from home, I was to destroy her business papers.’

‘The papers in the safe downstairs?’ asked Poirot.

‘That is right.’

Poirot smiled. ‘But the papers were not in the safe, were they? That safe is too old-fashioned. Anyone could open it. The papers were kept elsewhere - in Madame’s bedroom, perhaps?’

Elise paused a moment and then answered. ‘Yes. Madame pretended to clients that papers were kept in the safe, but in reality, everything was in Madame’s bedroom.’

‘Will you show us?’

The two men followed Elise to the bedroom, where she lifted the lid of a chest. ‘The papers were in here, Monsieur. They were kept in a large sealed envelope.’

‘You told me nothing of this,’ said Fournier, ‘when I questioned you three days ago.’

‘You asked me where the papers were that should be in the safe, Monsieur. I told you I had burned them. That was true. Exactly where the papers were kept seemed unimportant.’

‘Those papers should not have been burnt.’

‘I obeyed Madame’s orders.’

‘You did what you thought was right, I know,’ said Fournier soothingly. ‘Now, listen carefully, Mademoiselle. Madame was murdered, possibly by someone whom she had dangerous information about. That information was in those papers you burnt. It is possible that you read those papers before putting them into the fire. No one will blame you for doing this. In fact, any information you have learned may help the police to bring the murderer to justice. Therefore, Mademoiselle, answer truthfully. Did you read those papers?’

‘No, Monsieur. I burnt the envelope without opening it.’