Murder on Fifth Avenue

“What did your father say when you told him what we talked about yesterday?”

“I didn’t tell him anything. We have no proof, and he won’t be eager to believe one of his friends had forced himself on his daughter-in-law. I’m not anxious to believe it myself.”

“Do you think you could get Garnet to admit it to you?”

“Perhaps, if I can meet with her alone, but even then, she may not admit it. Few women would, and Garnet isn’t the sort who bares her soul easily. She didn’t even confide in her own mother, and she was quite angry with me the last time we met, you’ll remember.”

“Try, at least, because if you can’t, I doubt your father would approve of using my methods on her, so we might never find out.”

Sarah sighed as they turned the corner and could see the Devrieses’ house down the block. “I just remembered that my father called you in on this case because he thought he might not want to see the killer punished at all. I wonder if he still feels that way.”

“We talked about that on Saturday night, and he’s changed his mind.”

Sarah blinked. “Why?”

“Because he wants to see Roderick’s killer punished.”

“He does? Good heavens!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

Sarah had to think about this for a moment. “Because…I’m afraid I would have thought my father would consider Roderick’s death of little consequence, certainly as compared to the death of one of his friends, and he wasn’t even sure he wanted to see Devries’s killer punished.”

“I would’ve thought that, too. In fact, I think he was a little hurt when I said so.”

“Really?” Sarah could hardly believe they were talking about her father. “He’s changed.”

“Maybe.”

“You don’t think so?”

They’d almost reached the Devrieses’ front steps, and they slowed their pace.

Malloy looked down at her. “I don’t think a man can change who he really is.”

“But he’s behaving so differently than…than I’ve ever known him to. That’s what he and my sister used to argue about. He didn’t think people like Roderick were important.”

“Maybe he’s just changing his idea of what’s important.”

“I’d like to think so, but can he really do it? What if it turns out Garnet stabbed Devries while she was trying to protect her honor? Could you bring charges against her?”

“Not for killing Devries, but if she killed Roderick to cover it up, then, yes, I could.”

“But would my father?”

“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.”

Sarah sighed again. They’d stopped at the foot of the Devrieses’ front steps. “What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to see the medical examiner and find out what killed Roderick. I’d like to question Paul Devries, but I guess I’ve got to wait until tomorrow to do it.”

“Oh, yes. You wouldn’t dare question him about killing his father on the very day of the funeral.” She looked up at the Devrieses’ front door with its black wreath. “But this is the perfect time to question Garnet about her demons.”

The maid who answered the door stared at Sarah in alarm. “Are you coming from the funeral already?”

“Oh, no,” Sarah said, feeling guilty for causing her a fright. “They’re just on their way to the cemetery. I came to see Mrs. Paul Devries. I heard she wasn’t feeling well, and I wanted to see if there was something I could do for her. I’m Mrs. Brandt. I was here to see her the other day, you’ll remember.”

The girl sighed with obvious relief and admitted Sarah. “I’ll tell her you’re here.”

“Is she very ill?” Sarah asked, her earlier concerns rushing back.

“Oh, no,” the girl started to say, then caught herself. “I mean, I’m sure I don’t know.”

Sarah felt her own surge of relief. “Is she in bed?”

“Oh, no, ma’am. She’s up and dressed for the wake. She just didn’t feel like she could make the trip to the church and out to the burial.”

“If you’ll take me to her, I’ll see what I can do for her.”

The girl would know she should announce Sarah and see if her visit was welcomed before taking her upstairs, but Sarah knew how harried she and the other servants would be preparing for the funeral dinner. She might be able to take advantage of this.

“There’s no need to announce me. I’m sure Mrs. Paul will be happy to see me.” And if she wasn’t, the poor girl would probably never know it. Sarah smiled as reassuringly as she knew how, and finally the maid relented.

“Follow me, please.”

She took Sarah up to the third floor, to Garnet’s bedroom. At her knock, Garnet bid her enter, and she said, “Mrs. Brandt is here to see you.”

Sarah didn’t wait to hear what Garnet might have replied. She slipped in behind the maid and said, “When I heard you were ill, I came at once.”

Sarah wasn’t sure who was more startled, Garnet at Sarah bursting in on her or Sarah at finding she wasn’t alone.

12

GARNET ROSE TO HER FEET, AND SO DID THE OTHER LADY who had been sitting with her in front of the fire. Both wore the unrelieved black of full mourning. The contrast of the black with Garnet’s pale face was startling. She really did look ill, and Sarah wondered if she dared ask if Garnet had found the remedy she had been seeking. Common wisdom said there were mysterious herbs or potions a woman could take to rid herself of an unwanted pregnancy, but Sarah knew such treatments were either completely ineffectual or potentially lethal to the mother as well as her child. She couldn’t ask until she knew who this other woman was, however.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had a visitor,” Sarah said.

“Would that really have stopped you?” Garnet asked.

“Garnet,” the other woman chided in a tone Sarah recognized instantly as one her mother often used on her. That and her slight resemblance to Garnet told her the woman’s identity.

“You must be Mrs. Richmond,” Sarah said. “I’m very pleased to meet you.”

“And, Mother, this is Mrs. Brandt,” Garnet said, “about whom you have heard me complain. Mary Catherine, could you bring us some tea and cakes? I know you’re being run ragged, but I’m afraid my guests might grow faint if they have to wait until the funeral dinner for something to restore them.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

When the girl was gone, Garnet turned to Sarah. “I envy you. How delightful it must be to simply go wherever you wish and do whatever you wish with no regard for the consequences.”

Mrs. Richmond gasped, but Sarah smiled. “I assure you, it is far from delightful, and I often must deal with consequences. For example, I must now feel terrible for interrupting your visit with your mother.”

“Don’t do that,” Garnet said. “We actually welcome your arrival. I’m afraid we were simply wallowing in our mutual misery when you burst in.”

Garnet sat down, signaling her guests to do the same.

When they were settled, Sarah turned to Mrs. Richmond. She was a handsome woman, and her gown had been made for her by a skilled dressmaker, but not recently. She, too, was pale and looked as if she hadn’t been sleeping well. She also didn’t know quite what to make of Sarah.

“My daughter is exaggerating,” Mrs. Richmond said with a polite smile. “I’ve just been keeping her company while we wait for the rest of the family to return from the funeral.”

“I’m sure she appreciates that.” Sarah turned back to Garnet. “Someone told me at the church that you were