Chapter Ten
"I was in a hurry, slipped on the stairs and hit my head is all. I think the tread was either loose or something slick was under foot. It was rather cramped. " Julia's drink was reviving her.
"Detective…er…, William. I don't believe in coincidences of this magnitude," Josiah Atkinson quietly cautioned. "Statistically speaking…"
William had already come to a similar conclusion. "Indeed, Mr. Atkinson." He suddenly recalled what Mr. Shaggis told him after he stumbled that first night out on the lawn, and their hostess' claims about Samuel needing to do so many repairs. "I think there have been a number of mishaps this past few days. It may be that Samuel was the only person who actually knew how many and what they were."
"Josiah, please. There must be an explanation somewhere under the bell curve between accidents and hauntings," Atkinson smiled modestly. "May I be of assistance?"
Looking at Josiah, William recognized this was the way the other man was apologizing for their earlier friction, rather than a suspect inserting himself into an investigation. Since Julia needed time to recuperate, William decided to take a chance. "If I may impose on you to move everyone back into the salon then join me in the kitchen hallway?"
Request accepted, William allowed Josiah to work while he checked on his own wife. "Julia, did anyone know you were going to use the servants' stairs?"
"Hardly, as I did not know ahead of time myself."
"And you are certain no person pushed you, or tripped you?"
"Quite."
William did not betray his skepticism. Slight amnesia is not uncommon with a blow to the head, and he regretted handing her more alcohol, but it was too late for that. "Julia, I need to finish my questioning, then I want to examine where you fell."
"I will go with…" Julia tried to rise then sat down with a plop, her hand back to her head. "Perhaps not."
"Please don't trouble yourself. I will send someone over to sit with you." William placed a kiss on her forehead. He straightened his jacket, faced the doorway and stalked over to the salon.
I need to have a word or two with Donald Harvey.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Philomena excused herself to find some tea and biscuits, so Julia remained alone in the library. She reclined on the faded but still plush green velvet settee and stared blankly out the window, watching the weather gradually turn foul once again.
She'd had a few drinks during her discussion with William earlier, but she certainly hadn't felt that intoxicated…the events of the weekend had left her nerves far too frazzled for her to surrender in relaxation to the alcohol. Hearing a noise from the hall, she winced as she brushed her sore head against a silk pillow, and braced herself.
His footsteps were unmistakable.
"Well, Miss Ogden, or must I call you Mrs. Murdoch now? An accident was it? Funnily enough, you wounded me in an accident as well. Strange how those things happen," Donald Harvey drawled as she stirred herself up to a sitting position. She had no inclination to render herself supine in his presence.
"Strange indeed. You tell me, Mr. Harvey…was it the same sort of fate?" she asked sarcastically.
"Now, Mrs. Murdoch… Julia…" he said patronizingly, "I am not here to antagonize you…I'm here to comfort you. It must be dreadful to discover that your husband is carrying on with one of your oldest friends…right under your nose as it were. Not only did he run off this morning, it seems he's even left you alone, even now, for more adventures. How inconsiderate of him! Of course, you can't be too surprised, Mrs. Murray still has quite the voracious appetite for men it seems… a succubus if you will. He was powerless to resist her charms," Donald laughed as he sat next to her, far too close for her liking.
Julia prickled at the insinuation, but wondered what the cretin was getting at. He clearly does not know William Murdoch; and he certainly did not know her if he thought she would fall for such a story.
Still, she wondered what the man was talking about. William certainly hadn't engaged in sexual intercourse with Philomena or any other woman, she pulled her mouth into a sour smile. But I wouldn't put it past Philomena to try.
"Mr. Harvey, your proclivities do not represent all men and I am most confident that he and Mrs. Murray do not know one another in that fashion," Julia replied, staring back at him. Despite her defiance, she kept an eye out for Phil to come back…anything to prevent her from being alone with this man.
