didn’t arrive until after Catherine’s bedtime, when he knew her house would be quiet and free from unexpected visitors. Even Maeve had gone to bed.
When she served him coffee, she noticed he wrapped both hands around the cup to absorb its warmth.
“I don’t suppose you learned anything unexpected from the medical examiner,” she said, sitting down with him at the table.
“No. Arsenic, just as we thought. Somebody poured an awful lot of it into the whiskey bottle. I’m guessing nobody had poisoned Garnet Devries.”
“No, and she didn’t seem particularly ill, either, except for the usual morning sickness women in her condition get.”
“I don’t suppose you learned anything interesting today.”
“I did, but not what I expected.”
He perked up at this. “What?”
“You told me that Hugh Zeller is Paul’s…What do you call it when they’re both men?”
“Friend,” Malloy said.
She raised her eyebrows. “That can’t be right.”
“I don’t know any nice words for it, Sarah. Men like that aren’t treated with much respect, and you don’t need to know what the cops call them.”
He was probably right. “At any rate, I guess I expected Mr. Zeller would be jealous of Garnet or at least that he wouldn’t like her very much, but quite the contrary, he actually seemed fond of her and genuinely concerned about her health.”
“What about Paul?”
“I didn’t see much of him. His mother kept him occupied, but when he was finally able to break away, he was just as kind to Garnet. Not like a lover would be, but like a brother, perhaps. He does care for her, at least, so whoever told you that was right.”
“Fond enough to kill for her?”
Sarah shook her head. “I don’t know. Something Mrs. Richmond said made me—”
“Who?”
“Mrs. Richmond. I almost forgot, she was with Garnet when I got there.”
“That was brave of her. Mrs. Devries doesn’t want her in the house.”
“I’m sure she knew her daughter would need her, and braving the wrath of Mrs. Devries would be a small price to pay.”
“She was probably counting on the fact that Mrs. Devries wouldn’t make a scene at her husband’s funeral.”
“She also managed to keep out of her sight, too.”
“You started to say something about her.”
“Oh, yes. She remarked that a woman would do whatever was necessary for those she loved, and it made me wonder. Would a man do that, too?”
Malloy frowned. “You mean would a man commit murder?”
“Not exactly. I know men commit murder for many reasons that don’t have anything to do with love. I guess I mean would a man sacrifice for someone he loves, whatever that entails.”
“For someone he
“I guess you’ll have to ask him that tomorrow.”
“Maybe you could ask Garnet, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I’d like for you to go see Garnet at the same time I’m seeing Paul tomorrow.”
“To ask her if Paul loves her?”
“No, to ask her if Chilton Devries fathered her child.”
“Oh, my.”
“It’s not a question
“I know. I suppose I should also find out if she is the one who stabbed him with…What was it? A nut pick?”
“Yes, a nut pick. And if you could find it in her room with blood still on it, that would be even better.”
“And suppose I do? Suppose she tells me Devries was raping her and she stuck him with the nut pick. Then what?”
“Then we find out who poisoned Roderick.”
“And why.”
“We already know why.”
“Do we?”
“Yes. He knew who stabbed Devries.”
“Are you sure of that?”
Malloy frowned. “I
“Maybe you should be, but you’re always telling me not to jump to conclusions. We think he knew who stabbed Devries and that person poisoned him to keep him quiet.”
“Or someone who wants to protect that person poisoned him to keep him quiet.”
“But maybe he didn’t really know.”
“I don’t think it matters,” Malloy said. “If the killer thought he knew and killed him because of it, then that’s what matters.”
Sarah rubbed her forehead. “I hope I can remember all this tomorrow.”
THE NEXT MORNING, THE MAID INSISTED ON ANNOUNCING Sarah before escorting her upstairs to Garnet’s bedroom. To her relief, Garnet had chosen to be at home to her, even though it was much too early for a formal call.
She found her hostess still in her dressing gown, an untouched breakfast tray on the table next to her chair.
“How are you feeling?” Sarah asked.
“I’m growing bored with everyone being so concerned about my health. Imagine what will happen when my condition becomes apparent to everyone.”
“I hope that means you’ve given up your hope of finding a
“Not entirely.”
Sarah frowned. “What does your husband say?”
“I haven’t told him yet.”
Sarah blinked. “But you said everyone is concerned about your health.”
“Only because I claimed to be ill yesterday so I wouldn’t have to go to the church. My mother-in-law has promised never to forgive me for that, by the way. If that meant she’d never speak to me again, I’d be ecstatic, but apparently, it just means she’s going to remind me of my thoughtlessness every day for the rest of my life.”
“She would probably forgive you if she knew you were expecting her grandchild.”
Garnet sighed and looked away. Her gaze fell on the tray of food. “Can I offer you some tea? Or coffee?”
“No, thank you, but you need to eat something yourself.”
She considered that for a moment. “Actually, I was thinking I could starve the child.”
“It doesn’t work like that. The baby will take what he needs from you, and you’ll be the worse for it, not him. I’ve seen women in the tenements who give birth year after year. They grow thinner and weaker and lose all their teeth, but the babies are still fat and healthy.”
“How unfair.”
“Not to the babies.”
Garnet closed her eyes, and Sarah had the distinct impression she was fighting tears. Malloy would have told her to exploit this moment of weakness.
Hating herself for it, she said, “Garnet, why haven’t you told Paul about the baby?”
Her eyes flew open. “That’s none of your business.”
