bottle she had added nothing to it before her sister took it to Amyas. Caroline later assumed that her sister had added something to the beer as a prank, causing Amyas's death. When the police charged Caroline with the murder she did not defend herself, believing that she was protecting Angela. When they were much younger, Caroline had thrown a paperweight at Angela injuring her face and saw this as a way to atone for that incident. Poirot states that the murderer was Elsa Greer. She had taken Amyas' promise to marry her seriously, unaware that he only wanted her to continue as his model until the painting was done. She overheard Amyas reassure his wife that he was not leaving her, felt betrayed and wanted revenge. She had seen Caroline take the poison from Meredith's lab, so she took it from Caroline's room and put it in a glass of warm beer that she gave Amyas. When Caroline later brought him a cold bottle of beer, he commented that "everything tastes foul today", and drank the cold beer from the bottle. This indicated to Poirot that the poison had been in the glass Elsa had given him. Poirot's explanation solves the case to the satisfaction of Carla and her fiancé. Although the chances of getting a pardon for Caroline or a conviction of Elsa are slim with circumstantial evidence, Poirot plans to present his findings to the police. Characters Hercule Poirot: the Belgian Detective. Carla Lemarchant: the daughter of Caroline and Amyas Crale; also born Caroline Crale, she was aged 5 when her father was murdered at their home, Alderbury. John Rattery: fiancé of Carla. Amyas Crale: painter by profession and a man who liked his beer and mistresses, but loved his wife most. He was murdered 16 years before the story opens. Caroline Crale: wife of Amyas, half-sister to the younger Angela Warren. She was found guilty of the murder of her husband and died in prison within a year. Sir Montague Depleach: Counsel for the Defence in the original trial. Quentin Fogg, KC: Junior for the Prosecution in the original trial. George Mayhew: son of Caroline's solicitor in the original trial. Edmunds: Managing clerk in Mayhew's firm. Caleb Jonathan: Family solicitor for the Crales. Superintendent Hale: Investigating officer in the original case. The "Five Little Pigs": Philip Blake: a stockbroker ("went to market"). Meredith Blake: Philip's elder