Murder on Fifth Avenue: A Gaslight Mystery (28 page)

“T
HE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAID A STILETTO WOULD’VE MADE
a bigger wound,” Frank said.

“What if it was smaller than a stiletto?” Sarah said. “If you were giving a woman a knife to protect herself with, she’d need to carry it around. It would have to be pretty small.”

“And you think he gave a knife like that to Mrs. Richmond?” her mother said.

“I don’t know, but he could have. If he offered it to Miss English, he probably offered it to Mrs. Richmond, since by then he was sure she was the one Devries wanted killed.”

“And Mrs. Richmond certainly had good reason to hate Devries,” Malloy said.

“But when could she have done it?” Sarah asked. “I thought you’d accounted for everyone Devries saw that day.”

“Let’s figure it out. He got home from Miss English’s house around nine o’clock. He left there around eleven, went to see
Angotti, and left there around noon. He got to his club in the middle of the afternoon. Nobody really noticed the exact time, but let’s say two thirty.”

“Was that enough time for him to visit Mrs. Richmond in between?”

“I don’t know, but it’s enough time for him to have visited
someone
and gotten himself stabbed.”

“You’re forgetting that Chilton was undressed when he was stabbed,” her mother said.

“That does complicate matters,” Sarah said. “I can’t imagine Mrs. Richmond being in a situation like that with Devries.”

“Especially because Mrs. Richmond lives in a boarding-house where gentleman callers are only allowed in the parlor under the watchful eye of the landlady,” Malloy said. “Besides, I asked the landlady if Devries had ever been there, and she said no.”

“Maybe the landlady was out when he called,” her mother said.

“Mrs. Richmond would have feared for her life, seeing Devries after what Angotti had told her,” Sarah said.

Malloy was thinking. “If she’d stabbed him when he was trying to kill her, he wasn’t likely to tell anybody about it, either.” Malloy rose.

“Where are you going?” Sarah asked.

“To talk to Mrs. Richmond.”

“Oh, my,” her mother said. “You aren’t going to arrest her, are you?”

“Not if she stabbed him in self-defense.”

“Then why even ask her?” Sarah said.

Malloy looked down at her, his expression as solemn as she’d ever seen him. “I have to find out who stabbed Devries and how, so I can tell your father what happened.”

Sarah would have protested, but her mother grabbed her arm as Malloy left the kitchen.

“He does have to tell your father,” she said. “He has to prove himself.”

“He doesn’t have to prove himself to me!”

“I told you this was some kind of a test,” her mother said fiercely. “I don’t pretend to understand what goes on in men’s minds. They’re so very different from us. They’re so very unreasonable and strange, and they always think the wrong things are important, but we aren’t going to change them. We just have to take them as they are, and Mr. Malloy believes he must prove something to your father. Perhaps you’d best go with him. Mrs. Richmond might not tell him the truth of what happened between her and Chilton, especially if Chilton was naked at the time.”

“But—”

“Hurry, before he leaves without you.”

Sarah needed only another moment to decide her mother was right. She jumped up and hurried out to find Malloy buttoning his coat.

“I’m going with you.”

“Why?”

She gave him a pitying look. “Terry Richmond isn’t going to tell
you
how she came to stab Chilton Devries in his naked back. She might not tell me, either, but at least I have a chance with her. Now go upstairs and tell Catherine you have to break your promise to visit with her while I change my clothes.”

By the time Malloy came back downstairs, Sarah was ready. They set off into the afternoon chill. Walking was the fastest way to Mrs. Richmond’s boardinghouse, and they traveled most of the way in silence.

Sarah’s heart ached when she saw the house where Garnet’s
mother had taken refuge. How humiliating it must have been for her to receive her daughter in so humble a place, and how infuriating to know Chilton Devries had put her there.

Malloy knocked on the door, and they waited for what seemed a long time for someone to answer. The slatternly woman who opened the door looked Sarah up and down with cautious approval before glancing at Malloy. She didn’t approve of him at all.

“What are
you
doing here? And who’s this you’ve brought with you?”

“Mrs. Brandt, I’d like to introduce the landlady, Mrs. Higgins,” Malloy said with a trace of irony.

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Higgins,” Sarah said with her best smile.

Mrs. Higgins glared at them both. “She ain’t here.”

