The Harrison: A Beautiful Place to Die (Madeline Donovan Mysteries Book 2) (13 page)

She said she had quite the fright the other day when she went into the corner of the library, into a little-used nook, and there she saw a hanging skeleton."

"A skeleton? Did she call the police?"

"No, she said Alfred told her it use was for the education of the bone structure and nothing more."

"I do suppose a library might have such things when you have such unusual owners. So that's why she screamed. I wonder why Alfred lied about it though, why wouldn't he have just told the truth. It would actually make an amusing tale.

What a great job you did. You found out more than I could have hoped for."

"I enjoyed doing it. I suppose I have made a new friend in Lady Mary. I'm sure I will see her again."

"Did she happen to mention the missing girls?"

"She said that she thought they must all be low woman, especially if they were about the city without an escort. She said she had no pity for them."

"That's a rather cynical view and not one I think most women would have."

"I dare say not. How could anyone help but have anything but sorrow for what happened to those girls!"

"I agree."

"I'll be attending to the dinner now. I was happy to be of help to you."
 

She would have much to tell everyone at dinner this evening, this time she would share her news.

Hugh and Phillip returned, packages in hand; Phillip having purchased gifts for his family back in England.

At dinner, Mrs. O'Malley retold her story about her meeting with Lady Mary.

"It does seem odd that there would be a skeleton hanging there, even if it was for study purposes. What do the Harrisons do that would involve needing that? Of course, as it has been pointed out, they are a strange lot. I suppose we don't know enough about them yet to judge whether that is just normal for them," said Hugh.

"Alfred had mentioned to me that they each had different things they collect. Patrick is an avid hunter and mounts his dead birds in a room somewhere. He, at some point in his childhood, became interested in taxidermy. Joseph and Christopher each have their collections as well. I think he said Joseph's was stamps and Christopher model airplanes, or the other way around. But apparently, their interests are diverse and include many different things," said Madeline.

"I wish I could sneak up to the third floor or see what's behind all those ornate doors," said Phillip. "They sound more compelling to see than the shops on the first floor."

"Jonathan will be here in two days―I wonder what he will have to say about this. As a journalist, he will have a particular keen view."

"Yes, it will be good to see him," said Hugh.

They bid each other good night, except, of course, for Hugh, who remained for their nightly visit. She enjoyed ending the day with him, talking about the day's events and sipping on tea or a glass of wine. It had given her a peacefulness she had not known in a long time.

She had not written in her journal for quite a while. Life had been so busy, and when Hugh left her, she spent a few moments before retiring writing in her journal.

There has been a witness to the murder of Maria Falco. The public is not being told who it is, but nonetheless, it is as we all suspected. Wanda Gapinski, I believe, will also be found to have been murdered and not accidentally drowned. I am planning on visiting the family tomorrow. Mr. Gapinski has agreed to meet with me. My primary interest is learning about his daughter's suitors.

It is wonderful to have Hugh and Phillip with us. Although Phillip will be returning to sea shortly, Jonathan will be here, and at least I will have two of my best friends with me.

I hope also to continue to be a presence at the Harrison, and try to uncover some of its many secrets.

She had sent word to Wanda's father that she hoped to meet with him tomorrow, and he had sent back his agreement to see her.

Hugh escorted her to Wanda Gapinski's home.

"Do I understand correctly that this woman was found in the river?" asked Hugh.

"So it is believed, but her best friend, Felicia, who we believe, was with her at the time of her disappearance, is still missing. I find it unlikely that she will be found alive. A fisherman found Wanda. There didn't seem to be signs of any struggle, but she also may have been drugged. I doubt there was an investigation into that. I don't think the family would press the matter and ask for an autopsy, as they do not want their daughter's body disfigured in any way. It has something to do with their religious beliefs. I had spoken briefly to them about it, and they were against the idea of it. The police have shown no interest in examining the body further and are satisfied that it was a drowning."

"I suppose the family would find the idea of a drowning easier to deal with than the prospect of murder. The family might not want to believe that this could have been their daughter's fate."

"My thoughts exactly. I think it would be much less painful to think it was an accidental drowning, but nothing explains how she happened to fall into the river without identification.  We are here."

Mr. Gapinski opened the door and stepped outside to speak to her.

"If you don't mind, can we walk down to the park to talk. My wife is not in the state of mind to hear us speak about our daughter. I don't know when it will ever be the case when she will hear her name and not weep. This is also true for her sister, Alice."

"Have the police spoken to you at all since our last meeting?" asked Madeline.

"Not at all. They are convinced it was an unfortunate accident," said Mr. Gapinski.

"What do you believe?" asked Madeline.

"I know that Felicia is still missing. Two girls don't just vanish, and one end up in the river without a black hand involved in it. It is better for my wife to think she drowned, so I do not discuss it with her, but I don't' believe it for a minute."

"The police had mentioned that they believed your daughter was engaged. Did she have a fiancé?"

"No, she wasn't in any way involved with anyone. She had her group of girlfriends and seemed content with that. She was more interested in finding ways to make money and pull herself out of our continued life of painful poverty. We came to this country from Poland with nothing, and now we have little more than that, but we always had hope...that is, until now."

"What is the relevance of her having a fiancé?" asked Hugh.

"I think I know why you are asking," said Mr. Gapinski.

