A Touch of Forever, page 38
“Let’s leave it there. You really oughtn’t to threaten the law, Lily.” Ben merely chuckled when she muttered the remainder of her threat under her breath. “So we’re done with alibis. Roen, have you notified Miss Headley’s father?”
“There hasn’t been time. I was going to do that after I spoke to Lily. Is it that urgent? I thought you’d still be at the hotel.”
“I gave Hitch the task of interviewing the guests. It will keep him busy and out of trouble. Ridley finished her preliminary work. There was water in Victorine’s lungs. No question that she drowned.”
Both men looked at Lily when she sucked in a breath. Ben said, “Forgive me. I thought Roen would have told you.”
She indicated she was all right. “He did. More reluctantly than you, as it happens. It’s only that it is as difficult to hear the second time as it was the first.”
Roen asked, “Did Abe or your mother know anything that would improve your ability to find Victorine’s killer?”
“No. They retired after the dining room was cleared and the kitchen was cleaned. Mrs. Vandergrift left before they went upstairs. Every room was occupied so there were no rooms to let. There’s a bell on the front desk for an unexpected arrival to use, but they can only hear it if they’re on the main floor, say, in Abe’s office, and sometimes if they’re in the hallway on the second. To the best of their knowledge, no one rang the bell.”
Lily said, “Don’t you think it’s unlikely the murderer would have announced himself?”
Ben shrugged. “He might have if he didn’t go to the hotel with the intention of harming Miss Headley. Something may have occurred while he was there that provoked him.”
“He found her room,” said Roen. “Doesn’t that suggest that he knew her well enough to know where she was staying?”
“Perhaps. Abe and Ellie both said she never entertained visitors. Of course, that doesn’t preclude her from extending an invitation to someone for last night or simply giving out her room number. There’s also the register, which Abe keeps on the front desk. There were two entries for her because she moved from a room to a suite. Still, I had no difficulty locating her. I suspect her killer didn’t either.”
Lily wondered aloud, “Do you think Victorine might have known her life was in danger?”
Roen’s expression was puzzled. “Why do you ask?”
“I suppose because she hired that man. The private investigator she told you about. Perhaps he was as much her guard dog as he was an investigator.”
“She’s talking about Martin Cabot,” Roen told Ben.
“I gathered that. He’s on my list to interview. Lily, don’t you agree that if he were also given the responsibility of protecting her, he would have been staying at the Butterworth?”
“Hmm. I reckon so.”
“And where was the threat? Did she think Roen was going to exact some sort of revenge?”
“It wouldn’t have been out of the question. I’m sorry, Roen, but she did shoot you. You would have been well within your rights to retaliate. And if you were a man of different character, you would have.”
“Um, thank you?”
“That was a compliment.”
“Oh, then thank you,” he said, more certainly this time.
She smiled at him and then addressed Ben. “I’m trying to point out that in her mind she had reason to be afraid of Roen.”
“Lily’s not wrong,” said Roen. “Victorine was vengeful. It would have been difficult for her to accept that the same isn’t true of everyone.”
“All right. That adds to the questions I have for Mr. Cabot. He certainly failed her.”
Lily asked, “Do you think Mr. Cabot knew she wasn’t pregnant?”
“I intend to find out,” said Ben. “The killer might have known beforehand, but he definitely knew when he killed her. She certainly wasn’t wearing the cushion in the bath. He put it on her after he carried her to bed. He dressed her then and arranged her hair so that it spilled over the pillow in a manner pleasing to him.”
“Who? Who would do something like this? Why would he do it?”
“I aim to learn.” He leaned back in his chair to look down the hallway. “Would you mind asking Fedora to come back here? I need to speak to her alone.”
Lily rose to get Fedora. Roen stood and announced he was going to the station to send the telegram. Fedora was entering the kitchen as he was preparing to leave. He touched his face. It was enough to remind her to place the ice bag she was carrying against her cheek. He nodded, smiled encouragingly, and left.
Roen used the time it took to walk to the station to compose the message he wanted to relay in the telegram. Of necessity the news had to be delivered bluntly. He followed this with a question regarding Victor’s wishes and told the station agent that he wanted to receive the reply as soon as it arrived. When he returned home, Ben was gone. Fedora was tidying the kitchen and he breathed deeply of the aroma of rising bread. The ice bag lay on the table. He looked at it and sighed.
“Was it a difficult interview for you?” he asked.
Fedora stopped sweeping. “No. Sheriff Madison was kind. He wanted to know what I did after you left me at Mrs. Brady’s. I told him I went to my room and stayed there. There was no one who could support my story. I explained that Mr. Cabot saw me go into my room but could not possibly know that I remained inside it.”
“Huh. I should have mentioned running into Mr. Cabot to Ben. It didn’t seem important. I imagine it was not the same for you. You didn’t want anyone to see your injury. I recall you tried to avoid him.”
She nodded. “It is always the same with him.”
Then Roen recalled an earlier conversation with Fedora. “That’s right. You told Lily and me that you were ill at ease around him.”
“He watches me the way a cat watches a mouse.”
