He had no idea anything unusual had occurred⁠—at least, that’s what he says. Then Betsy comes in, goes into the living room, sees what’s happened, and lets out a screech to wake the dead. That’s all fair and square. Someone got in whilst those two were out, and did the poor old man in. But it struck me at once that he must be a pretty cool customer. He’d have to come right up the village street, or creep through someone’s backyard. Granite Bungalow has got houses all round it, as you can see. How was it that no one had seen him?”

The Inspector paused with a flourish.

“Aha, I perceive your point,” said Poirot. “To continue?”

“Well, sir, fishy, I said to myself⁠—fishy. And I began to look about me. Those jade figures, now. Would a common tramp ever suspect that they were valuable? Anyway, it was madness to try such a thing in broad daylight. Suppose the old man had yelled for help?”