Murder on Amsterdam Avenue by Victoria Thompson Page B

free?”
    â€œCertainly not, but finding the killer won’t bring him back and it might do irreparable harm to those he left behind.”
    â€œSo you’re not willing to help me?”
    â€œHow can you say that? I already told you who the killer is.”
    â€œDid you see her poison Charles?”
    She took a minute, and Frank thought perhaps she wastrying to decide whether to lie or not. Finally, she said, “No, not exactly.”
    â€œThen I’m going to need some proof, so will you start by answering my questions?”
    She wasn’t happy. Probably, she was used to getting her way because most men would succumb to her charms. “I suppose,” she said without much enthusiasm. “If I can, that is.”
    â€œThank you.” He tried a smile, but she didn’t return it. She was completely put out with him because he had failed to be charmed. “Do you remember exactly when Charles first became sick?”
    She had to think about that for a moment. “On Saturday, I think. Two days before he died.”
    â€œWhen exactly? Do you know?”
    â€œI . . . I didn’t see him that day until dinner. He must have been at the . . . the hospital all day,” she said. The word
hospital
seemed to leave a bad taste in her mouth.
    Frank couldn’t imagine Charles worked all day on Saturday, but he didn’t bother to correct her. “Was he sick when he got home?”
    â€œHe didn’t eat much at dinner, as I recall. His mother made a fuss about it, and he said he wasn’t hungry, that he didn’t feel well.”
    That was interesting. So Charles was already sick when he came home.
    â€œHow did he feel overnight?”
    â€œI’m sure I have no idea. He very considerately slept in his dressing room so he wouldn’t disturb me.”
    â€œAnd did you see him in the morning?”
    â€œOf course I did.”
    â€œHow was he then?”
    â€œBetter, I think, although he didn’t attend church with us.”
    â€œAnd how was he feeling by evening?”
    â€œBetter still, I’m sure.”
    â€œAnd did you see him on Monday morning?”
    â€œNo, I did not. He had already left the house when I got up.”
    â€œBut he obviously felt well enough to go out.”
    â€œYes, but he came home early. He was ill again, and this time his mother put him in one of the guest rooms. We didn’t know if he had something the rest of us could catch, you see.”
    â€œAnd who looked after him?”
    â€œThe servants, I suppose. I was afraid of catching whatever he had, so I didn’t go near him.”
    â€œSo you don’t know which servants were looking after him?”
    He expected her to say Daisy had been the one, but she said, “I have no idea. I’m sure Zeller can tell you. He manages the staff.”
    â€œWhen did you realize that Charles was dead?”
    She had the grace to flinch at the baldness of the question. “I . . . Well, there was a crisis of some kind, and they called for the doctor. I was in my room, and I heard the commotion. Everything got very quiet after a while, though, and then Mother Oakes came to tell me he was gone.”
    â€œDo you know a woman named Ella?”
    She did the wrinkled nose again. “Ella who?”
    â€œI don’t know her last name, but she was in love with your husband.”
    â€œThat’s preposterous.”
    â€œWhat is? The idea that someone was in love with him?”
    â€œOh, I suppose that’s possible, but it’s preposterous what you’re suggesting.”
    â€œWhat am I suggesting?”
    â€œThat Charles had a mistress. Oh my, is that the woman who fainted at the service yesterday?”
    â€œYes, did you recognize her?”
    â€œNot at all. I thought she must be someone from the hospital.”
    â€œA patient, you mean?”
    Her eyes widened. “Oh my, I didn’t think of that!