Chapter Nine: Borrowed poison
I am beginning to lose hope in the matter. Last night Ichabod also refused to help me with the problems of my mother, and I do so yearn for them to be sorted, it would not take much. But the word of the church is final, Ichabod had said, and the word of the church was no. I can not argue anymore. I feel I must just let the matter rest, and hope my mother finds her way to heaven on her own, although I would so help if I were able to. I feel quite depressed the morning after. And I do not leave my room for some hours, I think Ichabod understands how I feel to some extent, he has not come to me, but I know his comfort is there should I require it.
The day proves long, and my actions are few, Ichabod comes and goes as he pleases, asking questions about poor Mr. Fawcett. Nearer the end of the day I rise, and complete a few menial tasks. As I am in the pantry, I see the glass bottle containing rat poison Ichabod had bought on the first few days of my arrival at Merry Fellon. The bottle is dirty, and I am sure that I did not leave it like that, so I take it down and wipe the neck. As I am doing so, I think to myself that it must have been a lot of poison I had used, as the bottle is not near full, and I do not remember using so much. The words of the doctor ring in my head and I stop wiping the bottle, wondering if he had determined what it had been that poisoned Mr. Fawcett, because it had not been what killed Mr. Brinner, if my memory serves me correctly. I place the bottle down, and go to the door, looking out to see if I could see Ichabod. I could not. I leave the bottle in the pantry, still pondering whether it could have been rat poison which killed the man.
Some hours later, Ichabod did return, and before I could speak he told me that the doctor did think he knew what was the blame.
"Rat poison?" I ask. He looks at me, a little stunned.
"Yes," he replies. "How did you know?" I lead him to the pantry where I show him the bottle.
"You bought this to kill the rats with, do you remember?"
"I do."
"When I saw it this morning in the pantry the neck was filthy with dry poison and dust, and I do not remember leaving it so. There is also far too much gone than I would have used to kill rats. What do you think?"
"You have wiped the bottle, I see?"
"Yes, for I did not suspect anything until I thought about it later," I reply. "Do you think the murderer could have come into the house, and taken poison from this bottle?"
"It is a possibility," replies Ichabod.
"But how would he have known we would have had poison in the house, and in the pantry?" I ask.
"Most houses will have some form of poison in them, I suspect he merely used the first he found in our house. But this means, that he would have had to come into our house before Mr. Fawcett was found, that leaves him five days since Mr. Brinner's death."
"You think he obtained this potion not before Mr. Brinner's death?" I ask him, this is all very confusing, at what time would a man have been able to get into Ichabod's house? I believe there must have been only once or twice in the five days when neither of us were inside, I had been to the church and Ichabod had been out investigating, but there had always been someone at the house usually.
"Yes, otherwise he would not have changed poisons, it would have been much simpler for him to use just one, the first must have run out before he could get more, and he also had the need to kill Mr. Fawcett, before he could get more of the poison so he used a different one. Do you think?"
"I do understand what you are saying," I reply. "I can also see there would be reason for you to suspect me, Ichabod." He looks at me, and puts an arm around me.
"I do not suspect you, Claire, this man is killing cruelly. And I do not think a woman would have sufficient strength in her arms to carry the body, or the coffin."
"I am glad you do not suspect me. I had been worried," he offers me a reassuring smile. "I must still talk to the Hawson's, I must investigate a family by the name of Pettineath. It is unfortunate, that Mr. Fawcett had no relatives to be known of, it is hard to find a motive. The villagers all seem more than happy to help me with my inquiries, and it is a great help, although I feel someone is not telling the whole truth."
"I am sure you will catch him, Ichabod. Just give yourself time and have confidence in yourself."