A joint inquest for Mrs Ferrars and Ackroyd was held on Monday. By arrangement with the police, very little information was allowed to come out at the inquest. I gave evidence about the cause of Ackroyd's death and the probable time. The absence of Ralph Paton was commented on by the coroner, but not stressed. Afterwards, Poirot and I had a few words with Inspector Raglan.

'It looks bad, Monsieur Poirot,' he said. 'I'm a local man, and I've seen Captain Paton many times, so I don't want him to be the murderer - but if he's innocent, why doesn't he come forward? We've got evidence against him, but it's just possible that the evidence could be explained away.'

Ralph's description had been given to every port and railway station in England. His apartment in town was watched, and any houses he visited frequently. He had no luggage, and, as far as anyone knew, no money. It seemed impossible that Ralph could avoid detection.

'I can't find anyone who saw him at the station that night,' continued the inspector. 'There's no news from Liverpool either.'

'You think he went to Liverpool?' asked Poirot.

'Well, that telephone message from the station was just three minutes before the Liverpool express train left.'

'Ah yes, the telephone message. My friend,' said Poirot seriously, 'I believe that when we find the explanation of that telephone call we will find the explanation of the murder.'

'I must confess, I think we've got better clues than that, Mr Poirot,' said the inspector. 'The fingerprints on the dagger, for instance.'

Poirot suddenly became very foreign in manner, as he often did when excited over something.

'Monsieur Inspecteur,' he said, 'those fingerprints - they may lead you nowhere.'

'Mr Poirot, those prints were made by someone who was in the house that night. And I've taken the prints of every member of the household. Everyone. None of them match.'

'You have taken the prints of everyone? Without overlooking anyone? Both alive and dead?'

The inspector looked puzzled.

'You mean...?'

'I am suggesting,' said Poirot, 'that the fingerprints on the dagger handle are those of Mr Ackroyd himself. It is an easy matter to prove. His body is still available.'

'You're surely not suggesting suicide, Mr Poirot?'

'Ah, no! My theory is that the murderer wore gloves or wrapped something round his or her hand. After the blow was struck, the killer picked up the victim's hand and closed it round the dagger handle. He did this to make a confusing case even more confusing.'