Butterfly Palace (27 page)

“I’m sure he did.” Lily went toward the third case. The new butterfly was beautiful, about six inches across with wings a lovely shade of blue. It was almost iridescent. She picked up the case and carried it toward the door. “Would you lock up behind us?”

“What’s that?” Jane’s voice held panic.

Lily turned to see a woman’s foot sticking out from under a display case. A sick feeling started at the back of her throat. She put down the butterfly and approached. Kneeling, she touched the woman’s ankle. It was cold.

She snatched her hand away and scrabbled back, then stood. “We must fetch Mr. Marshall at once.”

“I-Is she
dead
?”

Lily swallowed hard. “Yes.” She rubbed her hand against her skirt, trying to erase the feel of the woman’s clammy skin.

“Who is she?” Jane whispered.

“I can’t see her very well, and I don’t want to disturb anything for the police.” Lily grabbed the case of butterflies and rushed toward the door. “Would you guard the door while I fetch Mr. Marshall?” Jane was still staring at the body when Lily turned back halfway up the stairs. “Jane?” She retreated a few steps to see why her friend was frozen in place.

Jane turned toward her with an agonized expression. “I think it’s Mrs. Karr.”

“Are you sure?”

Jane’s lips trembled. “Not certain since I can’t see her face, but I think so.” She came toward Lily.

The two went up to the kitchen. Lily left Jane to tell Mrs. O’Reilly and Emily what they’d found while Lily rushed to the parlor. She stood awkwardly in the doorway. Drew saw her first and lifted a brow. He knew her so well he was sure to see her distress. Mr. Marshall finally glanced up from where he stood by the fireplace speaking to Drew.

She clasped the case of butterflies to her chest. “May I speak to you for a moment, sir?”

He excused himself. “Ah, you have my butterflies.” He took the case from her and started to turn away.

“Sir, we have a situation.”

He swung back around to face her, a frown of displeasure wrinkling his brow. “I have guests. Can’t it wait?”

“No, sir. The police need to be called. Th-There’s a woman in the butterfly room. She appears to be dead.”

His head came up higher. “One of our servants?”

“I don’t think so, Mr. Marshall. I don’t know how she got there.”

Drew joined them. “What’s wrong, Everett?”

“Belle’s maid informs me there’s a deceased person in the basement.” Mr. Marshall frowned. “You believe there was foul play? You mentioned calling the police.”

“She doesn’t appear to belong to the household. I didn’t disturb the body, but she’s lying half under one of the butterfly displays.”

“How on earth did she get in? It’s always locked. Was it secure when you went down? Maybe when the new specimen was delivered, the door wasn’t locked.”

“I didn’t check, sir. I just put the key in the lock and turned it.”

Drew touched her arm. “Are you all right, Lily? You look a little pale.”

Mr. Marshall shot him a startled look, then stared at her. “Yes, you do. I’ll take it from here. Get some tea. I’m sure it’s been a shock.”

“Thank you, sir.” She badly wanted to burrow into the sanctuary of Drew’s arms, but she turned and rushed down the hall toward the kitchen.

Drew called her name from the parlor, and moments later he caught her by the arm. “I don’t like this, Lily. Surely you know more than you told Marshall.”

She shook her head. “I came up at once to inform him.” She told him about Jane’s possible identification of the woman. “What was she doing here?”

“It sounds quite ominous. Could you tell how she died?”

She shook her head again.

Mr. Marshall joined them. “The police will be here shortly.” His gaze lingered on Drew’s hand on Lily’s arm.

She started to step away, but Drew tightened his grip and stared at Mr. Marshall. The doorbell rang, and two policemen rushed into the hall.

“This way,” Mr. Marshall said.

TWENTY-EIGHT

D
rew stood back and watched as the police finished examining the body. Lily stood with her arm around Jane as she identified the woman as Sarah Karr, Jane’s employer until she’d been dismissed.

“What’s the cause of death?” Drew hadn’t been able to see with so many people crowding around. This place gave him the willies too. All those beautiful dead butterflies.