With that, he pulled a ring from his pocket. Madeline's eyes widened. It was the same ring that Maria had, a platinum band with a row of diamonds that resembled an engagement or wedding ring.

"What is it?" asked Mr. Gapinski.

"It is nothing, it is an unusual ring to have for someone that is not engaged. It looks expensive," said Madeline.

"It is not something she would have had. If she owned something like this, I never saw it. The way she was, if she had obtained something like this, she would have sold it to help the family...that's the kind of girl she was. Who could she have met that would have given her such a valuable piece of jewelry in the short time that she was missing? And if she met someone who gave her such an item, why would they then harm her? None of it makes any sense," said Mr.Gapinski.

"Did you speak to the police about the ring?" asked Hugh.

"I did, but they dismissed it by saying young women do not tell their parents everything, and that if she had a secret love, she might not have told us about it."

"It does seem as if your constabulary here is satisfied with easy answers and not inclined to dig deeper into these matters," continued Hugh.

"Yes, our city is understaffed for such matters, and because there is no clear evidence, they are content to leave it alone," said Madeline. "I believe this ring may be of some importance."

"I will keep it safely locked away in the event it might be needed as evidence," said Mr. Gapinski.

Riding back in the carriage toward their home, Hugh asked, "What was that actually all about, the business of the ring?"

"It is the same ring found with Maria's things. I will tell Louie and leave it to him to take the information to the police. There is no way they can now dismiss the connection between these two girl's deaths. I will ask Louie to confer with Mr. Gapinski―I thought it was best to let Mr. Falco present this information to him."

"I see why you didn't say anything. That could be a blow he might not be ready for."

"I'm hoping that Louie Falco might bring his ring to Mr. Gapinski to confirm it and then go from there."

"You are knee deep in it now. I can't imagine Jonathan not wishing to throw himself into this investigation with you when he gets here. Do you wish to stop at The Harrison?"

"Yes, you are predicting my wishes just as in London."

The carriage let them off on the corner of Erie Street where Little Tony, the newsboy, was busy hawking his papers. In his loudest staccato voice, he rang out, "Another three gone missing, disappearance frightens neighborhood. Read all about it―one murdered, six missing".

"Tony, what is this all about?" asked Madeline.

"Two tourists visiting and one more local girl...vanished. The papers been selling like hotcakes off the griddle, my best morning in two weeks. Where'd ya' think those girls got themselves to?"

"It is a mystery, Tony, and hopefully someone will find out before anymore go missing," said Madeline as Hugh paid him for two papers.

Just then, Patrick Harrison came out, flushed-faced with beads of sweat on his forehead, and yelled at Tony, "Take yourself away from here, young man. This is a place of business. People don't wish to be bothered with your screaming. Out―out."

"All right, mister...all right," said, Little Tony, as he moved across the street closer to where Jacob was.

Patrick Harrison strode past Madeline and Hugh without even looking up at them, as if they were invisible. He marched through the doors with angry words to the doorman to keep Tony from reentering the space in front of his hotel.

When they entered, an excited Marilyn leaped from her place in the French cafe where she sat with her twin sister. Waving to them, she held a piece of paper in her hand, "Madeline, it is opium, just as you had guessed. Imagine, what a discovery."

Madeline leaned over to embrace her and thank her for what she had done.

"Will you go to the police with this information?" asked Marilyn.

"Of course. I must. There is other startling news also."

She went on to tell Marilyn and Nancy of what she discovered about the supposed engagement rings.

"Did you see Mr. Harrison run out to the street and chase poor Little Tony away?" asked Madeline.

"Yes, the missing women...at least, I think that's why he acted the way he did," said Marilyn.

"All the brothers were in the lobby. They were huddled around together over the paper," said Nancy.

"The tall one, what is his name?" asked Hugh.

"That is Christopher, the one with a little gray at the temples."

"He appears to guide the others. They do all the talking, and he barely says a word but seems to control them," said Hugh.

"He never said one word to me when we had our meeting. I don't know if it's arrogance or just pure pride that he feels he is so far above the mere mortals who come to his hotel," said Madeline.

When the three brothers left through their private elevator, everyone returned to their normal chatter.

"I think they are finally feeling a little pressure about the girls. Have you or Nancy heard anything about the new ones who are missing?" asked Madeline.

"When Little Tony began calling out, most people went out to buy a paper. I only know what we read...two of the girls missing are tourists, the other is local. The two girls were visiting the Auditorium Building. The other, it is not known where she was last," said Nancy.

"Then the brothers should not have been concerned if they were not associated with their hotel," said Hugh.

"Perhaps they know the police will be more likely to be vigorous in their search as the numbers of girls gone missing will have the city's residents demanding some action," said Madeline.

Marilyn handed Madeline the remains of the chocolate and the results.

"I suppose the police will question me now," said Marilyn.

"I can't imagine that they wouldn't, you don't mind, do you?" asked Madeline.

"No, of course not. I would like to help in any way I can, those missing girls could be any one of us," said Marilyn.

"There is Lady Mary on the outside patio. She is with an older man I have not seen before," said Madeline.

"I have seen him with her. I think he is a hotel guest. He, like Alfred, appear to take a protective watch over her."

He was short, with a bulging chest area that protruded through his coat jacket. For a moment, she wondered about what the witness had said about the person who pushed Maria. He fit the description, as did Patrick. But, of course, there were a hundred people within her neighborhood who probably would fit that description.