Wait Until Midnight (19 page)

He shook his head. "Whoever killed Toller evidently used the newspaper reports of Delmont's death as a guide to setting the stage for the second murder."

"That implies that he or she is not the same person who murdered Mrs. Delmont."

"So it seems." Adam contemplated his sherry. "Which brings us back to the question of what happened to the veil and the brooch."

"Perhaps a neighbor or even one of the constables stole them "

"No." He turned the sherry glass in his hands. "Do you recall that the papers mentioned the jewelry that Delmont was wearing at the time of her death?"

"That's right. There was a necklace and a pair of ear-rings according to the piece in the
Flying Intelligencer."

"I saw them," Adam said. "They looked far more valuable than the ruined veil and an inexpensive brooch. A common thief would have seized them."

She reflected on that briefly. "What about the pocket watches?"

"The watch I saw next to Delmont's body was inscribed with her initials, so I assume it belonged to her. It may have simply fallen out of her pocket when she was killed. As for the one that was found next to Toller's body, all I can say is that, although it was engraved with my name, it does not belong to me."

She stared at him in mounting horror. "The killer must have purchased it, had your name put on it and then deliberately left it at the scene of the crime to implicate you"

"That would seem to have been his intention, yes"

`Adam, this is dreadful."

He finished the sherry without comment.

She glowered. "May I ask why this development does not appear to concern you greatly?"

He gave her a slow cold smile. "Because it implies that I am making progress."

"I am not at all certain that I agree with your interpretation of progress" She paused. "I wonder who sent those messages summoning us to Mrs. Toller's address this morning"

"I don't know but it would appear that someone wanted us to be in the vicinity when the police began their investigation," he said.

"But why?"

"We will find out eventually." He paused. "Caroline?" "Yes?"

"It was very noble of you to provide me with an alibi for last night," he said quietly. "Thank you."

His gratitude made her blush. "It was nothing. I'm sure that eventually you would have convinced the inspector that you were telling the truth"

"One would hope so but the fact that you vouched for my whereabouts at midnight last night certainly makes things a great deal more simple and straightforward. I am in your debt, Caroline"

"Nonsense. The thing that worries me the most at the moment is that given the great sensation that will be made in the press, rumors will be flying all over town. Everyone will be talking about us, not about finding the real killer. By the time the scandal quiets down, the trail will have gone quite cold."

"Perhaps that was the villain's intent" Adam's mouth twisted in a feral way. "You have to hand it to him, it is a rather ingenious scheme, especially when you consider that it had to be concocted on such short notice."

She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "What is our next step?"

"I find myself returning again and again to the fact that both Delmont and Toller summoned spirits who gave financial advice to some of the sitters but not to others. There is some link there. I can feel it "

"I agree there are several questions to be answered." "Yes, but before we pursue them, there is another little matter that must be dealt with."

She looked up uneasily. "What is that?"

"You must meet my family, at least those who are present here in town, and you must do so before they read about you in the newspapers."

TWENTY-TWO

Adam found
Wilson in his club, sitting alone in a corner, drinking coffee and reading the day's edition of the
Flying Intelligencer.

"Where the deuce have you been?"
Wilson peered at him over the top of the paper. "Thought you'd be back hours ago." He took an envelope out of his jacket. "This telegram came for you while you were out."

Adam sat down and ripped open the telegram. It was from Harold Filby.

REGRET TO INFORM YOU NO PROGRESS IN INVESTIGATION STOP.

Adam looked up. "Have you ever heard of a village called Chillingham?"

Wilson pondered briefly. "There's a Chillingham not far from
Bath, as I recall."

Adam motioned to one of the elderly servants. "Pen and paper, if you please. I want to send a telegram."

The man returned with the requested items. Adam dashed off a message.

TRY NEARBY
VILLAGE
OF
CHILLINGHAM
STOP. TRY LAST NAME OF CONNOR STOP. DISCRETION CRUCIAL STOP.