The younger policeman was the same man who’d been investigating the attack on Lily in the churchyard, and he stared at her with a contemplative expression before turning his attention to Drew. “Her throat was slashed. With this.” He held out a bloody knife similar to the one Lily’s attacker had dropped.

Drew’s gut tightened and he glanced at Lily, who wore a stricken expression when she saw the knife. “Did you have any luck tracing the last one?”

“We did not.”

Everett moved closer. “Last one? What are you talking about?”

“Lily was attacked in the churchyard, and the man dropped a knife like this one.”

Everett glanced at Lily. “Why was I not informed of this?”

She still stood with her arm around Jane who was weeping. “I was unhurt, Mr. Marshall. I didn’t want to bother you with it.”

The policeman turned his attention to the mansion’s owner. “Mr. Marshall, did you know the deceased woman?”

“I did. What is your name, young man?”

“Officer Pickle.” The man lifted his pimpled chin as though daring them to laugh. “Do you have any idea how she happened to be down here?”

Everett shook his head. “Only my butterfly collection is kept here, and I keep the key unless I send a maid down to fetch a specimen. Which is how this unfortunate woman came to be discovered. The only other person with a key is the housekeeper.”

“Perhaps her husband will be able to shed light on how she came to be here.” Pickle directed his attention to Lily. “Was this the first time you’d been down here today?”

“It was.”

“You’re about this woman’s height, and your hair color is the same.”

“Blond hair is hardly unusual,” Drew said.

The officer glared. “I must ask you to be quiet while I conduct my investigation.”

Drew held up his hands. “Proceed.”

“Could the killer have mistaken Mrs. Karr for you? The victim was wearing a black dress. Though it was of a finer material than yours, in the dark it might have been easy to mistake her for you.”

Jane was blond too. Lily bit her lip. “I hardly think so. The bigger question is, why was she here?”

Everett clenched his hands into fists. “I’ll tell you why! She came to steal my new specimen. Karr has envied my collection for years. He was furious when I was asked to show my collection at the museum instead of his.”

“He collects butterflies too?” Pickle asked. “Is his collection as extensive?”

Everett’s nostrils flared. “Not even close. He probably has a tenth of what I have. Though I will admit he owns a few rare specimens.”

Pickle glanced around. “What here could he want badly enough to steal? Couldn’t he just buy what he wanted?”

Everett’s smile could only be called joyous. “I just received the most beautiful iridescent butterfly today. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a very special Blue Morpho from South America with unusual powers. There isn’t another one like it in the world. It’s upstairs in the parlor. I’ll show it to you. Lily, would you fetch it?”

She nodded, hugged Jane, then started up the stairs.

“I’ll go with her. I don’t think it’s safe for her to wander alone.” Drew followed Lily and caught up with her in the kitchen.

Her eyes widened when she saw him. “What are you doing? You’re going to get me discharged.”

He took her elbow and escorted her toward the parlor. “This place isn’t safe for you, Lily. I’ll not stand by and let anything happen to you.”

She stopped in the hall and looked up at him, her blue eyes as soft as thistledown. “I’m fine, Drew. Really. I have the gun you got me.”

“You don’t have it on you at the moment, do you?”

“Well, no, it’s in the carriage house. But I don’t need it when I’m working.”

“I’m sure Mrs. Karr thought the same.”

She winced. “We don’t know yet what that’s all about. She may have been stealing Mr. Marshall’s butterfly.”

“Maybe. I would like to believe that, but I’m not convinced.” He cupped his hand around her cheek. “I couldn’t live if anything happened to you, Lily.”

A pretty blush climbed her cheeks, but she held his gaze, looking deeply into his eyes as if trying to read his inner thoughts and
feelings. He turned away. What did he have to offer her? “Let’s go find that butterfly and get it to Everett before he comes up here himself.” He led her by the hand into the parlor. “Where did he put it?”

“On the piano, I think.” She moved toward the polished surface of the grand piano in the back corner. “It’s not here. Maybe I’m wrong or someone moved it.”

