Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie Read Free Book Online

Poirot, evidently crestfallen. 'So you think these footprints are of no importance?'
    'Not the least in the world.'
    Then to my utter astonishment, Poirot pronounced these words:
    'I do not agree with you. I have a little idea that these footprints are the most important things we have seen yet.'
    M. Bex said nothing, merely shrugged his shoulders. He was far too courteous to utter his real opinion.
    'Shall we proceed?' he asked, instead.
    'Certainly. I can investigate this matter of the footprints later,' said Poirot cheerfully.
    Instead of following the drive down to the gate, M. Bex turned up a path that branched off at right angles. It led, up a slight incline, round to the right of the house, and was bordered on either side by a kind of shrubbery. Suddenly it emerged into a little clearing from which one obtained a view of the sea. A seat had been placed here, and not far from it was a rather ramshackle shed. A few steps farther on, a neat line of small bushes marked the boundary of the Villa grounds. M. Bex pushed his way through these, and we found ourselves on a wide stretch of open downs. I looked round, and saw something that filled me with astonishment.
    'Why, this is a Golf Course,' I cried.
    Bex nodded.
    'The links are not completed yet,' he explained. 'It is hoped to be able to open them some time next month. It was some of the men working on them who discovered the body early this morning.'
    I gave a gasp. A little to my left, where for the moment I had overlooked it, was a long narrow pit and by it, face downwards, was the body of a man! For a moment, my heart gave a terrible leap, and I had a wild fancy that the tragedy had been duplicated. But the commissary dispelled my illusion by moving forward with a sharp exclamation of annoyance:
    'What have my police been about? They had strict orders to allow no one near the place without proper credentials!'
    The man on the ground turned his head over his shoulder.
    'But I have proper credentials,' he remarked and rose slowly to his feet.
    'My dear Monsieur Giraud,' cried the commissary. 'I had no idea that you had arrived, even. The examining magistrate has been awaiting you with the utmost impatience.'
    As he spoke, I was scanning the newcomer with the keenest curiosity. The famous detective from the Paris Sûreté was familiar to me by name and I was extremely interested to see him in the flesh. He was very tall, perhaps about thirty years of age, with auburn hair and moustache, and a military carriage. There was a trace of arrogance in his manner which showed that he was fully alive to his own importance. Bex introduced us, presenting Poirot as a colleague. A flicker of interest came into the detective's eye.
    'I know you by name, Monsieur Poirot,' he said. 'You cut quite a figure in the old days, didn't you? But methods are very different now.'
    'Crimes, though, are very much the same,' remarked Poirot gently.
    I saw at once that Giraud was prepared to be hostile. He resented the other being associated with him, and I felt that if he came across any clue of importance he would be more than likely to keep it to himself.
    'The examining magistrate -' began Bex again.
    But Giraud interrupted rudely:
    'A fig for the examining magistrate! The light is the important thing. For all practical purposes it will be gone in another half hour or so. I know all about the case, and the people at the house will do very well until tomorrow; but, if we're going to find a clue to the murderers, here is the spot we shall find it. Is it your police who have been trampling all over the place? I thought they knew better nowadays.'
    'Assuredly they do. The marks you complain of were made by the workmen who discovered the body.'
    The other grunted disgustedly.
    'I can see the tracks where the three of them came through the hedge - but they were cunning. You can just recognize the centre foot-marks as those of Monsieur Renauld, but those on either side have been carefully obliterated.