AFTER LOOKING IN ON things at Scotland Yard, I returned to the lodging house to find Poirot endeavoring to leave it. He was standing by the open front door in his hat and coat, with high color in his face and an unsettled air about him, as if he was having trouble keeping still. This was a problem that did not normally afflict him. Unusually for her, Blanche Unsworth showed no interest in my arrival, and was instead fussing about a car that was late. She too was pink-faced.

“We must leave at once for the Bloxham Hotel, Catchpool,” said Poirot, adjusting his mustache with gloved fingers. “As soon as the car arrives.”

“It should have been here ten minutes ago,” said Blanche. “I suppose the boon of it being late is you can take Mr. Catchpool with you.”

“What is the emergency?” I asked.

“There has been another murder,” said Poirot. “At the Bloxham Hotel.”

“Oh, dear.” For several seconds, abject panic coursed through my veins. On it went: the laying out of the dead. One, two, three, four . . .

Eight lifeless hands, palms facing down . . .

“Hold his hand, Edward . . .”

“Is it Jennie Hobbs?” I asked Poirot, as the blood pounded in my ears.

I should have listened to him about the danger. Why didn’t I take him seriously?

“I do not know. Ah! So you too know her name. Signor Lazzari sent a summons by telephone, since when I have been unable to contact him. Bon, here at last is the car.”

As I moved toward it, I felt myself pulled back. Blanche Unsworth was tugging at my coat sleeve. “Be careful at that hotel, won’t you, Mr. Catchpool. I couldn’t bear it if you were to come to any harm.”

“I shall, of course.”

Her face set in a ferocious grimace. “You shouldn’t have to go there, if you ask me. What was this fellow doing there anyway, the one that got himself killed this time? Three people have been murdered already at the Bloxham, and only last week! Why didn’t he go and stay somewhere else if he didn’t want the same to happen to him? It’s not right, him ignoring the danger signs and putting you to all this bother.”

“I shall say so to his corpse in no uncertain terms.” I reasoned to myself that if I smiled and said all the right words, I might soon feel more settled.

“Say something to the other guests while you’re about it,” Blanche advised. “Tell them I’ve two spare rooms here. It might not be as grand as the Bloxham, but everybody’s still alive when they wake up in the morning.”

“Catchpool, please hurry,” Poirot called from the car.

Hurriedly, I handed my cases to Blanche and did as I was told.

Once we were on our way, Poirot said, “I hoped very much to prevent a fourth murder, mon ami. I have failed.”