Murder on Fifth Avenue: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson Page A

eat.”
    “Was he still naked when the girl delivered the tray?”
    “Not completely, no.”
    “Did the girl see him?”
    Roderick stiffened again.
    “Did the girl often see him naked?” Frank guessed.
    “Mr. Devries was not a modest man.”
    “Did he make use of the maids?” Frank understood this was not an uncommon practice in wealthy households.
    “Oh, no, not…not at all. He just liked to shock them, I think.”
    The maids and his wife and his son. Very interesting. “He ate his breakfast. Then what?”
    “He finished dressing. Then he left the house.”
    “To meet with Mr. Angotti.”
    Roderick had no reply to that.
    “And he never mentioned being injured or having pain or anything like that?”
    “I don’t recall anything out of the ordinary. Mr. Devries was not a man to complain. He felt it was a sign of weakness.”
    “Too bad. It might’ve saved his life. I don’t suppose Paul Devries is at home.”
    “Yes, but he has a visitor.”
    “Does he now? Who is visiting him?”
    “I’m sure that’s none of your business.”
    “Maybe I’ll just go see for myself. I think I remember where the parlor is.”
    Roderick flushed with the effort of holding his temper. “Mr. Hugh Zeller arrived to offer his condolences.”
    “And who is Mr. Zeller?”
    “Mr. Paul’s oldest friend.”
    “Then he’s like a member of the family. I’m sure he won’t mind if I ask Mr. Paul a few questions.”
    “You can’t—” Roderick protested, but Frank was already in the hallway. He found the main staircase with no trouble at all and was halfway down them when Roderick caught up.
    “At least let me announce you!”
    Frank knew this was not a task someone in Roderick’s position would ever stoop to, so he agreed, wondering why Roderick was so protective of Paul Devries.
    The parlor door was closed, and Roderick knocked rather loudly and waited for a summons before entering. “Mr. Malloyfrom the police is here. He’d like to speak with you, Mr. Devries.”
    Frank didn’t wait for a reply. He had to give Roderick a slight shove, but he managed to squeeze through the door before Devries could refuse to see him.
    While Roderick stammered an apology for Frank’s rudeness, the two young men standing in the middle of the room gaped at him. Hugh Zeller was a strapping fellow with chiseled features and a lot of money to spend on clothes.
    “Excuse the intrusion,” Frank said when Roderick at last fell silent. “I need to ask you a few questions before I go.”
    Paul glanced at Zeller, as if asking permission or perhaps seeking advice. Zeller simply shrugged.
    “I suppose it would be all right,” Paul said. “Just a few, you said?”
    “That’s right.” Frank looked at Roderick expectantly.
    Plainly, he didn’t want to leave, but he said, “If you need me, Mr. Devries, I’ll be right outside.”
    This made Zeller grin, and when Roderick had closed the door behind himself, he said, “I guess Old Roderick is afraid you’re going to give Paul here the third degree.”
    “What’s the third degree?” Paul asked.
    “Where they beat a confession out of you,” Zeller said.
    Paul saw no humor in that. “Do you really beat people?”
    “Only if they don’t answer my questions,” Frank said, making Zeller grin again.
    Paul actually blanched, but Zeller said, “He’s just teasing you.” To Frank, he said, “I tell him all the time he’s too serious.” Zeller clapped a hand on Paul’s shoulder and said, “Let’s sit down so Mr. Malloy can do what he needs to do and get on with it.”
    The two men sat side by side on a sofa, and Frank chose a nearby chair.
    Paul wrung his hands. “I don’t know what I can tell you, Mr. Malloy. I don’t have any idea what happened to my father.”
    “I’m just trying to figure out everything that happened that day, and you can help me by telling me what you saw. Roderick said you went to see your father that morning in his room.”
    Paul glanced at Zeller, who