It was an image that he would have remembered if she had been so direct before. “It begs the question as to whether running into him was serendipitous or orchestrated.”
“I don’t know, but he’ll be leaving soon, won’t he? Now that Miss Headley is dead. The sheriff did not explain the particulars of their association to me, but he hinted there was one. I told him that his mother suspected Mr. Cabot was a spy for Mr. Headley’s railroad, and he didn’t deny it.”
“It’s as good a reason as any for his presence in Frost Falls.” Roen realized it would be a relief to both him and Lily for it to remain the prevailing explanation. “Is Lily in the front room?”
“Yes, with Lizzie.”
Roen stamped his feet once more and then walked through the kitchen. Fedora swept behind him anyway.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Martin Cabot was sitting alone in Mrs. Brady’s parlor used exclusively by her guests when Ben Madison and Roen Shepard arrived. He had expected the sheriff. Mr. Shepard was an unwelcome surprise. It was indeed unfortunate that the earliest train leaving Frost Falls would not arrive for another two hours. His bags were already packed. There was nothing left for him to do but wait.
“Mr. Cabot.” Ben touched his index finger to the brim of his hat then he pointed to Roen. “You know Mr. Shepard?”
Martin folded his paper, put it aside, and got to his feet. He held out a hand to Roen. “A pleasure, sir. I know your name, of course. Martin Cabot here.”
Roen shook his hand and smiled politely but without enthusiasm. “Mr. Cabot.”
“Martin, please. I saw you last night. You were with Miss Chen. Unfortunate what befell her.”
“She told you?”
“Yes,” he said. “I asked. Ill-mannered of me, but she would have never volunteered. Close-mouthed, she is. To take such a spectacular fall as she did, it defied my imagination. She has always struck me as graceful and light on her feet. I’ve seen acclaimed ballet dancers tread more heavily on the stage than she does.”
Roen was momentarily at a loss. Fedora had not mentioned a conversation with Cabot or that she had offered an explanation for her injury. Ben spared him from replying.
“Yes,” said Ben. “Unfortunate.” He looked around the sitting room. It had space enough to accommodate them but it lacked privacy. “Is there somewhere we can go where no one will intrude? Your room, perhaps?”
Martin shook his head. The packed bags would present a problem for him. “Give me a moment to tell Mrs. Brady you would prefer not to be disturbed. She’ll guard the room with the vigilance of Cerberus.”
His reference to the three-headed dog at the gates of hell made Ben smile. When Cabot left the room, Ben nudged Roen. “I’ll never be able to look at Mrs. Brady without seeing the hounds of Hades.”
“Hmm.”
Ben said, “Are you sure you want to be here? You can leave, you know.”
“I understand, but I asked to come along, mostly because of Fedora. For her sake, I’d like to know that he’s leaving town. I want to hear it from him. I promise I won’t interfere.”
“All right. I won’t hold you to it because you are not closemouthed.” Ben chose an armchair and sat.
Roen followed suit, taking the gently worn damask-covered seat of a cherrywood chair.
Martin returned. “We will not be disturbed, gentlemen.” He sat and regarded them expectantly. “I hope you mean to explain the purpose of your visit.”
Ben said, “You are in the employ of Miss Victorine Headley, is that correct?”
Martin did not answer immediately. He removed his spectacles, carefully folded the stems, and put them in the inside pocket of his jacket. “Is it correct?” he asked. “What makes you think so?”
Ben’s mouth flattened. He shook his head and turned over his hand to indicate that Roen should speak up.
“She told me she hired a private investigator. It did not require a great deal of work to identify you.” And because he believed that Cabot intended to string them along, he added the lie. “And she confirmed it.”
“I see. Then, yes, I am Miss Headley’s employee.”
Ben took over again. “And the reason you were hired?”
Martin shifted uncomfortably. “I think she should answer that. We have an agreement, she and I, that I keep her business confidential. Unless she tells me differently, I cannot in good conscience answer your questions. Moreover, I am still not clear on the point of your visit.”
“We’ll get to that,” said Ben. “Right now, we are looking for confirmation of what Miss Headley told us.”
“Do you have reason to suspect she’s lying?”
“Always,” said Roen. He shot Ben an apologetic glance. It was one thing to be invited to speak, quite another to insert himself into the interview.
“So.” Ben gave weight to the word and went on. “The reason she hired you?”
“I was hired to locate Mr. Shepard for Miss Headley.”
“Did she explain why she wanted to know where he was?”
“No, but I assumed it had something to do with her, um, condition.”
“Her pregnancy, you mean.”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you she was carrying a child?”
“She didn’t have to. It was obvious.”
“So she never told you that Mr. Shepard was the father.”
“No. Not then. Not in New York. She told me after we arrived and she had spoken to Mr. Shepard. She was disappointed that he refused to accept he was the father.” Martin’s eyes turned to Roen. “She was in expectation of a marriage proposal.”
Roen merely nodded.
Ben said, “When Miss Headley hired you, was it your understanding that you’d be accompanying her to wherever you found Mr. Shepard?”
