Chapter 12 Summary

On Monday, an inquest takes place. The police issue a grand search for Ralph and say it looks bad that he had disappeared. The inspector, Poirot and James discuss the case. Poirot asserts that the phone call is the crucial clue to the case. The inspector feels that the fingerprints on the dagger are of more immediate importance. Poirot warns the inspector that the fingerprints may lead nowhere. The inspector admits that he took fingerprint samples from the entire household and none matched the prints on the dagger. Poirot points out that the inspector forgot to check Mr. Ackroyd's fingerprints. Poirot's theory is that the murderer put Mr. Ackroyd's prints on the dagger to confuse the case. Poirot knows this because the prints on the dagger were in an odd position, as if someone was holding the dagger backwards.

Poirot calls everyone for...