“Mrs. Richmond?” Sarah asked.

“If that’s who you’ve come to see.”

“Yes, it is, but perhaps you could help us. We just need a little information.”

“I ain’t in the business of giving out information.”

“I know, but it’s so important. We’re concerned that Mrs. Richmond might be in danger.”

“It’s nothing to me if she is.”

“It will be if the trouble comes to your house,” Sarah said with what she hoped was a convincingly worried frown.

“I don’t want no trouble!”

“Then answer the questions,” Malloy said, earning another glare.

“Mrs. Higgins, we just need to know if, by any chance, you were out of the house last Tuesday afternoon.”

“On a Tuesday? Not likely. That’s the day I iron. I’m here and on my feet all day.”

“Then no one could have visited Mrs. Richmond that day without you knowing it,” Sarah said.

“No, they couldn’t, but even if they had, she wasn’t at home herself that afternoon.”

Sarah glanced at Malloy and saw her own surprise mirrored on his face. “She wasn’t? Do you know where she was?”

“She don’t consult with me, you understand, but I remember particular because she acted so funny.”

“What do you mean, funny?”

“I mean strange and upset and maybe a little scared, and in an all-fired hurry, too. It started when she got the telegram.”

“A telegram? Who was it from?”

“She didn’t say, but I guess she thought it was from her daughter. We ain’t on the telephone, so when her daughter wanted to send her a message, she’d send a telegram. Waste of money, if you ask me, but I seen how her daughter dressed, so I guess she don’t care about wasting money.”

“But you don’t think this telegram was from her daughter?”

“Not unless it was real bad news. She got all white and went running upstairs, and in a few minutes she came back down with her coat on and ran out.”

“What time was this?”

“How should I know? Early afternoon, I guess. I was ironing, not watching the clock.”

“After lunch?” Sarah prodded.

“Maybe, but not long after.”

“How long was she gone?”

“Most of the afternoon. She was back for supper, but she hadn’t been here long.” The woman gave Sarah a considering look. “Say, do you know where she went? Or what was in the telegram? I been wondering.”

“No, I don’t. Do you happen to know where Mrs. Richmond is now?”

“Went to see her daughter. She got a telegram, as a matter of fact, asking her to come. They had the funeral for that Devries fellow yesterday. She went to that, too. I guess she’s trying to worm her way in over there now. Who wouldn’t?”

“I don’t suppose you happened to see the telegram in the trash,” Malloy said. “The one she got last week, I mean.”

Mrs. Higgins looked at him in surprise, as if she’d forgotten he was there. “No, she burned it.”

Sarah chose not to remark on Mrs. Higgins’ very complete knowledge of the history of the mystery telegram. “Thank you so much for your help, Mrs. Higgins,” Sarah said. “We’re very grateful.”

“I don’t know what for,” Mrs. Higgins said, preening a little.

“I guess we’d better be going, Mrs. Brandt,” Malloy said, taking Sarah’s arm, but then he looked back at the landlady again. “I wonder if you ever noticed Mrs. Richmond having a knife.”

Her eyes widened. “How’d you know about that?”

Sarah’s heart lurched in her chest. “Did you see it?”

“Well, she didn’t exactly have it hid, did she? Of course I saw it, when I went in to clean the room. Such a pretty little thing, like something out of a museum.”

“A museum?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah, it looked like one of them swords the knights used to carry in the fairy-tale books. All fancy in a little case it slipped into, only it was real small.” She held out her two forefingers about six inches apart.

Sarah exchanged a glance with Malloy, and this time
he
thanked Mrs. Higgins for her help. She stood in her open doorway, heedless of the cold, and watched them go.

“Do we dare go back to the Devrieses’ house?” Malloy asked.

“I can go alone and just ask to see Mrs. Richmond. If she’s not there, I can leave without bothering anyone.”

“I don’t like the idea of you going alone with Mrs. Devries in the house.”

“I promise I won’t drink any whiskey while I’m there.”

Malloy ignored her jibe. “What do you think your father will want me to do about the old woman?”

“I don’t know. I’ve already instructed my mother she must tell all her friends what she did so they’ll drop her.”

“Are you sure about that? What about Paul and Garnet? Won’t they suffer just as much if people like your parents shun her?”

“Oh, dear, I hadn’t thought of that. Charging her with murder wouldn’t be much better, though. The scandal would taint the whole family forever.”