“Not at all. I was unaware that she planned to go to him. I thought she would insist on Mr. Shepard coming to her. It seemed to me that it was unwise for her to travel.”
“Did you say that to her?”
Martin gave a start. “It was not my place. Miss Headley has definite opinions. I do not cross her.”
“I understand. Was it your idea to accompany her?”
“No. It was hers.”
“Did she explain why she wanted you with her?”
“What did she tell you?” asked Martin.
Ben followed the script that he and Roen discussed beforehand. “She said she believed Mr. Shepard might attempt to harm her. Is that what she told you?”
“Yes.”
“Did she say why she thought that?”
“No. Not directly. She hinted at some incident between the two of them that still troubled her. I didn’t need to know more.”
“Your duties, then, while you are here involve seeing that nothing happens to Miss Headley.”
“Yes. My sole purpose at the outset.”
“Has she asked you to do other things since you arrived?”
“When Mr. Shepard told her he was married, she naturally wanted to know if it were true. She wanted me to find out. I did that for her.”
“What was her reaction when you told her Mr. Shepard was indeed married?”
“Hmm. Frustrated, I would have to say. I told her the name of the woman he married and she wanted to know more.”
“And you gave her that information as well?”
“I gave her as much as she wanted to know. Her curiosity had waned in the intervening days. She showed remarkable patience as she waited for Mr. Shepard to come to her. I believe she thought it was inevitable.”
Roen pressed his lips together to refrain from commenting.
Ben said, “Miss Headley arranged to meet Mr. Shepard at the library yesterday. Were you there?”
“Not in the library, no. I watched her go in. I would have followed if Mr. Shepard had arrived. He didn’t. She came out shortly after.”
“And went to the Shepard home. You saw her go there?”
“Of course. She wasn’t there long. She went back to the Butterworth.”
“You didn’t have a room there. Why is that?”
Martin chuckled. “She didn’t want to pay for it. I don’t suppose she told you that. She thought she was already overly generous with my salary. Initially, Miss Headley did not want to be associated with me, and she would have me believe that was the reason I needed to take a room here. That changed following her meeting with Mr. Shepard.”
“Why didn’t she want to be seen with you?”
“She did not want Mr. Shepard to suspect I was with her because she was afraid of him.”
Roen’s eyebrows lifted, skepticism carved in the curl of his lip. He schooled his features when Ben shook his head almost imperceptibly as Martin Cabot looked away.
Ben said, “You used Frankie Fuller to communicate with each other.”
It was not a question, but Martin responded anyway. “Yes. It surprises me she told you that. She could never recall his name.”
“Actually it was Mr. Shepard’s son who knew that. Frankie is his best friend. The boys don’t have secrets.”
“Ah. Just so.”
“When did you last see Miss Headley?”
Martin frowned deeply. “That question is concerning. Has something happened? Did she leave without me?”
Ben pressed on without responding to Martin. “When did you last see Miss Headley?”
“I told you.” He paused, reflecting. “I suppose I wasn’t clear. She returned to the Butterworth after visiting the Shepard home and went straightaway to her room. I waited to see if she would go out again, and she didn’t. I had dinner at the hotel. She did not come down for the evening meal while I was there. By that time it was dark, and as it is not her practice to leave the hotel at night, I returned here. Mr. Shepard can confirm. That’s when we met outside.”
“Then it was happenstance that you crossed paths.”
Confused, Martin’s brow furrowed. “What else would it be?”
Ben nodded to Roen.
“Miss Chen thinks you watch her,” said Roen. “It occurs to me that perhaps your arrival at that precise time was no accident.”
“We were coming from opposite directions. I had just left the hotel.”
“I only have your word for that.”
Martin appealed to the sheriff. “Ask your mother. She knows when I left.” To Roen, he said, “I have enough to do watching Miss Headley. Miss Chen is mistaken. It’s likely she is sensitive to people’s eyes on her. I saw the stares she drew when she worked at the hotel. She would have to be blind not to notice them.”
“She noticed you.”
“That doesn’t speak well of me, does it? I do not know if I am more offended personally or professionally. I regret whatever I’ve done that’s given her this wrong impression, but it is a wrong impression. I was appropriately concerned, I thought, when I discovered a threatening note outside her door. Perhaps she misinterpreted my response. I addressed the other boarders rather forcefully. Do you know about the messages she receives, Sheriff?”
“I do.”
“And what are you doing about it?”
“At the moment, I’m speaking to you.”
“That’s why you’re here? Miss Chen?”
“Yes.”
“You raised so many questions regarding Miss Headley, I just assumed . . .”
Ben prompted, “Assumed?”
“Assumed your visit had something to do with her. Mr. Shepard’s presence supported that assumption. It occurred to me he had registered a complaint with you.”
“He did, on behalf of Miss Chen.”
“Oh, I see. I hope you are satisfied that I have done nothing untoward.”
Ben did not say one way or the other. “Do you still have the note you found outside Miss Chen’s door?”
Martin shook his head. “I destroyed it.”
“Did you write it yourself?”
“No! It was vile. Did she say I wrote it?”
