I had to clear my throat to push away the surge of emotion the article sent through me. “I didn’t know anything about him, Edwin. I don’t ever remember hearing about him back home.”
“I’m sure we don’t know about many of your country’s killers either, Delaney. Did the police arrest Dr. Eban back then?”
“He was picked up when he arrived at the Glenns’ place. He was brought in for questioning as well, but was never a suspect in the murder. He was released.”
“Though I remember the case, even many of the details, I didn’t know any of the people involved. You say both Inspector Pierce and Ms. Carr mentioned him tae you?”
I nodded again. “Yes. Oh, and she would like an interview with you. I told her I’d ask. Now I’ve asked.”
“I know. She left a message or two here. I’m sure she thinks knowing more about the bookshop is somehow integral in finding that poor lass’s killer.”
“That’s exactly what she thinks.”
“I know Mallory’s father, Boris, but not well, and I only met him a couple of years ago. I don’t know anyone else at the medical school anymore. If Mallory came tae explore the warehouse for either the books her friends brought or the scalpels, I’m not going tae share that with any reporter. Not while a killer is being sought.”
“I doubt Bridget will give up trying to talk to you.”
Edwin frowned. “Aye.”
“Edwin, Mallory was suffocated. The preferred method of Burke and Hare. It sounds like Dr. Glenn used the same method, at least once, on his wife. He brought the body of a man he’d killed to the medical school’s morgue, just like the historical killers did with their victims.”
“Do you think the murderer is Dr. Eban or Dr. Glenn?” Edwin asked.
“What if they’re in on it together? Some sort of vendetta against Boris Clacher?”
“Oh, Delaney. That sounds like something so big, with so many pieces. You said the police are looking at this angle?”
“Inspector Pierce told me to look up Dr. Glenn. I’m sure—”
“Delaney!” Edwin exclaimed as he pounded his hand on his desk.
I jumped in my seat and my hand went to my heart. “What?”
“Come with me.”
I followed Edwin down to the warehouse, where we gathered the treasure chest with the remaining scalpels and then hurried over to the light side.
Rosie and Hector watched us with matching wide eyes as we closed in on the front desk.
“Rosie,” Edwin said. “Weren’t you neighbors with Dr. Glenn?”
“Och, aye, ’twas a terrible time, wasnae it?” she said.
“Yes.” Edwin set the chest down on the desk and opened it. He signaled that I was to take out the scalpels and the two cases. I did.
“Aye!” Rosie said. “I forgot all about those razors.”
Edwin and I looked at each other.
“These are the scalpels, Rosie,” I said.
Horror overtook her features. “The eetems that Dr. Eban asked aboot the night ye were all with the lass?”
I was afraid the news would topple her over, so I nodded, gently.
Rosie gasped. Hector barked in response.
“Call the police, lass, we need tae tell them where I got those razors … scalpels,” Rosie said.
“Where did you get them?” I asked.
“From that killer, Dr. Glenn.”
Oh boy, I thought. “Let’s start from the beginning. What happened?”
Rosie nodded.
“I purchased them at a jumble sale,” she said.
“Like a garage sale or a rummage sale?” I asked.
“Sounds aboot right,” Rosie said.
I looked at Edwin.
“Rosie used tae live next door tae Dr. Glenn and his wife in West Port. It was back when he first came tae Edinburgh. She got them at the jumble sale and brought them to me,” Edwin said. “It was a long time ago and I don’t remember much about it except that we didn’t think they were anything.”
We looked at Rosie. She nodded.
“Aye,” she said. “Ye were just beginning Fleshmarket. Fifteen years anon. Always busy. Dr. Glenn said they were just wee trinkets, souvenirs, and we didnae think any differently. We put them in the warehouse and didnae think aboot them again. Weel, I didnae.”
“That’s right,” Edwin said. “And when Dr. Glenn committed his murders and then disappeared, we talked about looking for the items you got from him.”
“But we didnae,” Rosie said. “That was when my dear Paulie passed.”
“Paulie?” I said.
“My husband.” Rosie’s eyes pooled with tears, but she blinked them away quickly.
“I had no idea you were married,” I said. “I’m sorry, Rosie.”
“It was a sad time,” Edwin said. “Of course, we all paid attention tae the news about Dr. Glenn, but we were much more focused on Paulie and Rosie.”
“That makes sense,” I said, knocked off my center a little by the news that Rosie had been married. I should have known about that.
Rosie looked at the scalpels. “Even when ye first talked aboot these, lass, I didnae put it all together. I should have. I’m sairy.”
“Don’t be,” I said as I regathered the scalpels. “This is going to help the police, I know.” I looked at her. “What was he like? Dr. Glenn?”
“He was a nice man, tae me. His wife was lovely. Their daughter adorable.”
Reactively, I put my hand up in a halt motion. “Hang on. Daughter?”
“Aye.”
“Oh, I forgot about her too,” Edwin said. “She was skirted away after her mother was killed, moved into foster care.”
“I didn’t read anything about a daughter,” I said, further shocked by this additional news.
“Aye,” Edwin said.
“How old was she?” I asked.
“Thirteen or fourteen,” Rosie said.
“What was her name?”
“I remember exactly, because I’m a flower name too,” Rosie said. “Lily. ’Twas Lily.”
I wanted to look her up. I wanted to find a picture. But I also wanted to call Inspector Pierce and give him the news of where the scalpels had come from.
The door opened and three customers came in. The women were all about my age, and from my neck of the woods.
“Is it okay to bring our drinks in? They’re just iced coffees,” one of the women said as she held up her cup.
“If ye dinnae spill on
