The Murder on the Links

Immediately after Jack’s arrest, a shaken Hastings believes the young man is guilty. Poirot requests that Giraud explain his reasoning, and the rival detective leads them into the salon.

Giraud’s case rests on four points: Jack’s motive (a bitter quarrel with his father), his concealed presence in Merlinville that night, his opportunity to steal the dagger used on the second body, and Mrs. Renauld’s false testimony, which he claims a mother would give only to protect her child. Poirot challenges each point, notes that someone else could have taken the dagger while the shed was unlocked, and poses a question Giraud can’t answer: If Jack needed the body found quickly to claim his inheritance, why dig a grave at all? Poirot reminds Giraud about the unresolved mystery of the lead piping and leaves.

In the hallway, Mrs. Renauld descends the staircase and collapses at the news that her son has been arrested, striking her head on the stairs. Poirot judges the injury serious and estimates she will be unconscious for at least a week. On a grassy knoll overlooking the sea, he challenges Hastings to reason through the facts independently. After some thought, Hastings realizes they’ve overlooked a critical figure, Georges Conneau.