VI

Inspector Colgate shifted his position at the table. He said in a thoughtful voice:

“She’s a determined one, she is. And she’d got her knife into the dead lady, proper, she had.”

He stopped a minute and said reflectively:

“It’s a pity in a way that she’s got a cast-iron alibi for the whole morning. Did you notice herhands, sir? As big as a man’s. And she’s a hefty woman—as strong and stronger than many a man,I’d say….”

He paused again. His glance at Poirot was almost pleading.

“And you say she never left the beach this morning, M. Poirot?”

Slowly Poirot shook his head. He said:

“My dear Inspector, she came down to the beach before Mrs. Marshall could have reached PixyCove and she was within my sight until she set off with Mr. Redfern in the boat.”

Inspector Colgate said gloomily:

“Then that washes her out.”

He seemed upset about it.