Death on the Nile: Chapter Eighteen  Summary & Analysis

When Pennington is brought into the smoking room, he acts shocked and saddened at the murder of Linnet. Race asks if he heard anything. Pennington says that his cabin is next to Dr. Bessner’s, so he heard the sounds from in there, but didn’t know what was going on. He went to bed after 11:00 p.m. and didn’t hear any shots. Pennington believes Jacqueline is the murderer and is reluctant to accept Poirot and Race’s evidence about her alibi. He looks nervous when Poirot wonders whether anyone would have a motive to kill Linnet based on her father’s the business dealings. Poirot asks where Pennington was when the boulder almost killed Linnet, and Pennington says he was in the temple. After Pennington leaves, Poirot reveals that Pennington’s story about being in the temple was a lie. They agree Pennington looked nervous in his interview.

Race and Poirot plan to announce at lunch that the pearls have been stolen, and that no one can leave the dining saloon while a search for the pearls is being conducted. Race shows Poirot a document that recaps all the most relevant facts about the case, including alibis, clues, and possible motives. Poirot agrees with Race’s assessment, but he adds that he still can’t figure out why the pistol was thrown overboard.

Poirot asks Race, who knows more about guns, if the velvet stole would actually muffle the sound of the gun firing, as the murderer seemed to intend. Race says no, and that a person who knows about firearms would know that. Regardless, Race adds, the gun is small enough that it wouldn’t make much noise. They identify the pink-stained handkerchief found with the gun and stole as “a man’s handkerchief—but not a gentleman’s handkerchief,” perhaps of the kind Fleetwood or Ferguson would own. Poirot remarks that it was odd how peacefully Linnet was lying dead, and Race says he gets the feeling Poirot is trying to tell him something, but he can’t figure out what.