Drew helped her search, but minutes later they had to admit the truth. “The butterfly case is missing.”

Lily knew Jane hadn’t slept much last night because she’d lain awake most of the night herself and had heard her moving around restlessly in the bedroom. They both bolted down the last of their porridge. Hannah played on the floor at their feet.

Lily took her last sip of tea. “We’d better get to work.” Her yawn matched Jane’s. “Are you doing okay?”

Jane nodded. “Poor Mrs. Karr. I hope the police get to the bottom of this.” She looked toward the door. “I don’t know where Nathan is. I shall be late if he doesn’t arrive soon.”

“I’ll let Mrs. O’Reilly know. He should be along any moment.”

Lily opened the door and nearly barreled into the policeman with his arm raised to knock. “Officer Pickle.”

His narrow-set eyes looked her over. He smelled of tobacco. “I would like to speak to Miss White.”

Jane stepped forward with Hannah in her arms. “I’m right here.”

“You’re to come along to the station for questioning. Now.”

“What’s this all about?” Jane’s eyes held a hint of fear.

“We have some questions.”

Lily’s gut tightened at his somber expression. “I’d like to come with her.”

“Very well. We’ll likely have some questions for you too. Come along.”

Jane’s eyes widened. “B-But what about my baby?”

For the first time the officer looked uncertain. “Surely someone here can watch her.”

“There’s no one I can ask,” Jane said.

“Then you’ll need to bring her, I suppose.” Officer Pickle didn’t meet her gaze.

“I need to let the big house know where we’re going.” Lily walked ahead of them along the rough path.

Belle came around the corner of the house. She was wearing a riding dress and boots and carried a riding crop. She glanced from Lily to Jane and the policeman. “What’s going on?”

“The officer is taking Jane in for questioning.” Lily sent her mistress a pleading look. There probably was nothing Belle could do, but Lily wanted to spare Jane if she could.

Belle blocked the path. “I think that’s hardly necessary. Feel free to use the parlor, Officer.”

Officer Pickle looked uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, Miss Castle, but I must take her in.”

Belle frowned. “You’re arresting her?”

The officer shuffled. “It depends on her answers.”

Lily’s mouth went dry. The police obviously thought Jane was guilty. “W-We aren’t sure what to do about Hannah.”

Belle glanced at the baby, then stared hard at Jane. “I’ll take her.” She held out her arms. “I’m sure I can coax Mrs. O’Reilly and Emily to help.”

Jane burst into tears. “You’re a good woman, Miss Belle.” She passed her daughter over into Belle’s arms.

Belle held the child awkwardly. “We’ll take good care of her, Jane.” She gave the officer a stern look. “Don’t keep her too long.”

He looked away without answering. Jane wept as the policeman led them to the buggy. The ride to the police station was silent, broken only by Jane’s occasional cough.

Pickle led them inside to a small room filled with the stench of tobacco. “Please be seated.” He sat at the desk and took out a pencil and paper. “I’ve spoken to several servants in the Karr household, and it appears Mrs. Karr went there to steal the butterfly, just as Mr. Marshall suspected. How long did you work for the Karrs, Miss White?”

Jane folded her hands in her lap. “Three years.”

“You worked in the kitchen?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You knew the deceased, Mrs. Karr, well?”

Jane nodded. “As well as a servant can know her employer.”

“So you admired her?”

Jane bit her lip. “I wouldn’t exactly say that, sir.”

Pickle lifted a brow and put his pencil down. “You were enemies?”

“Sh-She did me wrong once.”

Lily glanced at her sharply but said nothing. From the look of satisfaction on Pickle’s face, it was clear he knew of the animosity.

“I heard you despised Mrs. Karr and hated her enough to kill her.”

“I would never harm another person,” Jane said, her voice barely audible. “She wasn’t a good person though.”

“Where were you last night in the hour before Mrs. Karr’s body was discovered?”

“Working in the kitchen.”

“Alone?”