Dudley.
“Dudley didn’t
For once Symington was unable to control his emotions. This time he did strike his desk, with a force that sent a pen clattering from its holder.
“I know this is an unpleasant subject for you”-Frank hurried on before Symington could be distracted by his own fury again-“but I’m sure you’ll agree that his involvement with her gives Dudley a very good reason for wanting to see your daughter a widow.”
Symington took a moment to absorb what the detective had said. He needed only that moment. “You think he killed Edmund,” he said baldly.
“It’s possible. He had a motive, and he has no alibi.”
“Then arrest him!” Symington exclaimed.
Frank had him where he wanted him now. “I’d like to, except that I’m afraid if I do, he might implicate your daughter.”
“He very well might, if he thought it would keep him from being executed. Or if he thought the threat of a scandal would frighten you into protecting him.”
Symington started to deny that he could possibly be influenced, but then he thought better of it. The threat was very real, and Symington did want to protect his daughter at all costs. Frank still wasn’t convinced he hadn’t killed Edmund Blackwell himself for that very purpose, either. “You’re not going to let him go free, are you?” he asked.
“Not if he killed Blackwell,” Frank said. “But I’ve got to be certain that he can be convicted of planning and carrying out the murder all on his own. I’ll need a little more time for the investigation before I can be sure.”
Symington nodded. He was sure that he and Frank understood each other, and that they both wanted the same thing. “Take all the time you need. I’ll make sure no one interferes with you.”
Frank was hard-pressed not to show his relief. “Thank you, Mr. Symington. I’ll do my best to get this matter settled as quickly as possible.”
Frank rose, ready to leave now that he’d gotten exactly what he wanted from Symington and before the man could have second thoughts. He was almost to the door when Symington called out.
“Mr. Malloy.”
Frank turned back warily. “Yes?”
“When Peter Dudley is convicted of murder, you will receive a one-thousand-dollar reward from me.”
Frank almost winced. How easy it would be to make sure Dudley was convicted of the crime. Most detectives would gladly oblige for even a small portion of a reward like that. Unfortunately, Frank was no longer one of them. If Dudley turned out to be innocent, Sarah Brandt was going to have quite a bit to make up to him.
LETITIA BLACKWELL STARED at Sarah in astonishment, but only for a few heartbeats. Then she laid one small white hand on her bosom and said, “I believe I am going to faint. I must return to my rooms immediately.”
Instantly, Dudley was supporting her, making sympathetic noises and offering to assist her.
“If you faint, I’ll have to throw water in your face,” Sarah said brutally.
Letitia’s eyes grew wide. Apparently, no one had ever taken such a tone with her. Or failed to place her comfort above all other considerations. If she didn’t want to discuss anything unpleasant-and plainly she didn’st-she believed she should be excused from doing so. Sarah had no intention of letting her off that easily, however.
“Mrs. Brandt,” Dudley chided. “How can you say such a thing? Can’t you see how upset she is?”
“If you have so little concern for my health,” Letitia said haughtily, without the slightest trace of faintness, “then I’m afraid I’m going to have to dismiss you.”
“If you dismiss me, I won’t be able to care for your child, either,” Sarah reminded her. “But I’m sure you’ll be able to find another nurse who will be willing to keep your child’s illness a secret and treat it properly.”
Letitia had gone scarlet with fury. So much for her fainting spell. “There’s nothing wrong with him at all. We’ll discuss that later,” she snapped at Dudley, then turned back to Sarah. “Say whatever you are so determined to say, and then leave us alone.”
“Calvin Brown has been murdered,” she said bluntly.
Their reactions were difficult to judge. Both looked surprised, and then they glanced at each other almost hesitantly, before turning back to her.
“Who-” Dudley began, but Letitia interrupted him.
“Who is Calvin Brown?” she demanded.
“Edmund Blackwell’s son,” Sarah said.
Neither of them looked particularly surprised, but perhaps they were simply confused.
“That’s ridiculous,” Letitia said after a moment. “Edmund didn’t have a son. He didn’t have any children at all.”
“Are you aware that Dr. Blackwell was married before?”
Sarah thought she’d catch her there, but Letitia said, “Of course, but that was a long time ago. His first wife died very young.”
A good story, and maybe even the one Blackwell had told her. “Did you know he had children by his first wife?” Sarah asked, playing along.
“I told you, he didn’t have
Sarah could have pointed out that even Letitia’s child wasn’t Blackwell’s, but she restrained herself. “Dr. Blackwell had three children by his first wife, and one of them was Calvin Brown.”
“Really, I won’t sit here and listen to this nonsense a moment longer,” Letitia insisted, rising to her feet.
“If you don’t care about yourself, surely you’re interested in protecting Mr. Dudley,” Sarah suggested, stopping her when she would have started for the door.
“Protecting him from what?” she asked, outraged or at least pretending to be.
“From being charged with murder.”
Dudley, who had risen along with Letitia, made a strangled noise in his throat and sank back down onto the sofa.
Letitia wasn’t quite so fragile. She merely glared at Sarah. “This is insane. Are you implying that Peter killed this… this Calvin person? Why should he? He had no reason to do such a thing. We don’t even know him!”
“I’m not implying anything. All I’m saying is that Mr. Dudley-and you, too, Mrs. Blackwell-both had a good reason for wanting to kill Dr. Blackwell. Anyone who sees your child will figure that out in an instant.”
Letitia gasped, and Dudley paled. His eyes were so wide Sarah could see the whites around the blue irises.
“But Peter and I were together when Edmund was killed,” Letitia reminded her. “We couldn’t possibly have done it.”
“The two illicit lovers swear they were together when the betrayed husband was murdered,” Sarah said, trying the theory aloud. “I can’t imagine a jury will believe you.”
“I told you,” Dudley said to Letitia. “That police detective said exactly the same thing,”.
She ignored him. “It doesn’t matter if they believe us or not. We didn’t kill Edmund, and we certainly didn’t kill this other fellow. Why should we?”
“Because he was going to cause a scandal,” Sarah told her.
“What kind of scandal?” she asked skeptically.
“Letitia,” Dudley tried, but she motioned him to silence.
“The scandal of bigamy,” Sarah said, trying to watch both of their faces at once. Dudley merely grimaced, but Letitia turned scarlet again.
“I haven’t committed bigamy,” Letitia insisted. “Peter and I only
“Edmund Blackwell was,” Sarah replied. “And his first wife, Calvin’s mother, is still very much alive. He didn’t
