Geoffrey Raymond

On the night of the murder, Raymond was instructed to ensure no interruptions in the study. He was in the billiard room when the body was discovered and arrived horrified, observing nothing seemed disturbed. He reported overhearing Ackroyd at half past nine refusing a financial plea. Raymond identified the murder weapon as a Tunisian dagger kept in the drawing room, confirmed the windows were ajar, and fetched Major Blunt. His spirits remained buoyant. Later, when questioned by Poirot, he was fresh and debonair, denied moving a chair, and recalled no recent visitors aside from a salesman. He efficiently handled the arrival of the family solicitor. The next day, he explained Ackroyd had cashed a cheque for a hundred pounds for wages, kept in a bedroom collar box. He insisted the full sum was intact as Ackroyd had placed it there in his presence, but was bewildered to open the box and find only sixty pounds remaining.

On the evening of Roger Ackroyd's death, Geoffrey Raymond was at Fernly Park for dinner and had been told by his employer to see that they would not be interrupted in the study. When the murder was discovered, he was in the billiard room and came to the study horrified, his face very white. He observed that nothing seemed missing from the desk and reported overhearing Ackroyd speaking to someone at half past nine, refusing a request for money. He identified the murder weapon as a Tunisian dagger curio given to Ackroyd by Major Blunt, which was usually kept in the drawing room, and confirmed the windows there were ajar. Later, he was fresh and debonair when meeting Poirot, denying he had moved a chair and hurrying out to speak with the family solicitor. He explained Ackroyd had cashed a cheque for a hundred pounds for wages, which was kept in a collar box in his bedroom; Raymond insisted he had seen Ackroyd place the full amount there, but was bewildered to find only sixty pounds remaining. At the family meeting, he remained good-humoured and imperturbable even when accused of concealing something, having earlier joked with Flora and suggested she wait before announcing her engagement to Ralph Paton.

At Fernly Park for dinner, Raymond was instructed by Ackroyd to ensure they would not be interrupted in the study. Later, upon hearing the news of the murder, his face turned white as he came to the study, observing that nothing seemed disturbed from the desk. He reported to the inspector that he had overheard Ackroyd at half past nine refusing a financial request. He identified the murder weapon as a curio dagger usually kept in the drawing room, confirmed the windows there were ajar, and fetched Major Blunt. Despite the grim circumstances, his spirits remained undimmed. In the investigation, he was efficient and debonair, denying he had moved a chair and insisting that a hundred pounds Ackroyd had cashed was intact in a bedroom collar box, only to be bewildered to find only sixty pounds there. He remained good-humoured when accused of concealment. Later, he confessed to Poirot and Dr. Sheppard that he had been in severe debt, saved only by a legacy from Ackroyd, but he possessed a watertight alibi for the murder, having been in the billiard room with Major Blunt from a quarter to ten onwards.

On the night of the murder, Raymond was instructed to ensure no interruptions to Ackroyd in the study. After the body was discovered, he was horrified but observed nothing seemed missing from the desk. He told the inspector he had overheard Ackroyd at half past nine refusing someone's request for money. He identified the murder weapon as a Tunisian dagger usually kept in the drawing room and confirmed those windows were ajar. During the investigation, he maintained his efficient manner, denying he had moved a chair in the study. He was present when Ackroyd's cash was found to be forty pounds short from a sum he had witnessed being secured the night before. Later, he confessed to Poirot and Dr. Sheppard that he had been in desperate financial difficulty, a crisis only averted by the five hundred pounds left to him in Ackroyd's will. He had a solid alibi, having been in the billiard room with Major Blunt from a quarter to ten onwards. Most recently, he telephoned Liverpool police about a reported arrest of Ralph Paton, but was told no arrest had been made.

On the night of the murder, Raymond had been instructed to ensure Ackroyd would not be interrupted in the study. After the body was discovered, he reported overhearing Ackroyd speaking to someone at half past nine, using a phrase about frequent calls on his purse. He identified the dagger and, with his spirits undimmed, assisted the initial investigation. Questioned later by Poirot, he recalled only a visitor from a dictaphone company and was bewildered when money was found missing from Ackroyd's room. Though remaining good-humoured under suspicion, he eventually confessed to Poirot about his desperate debts, which Ackroyd's legacy had relieved. At the final reunion, he admitted Ackroyd often dictated letters with similar words, grasped the significance of the dictaphone, and noted that this discovery did not alter the alibi situation, his own being secure. He stated he had always believed Ralph Paton innocent.

Present at Fernly Park on the night of Roger Ackroyd's murder, Geoffrey Raymond overheard his employer speaking to someone at half past nine, a statement he later confirmed. He identified the murder weapon as a Tunisian dagger usually kept in the drawing room and was bewildered when forty pounds were discovered missing from a cash box he had seen Ackroyd fill. Despite his light-hearted manner, Raymond confessed to concealing serious debts, which were only relieved by a five-hundred-pound legacy from Ackroyd. He attempted to dissuade Flora Ackroyd from announcing her engagement and, when questioned by Hercule Poirot, denied moving a chair and recalled a stranger from a dictaphone company visiting. In a significant revelation, he admitted Ackroyd frequently dictated letters using phrasing identical to the overheard conversation, suggesting the possibility of a dictaphone. He maintained a watertight alibi, being with Major Blunt in the billiard room from a quarter to ten onward.