“And I can’t think of any other choices. I hope your father is wiser than I am about how to handle this.”

By mutual consent, they headed to the Third Avenue Elevated Train for the trip uptown to the Devrieses’ house. The unheated cars weren’t exactly comfortable, but at least they were out of the wind, and the duration of the trip was shortened considerably. They got off just a few blocks from the Devrieses’ house and walked over as quickly as the crowded sidewalks and clogged streets would allow.

The maid who answered the door recognized them, but she didn’t seem pleased to see them. She probably thought they’d already caused enough trouble.

“Is Mrs. Richmond here?” Sarah asked when the girl had ushered them inside.

“Mrs. Richmond?” she echoed in surprise.

“Yes, Mrs. Paul’s mother.”

“Yes, I know, but …”

“It’s a little strange to be calling on Mrs. Richmond here, I know, but we need to speak with her, and when we called at her house, they told us she was here. You don’t need to bother Mrs. Paul.”

“I wouldn’t. I mean, I thought maybe you was here to see
her
. She’s not feeling at all well. She went right to bed after you left this morning, Mrs. Brandt. Had us send for her mother right off.”

“Maybe I should see her after all. I’m a midwife, and—”

“Yes, ma’am, I remember. You brought her a remedy once before. Shall I tell her you’re here?”

“Yes, and tell her I’d be happy to see what I can do to ease her discomfort.”

The girl left them in the small receiving room, and the moment she was gone, Malloy was on his knees in front of the hearth.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to light the fire.” Within a few minutes, he’d struck a match to the kindling beneath the logs that had been laid at some past time but never used, and he coaxed the meager flames until they caught the wood.

Sarah hadn’t realized how chilled she was until she felt the warmth. By the time the maid returned, she was finally beginning to thaw. The girl glanced at the fire with disapproval, but she knew better than to chasten guests.

“Mrs. Paul said you can come up, Mrs. Brandt.” She glanced
at Malloy, who certainly wouldn’t be welcome in Garnet’s bedroom.

“I’ll just wait here for Mrs. Brandt,” he said.

“Perhaps you could bring Mr. Malloy some coffee,” Sarah said.

The maid took Sarah upstairs and announced her. Garnet really was in her bed. Sarah hurried over to her. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t seem to keep anything down, but that’s normal, isn’t it?”

“Not really. Morning sickness—which is what they call it, even though it can happen any time of the day or night—will happen once or twice, but after you’ve thrown up, you usually feel better. Oh, no!”

“What?” Garnet pushed herself up on one elbow.

“Could Mrs. Devries have poisoned you?” Sarah could think of many reasons why the old woman might want to get rid of Garnet. “Have you eaten or drunk anything she might have put something in?”

Garnet eased herself back down and smiled slightly. “There’s no fooling you, is there? I thought I could convince you this was normal.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I did take something, but not from the old woman.”

“Something to get rid of the baby?” Sarah asked.

Garnet turned her head away. “That’s what it was supposed to do. So far, it’s just made me sick.”

“When did you take it?”

“This morning. I didn’t know you and Mr. Malloy were going to turn our world upside down today.”

“I don’t know of anything you can drink that will really be
effective, but most things they sell for that purpose can make you very sick. If you aren’t feeling better by tomorrow, you should probably see a doctor.”

Garnet sighed. “I can’t bear the thought of having his child. How could I ever love it or care for it? How could I even stand the sight of it?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

“Of course you don’t. Nobody does.”

Sarah ached for her. At least she had her mother to help her through it. She looked around, half expecting to find Mrs. Richmond sitting in a corner, but she wasn’t there. “I thought your mother was visiting you.”

“I almost forgot the maid said you came to see Mother. She wasn’t very happy at the prospect of a visit with you, I’m sorry to say. She went downstairs to make me some tea to settle my stomach. She’ll be back in a moment. What did you want to see her about?”

“Nothing important.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Mrs. Brandt. You’d never last a day in this house. Obviously, it’s something
very
important or you wouldn’t have come back here so soon. But what could it be? My mother couldn’t be with child, so it can’t be a professional visit. Besides, Mr. Malloy wouldn’t have come with you to visit an expectant mother. No, she was especially distressed when she heard he was with you. How does my mother know him?”