He noted Filby's address in
Bath and then gave the message to the porter, who hurried off to dispatch it to the telegraph office.

Wilson raised his brows. "What was that all about?" "I will explain later."

"Well, then, did Irene Toller try to extort money in ex-change for the diary as you suspected she would when you got her message this morning?"

"No. Toller was murdered last night in a manner very similar to that in which Delmont was killed. Several violent blows to the head. Séance-room torn apart again."

"Good lord. Are you serious?"

"Yes."

^"
Astonishing."
Wilson reached for his coffee with a troubled expression. "This is most extraordinary. A second murdered medium will certainly heap more fuel onto the fires that have been ignited in some of the more colorful newspapers." He nodded toward the copy of the
Flying Intelligencer
that he had been reading. "I just finished a piece by some fool named Otford who hinted that Delmont's murder might be attributable to supernatural forces. Of all the damnable nonsense. I can only imagine what he will have to say about a second similar killing."

"Otford may prove to be a problem in other ways, as well." Adam put his fingertips together. "I will deal with him if necessary. Meanwhile, I am pursuing the possibility that Toller and Delmont were perpetrating some sort of fraudulent financial scheme."

"Ah, yes."
Wilson nodded sagely. "Follow the money." "I thought your advice was
cherchez la femme,"
Adam queried.

"Women and money often go together."

"Forgive me, sir, but that piece of wisdom is not terribly helpful in light of the fact that men and money often go together, as well"

"I will allow you that much."
Wilson laced his hands over his belly. "Were you able to conduct a search for the diary at Toller's house?"

"Not a very thorough one. By the time I got to her ad-dress this morning, the police had already arrived. I man-aged to make a casual examination of the séance room and portions of the downstairs hall while I chatted with the inspector but I could hardly start opening drawers or lift up the carpet. No matter. I am certain the diary is gone."

"You believe that the killer took it?"

"It is one possibility, but there are others."

"Such as?"

"Mrs. Toller had a housekeeper who also served as her assistant and partner in some ways. She seems to have vanished. I got her name from one of the neighbors. I hope to locate her." He paused. "As it happens, Toller's death is only one of several recent events that will no doubt interest you"

"Indeed?"

"The police found a pocket watch with my name on it at the scene of the Toller murder, the time stopped presumably at the very moment the act of violence was carried out"

Everything about
Wilson seemed to sharpen with alarm. "Was it one of your watches?"

"No. It was a cheap timepiece. The engraving work was poorly done, but quite legible."

"This means the killer knows that you are searching for him. He used the watch to point the finger of guilt at you."

"So it appears" Adam tapped his fingertips twice. "Matters have become more complicated. I did not want to alarm Julia, but I think the time has come to tell her and Southwood what is going on"

"Indeed. This situation has become extremely worrisome. It would be best if they were made aware of events"
Wilson narrowed his eyes. "I assume the police consider you a suspect?"

Adam shrugged. "The inspector had some questions but most of them were put to rest when he discovered that I had an excellent alibi. A close acquaintance verified my claim that I was otherwise occupied when Toller was murdered."

"I am relieved to hear that"
Wilson relaxed visibly. "That should make things a good deal less dire. What time was Toller killed?"

"Midnight"

Wilson nodded. "That was well after the séance had ended. You were no doubt at your club. You probably have a dozen witnesses." He gave a disdainful snort. "The killer should have had the sense to confirm your whereabouts be-fore he tried to implicate you."

"I was not at my club."

"Where were you? The theater?"

"No. I went to the rooms in
Stone Street
." "At midnight?"

"Yes"

"I don't understand."
Wilson scowled. "When you go there, you always go alone. Who is this acquaintance who vouched for your whereabouts?"

"My very good friend, Mrs. Fordyce."

"Fordyce? Fordyce"
Wilson's expression was puzzled. "Do you refer to the author Mrs. Fordyce?"

"Yes."

Wilson looked stunned. "The deuce, you say. This is no time to exhibit your eccentric sense of humor, Adam"

"It is not a joke. Brace yourself, sir. I am about to be-come embroiled in a shocking scandal involving murder and an illicit liaison with a famous sensation novelist."

TWENTY-THREE

"Brace yourselves." Caroline folded her hands on top of her desk and faced Emma and Milly. "A number of startling incidents occurred last night and early this morning while you were out."

"How exciting." Enthused, as always, by the promise of entertaining news, Milly bustled to the nearest chair and sat down. "Do tell us everything, dear."

Predictably, Emma did not appear nearly so enthusiastic. She lowered herself into one of the reading chairs and examined Caroline with the air of a physician watching for signs of a high fever. "Are you all right?"

"I am quite fit, I assure you" Caroline paused. "So much has happened in the past few hours that I am not certain where to begin."

"Just start anywhere, dear," Milly advised with an airy wave of her hand.

"Very well. Another medium has been murdered in a manner that is strangely reminiscent of the way in which Elizabeth Delmont was killed."

The clock ticked into the astounded hush that followed that announcement.

"This is shocking news." Emma looked dazed. Absolutely shocking."

Milly had clearly been jolted out of the first flush of excitement. "Another dead medium, you say? Which one?" "Irene Toller," Caroline said.

"Delmont's rival?" Milly frowned. "But I thought that you and Adam had concluded that Toller was very likely a suspect in the murder of Elizabeth Delmont"

"Mr. Hardesty and I certainly considered that a distinct possibility. But we may have been wrong."

Before she could launch into a more thorough recitation of events, she was interrupted by the muffled clatter of hooves, harness and carriage wheels.

The rumble in the street ceased abruptly as the heavy vehicle halted in front of Number 22.

"I wonder who that can be," Emma said, distracted.

Someone banged the brass knocker. The sound was followed by the patter of Mrs. Plummer's footsteps. The door opened in the front hall. Voices could be heard.

A short time later Mrs. Plummer loomed in the doorway of the study. Her ruddy features were redder than usual. She held herself in a self-consciously erect, square-shouldered manner: a woman with a message of great importance.

She cleared her throat portentously.

"The Earl of Southwood, Lady Southwood, Mr. Wilson

Grendon and Mr. Hardesty have called. Shall I say that you are home?"

Milly shot to her feet. "Oh, my. An earl and a countess? And Mr. Grendon, as well? What will the neighbors think?"

Emma lurched out of her chair. "Why would Mr. Hardesty bring his relatives here? They must have got the wrong address, Mrs. Plummer."

"No," Caroline said wearily. "I fear they have come to the right address." She nodded to Mrs. Plummer. "Please show our guests into the parlor."

"What is going on?" Milly demanded.

"Why would the Earl of Southwood and his wife call on us?" Emma asked. "And Mr. Wilson Grendon, too"

Caroline rose. "It has to do with another startling incident that I have not had a chance to relate to you."

"What is it?" Emma asked.

"The police viewed Mr. Hardesty as a possible suspect in the murder of Mrs. Toller."

Emma and Milly stared at her, openmouthed.

"Do not concern yourselves," Caroline said hastily. "All is well. I was able to provide him with a firm alibi. But unfortunately, I fear that the entire affair is about to erupt into a sensation in the press."

"I must tell you that I am a great admirer of your stories, Mrs. Fordyce." Julia accepted a cup of tea from Milly. "It is so exciting to meet you."

"Yes, indeed."
Wilson enthusiastically helped himself to a tart from the tea tray. "Don't mind saying that you make a delightful change from the usual run of Adam's acquaintances."

"Very true," Richard, the Earl of Southwood, said. He was a quiet, thoughtful man who stood directly behind his wife as though casting a protective shadow over her. He gave Adam a dryly amused look. "But then Hardesty rarely reads anything other than the
Times,
so it stands to reason that his circle of associates is usually equally dull."