"Julia…"
The way he spoke her name positively ground on her ears. "I don't believe I've given you the honor or privilege of using my given name. I would prefer Dr. Ogden or Mrs. Murdoch if you please," she corrected him.
"Miss Ogden, I know men," Donald said, shaking his head and approaching her closely with a twisted smile. "And I know men get what they want. For instance, everything is always arranged to my benefit, like this house party. I let nothing get in the way of what I want, haven't I made that perfectly obvious already…?"
Immediately fearing what the cretin may have done to prevent Phil from coming back, and knowing what was on his mind, Julia knew she had to defend herself. Glancing around the room, her eyes immediately lit upon a brass bookend that appeared to be of considerable weight.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
William and his companion made their way to the kitchen and servants' staircase.
"It is pretty dim in here, but I suppose that is because householders don't consider the comfort of their staff," Josiah Atkinson sounded annoyed about the narrow passageway up ahead of him.
William grunted. "Actually, I think this stairway was originally part of the main cottage. The narrow steep steps and landing were typical construction back then."
"What are we looking for?" Josiah asked as he stood in the kitchen doorway holding a hand torch trained where William indicated.
"That is a very good question. I suppose we are looking for a trip wire, some grease, a loose board, a problem with the handrail, a nail… anything to explain my wife's fall and the other suspicious phenomena. I cannot swear there is a relationship between these odd happenings and Samuel Wilmont's death, but I intend to find out."
The two men systematically checked the stairway, step by step, before William came upon a bit of blood, commenting that it was probably Julia's. "I think she landed here, so whatever caused her to fall is above this point." His hands played over every surface, tapping, pushing and pressing. Nothing moved until he tried to lever himself up with his palm—the entire stair tread heaved.
"Is that it?" Josiah brought the light closer. "It looks like the nail is bent in an arc. If one steps just right, the tread will flip, then settle right back. So, the results of wear and tear over time?"
William nodded, pushing down on the edge to get the wood to slant again. "I'd agree except for this." He fished a small note from underneath the stair tread, leaning towards Josiah's light. He read: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
"Ah. First Corinthians, 10:12. Who places Bible verses under the stairs?" Josiah identified the quote.
William stood and rubbed his hands clean. "More to the point, who places warnings and for whom was it placed?" He thought about Samuel's behavior, and Donald Harvey's again. "I think our next stop is Samuel's room."
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The two men had just concluded their search when Julia burst upon them.
"William! It has to be Donald Harvey…." Her voice was a squawk.
"Julia! What in the world?" William was dismayed at the state she was in, wild-eyed, and red faced. He motioned to Josiah to reopen Samuels' door and steered her to a chair. If he thought she had been upset before, her reaction to what was on the bed was astounding.
"Good Lord!" Julia pointed to Samuel's corpse, peacefully and respectfully tucked into his bed. "Where did you find him?" she croaked.
William nodded to Josiah to close door. "Believe it or not, we found him right in his room," William explained. Julia's shocked protest required firm control. "He never left which is why you never saw any evidence of him being removed…he was hidden under the mattress, between that and the box spring."
Julia found a chair and sat. "It has to be Donald then. That makes the most sense…"
"Why do you say so?"
Both men looked at her. She formed her hand into fists. "He tried to attack me just a few moments ago. I heard him as much as admit he was the cause of all the accidents and Samuel's death."
"You what?!" William knelt down in front of her chair. "Did he hurt you in any way?"
Julia raised her fist triumphantly. "Not a chance. I clocked him over the head with a brass bookend and fled. What evidence did you find?"
"Tell me exactly what happened." William reacted with alarm to his wife's tale, only feeling a little better after determining Harvey he was alive, perhaps with only with a broken nose. He asked Atkinson to check on the man just in case and report back.
"Actually, Julia…Josiah and I have discovered several pieces of paper in Samuel's possession, Bible verses in fact, but we think they were actually threats." William took them out of his pocket and explained about the stair tread. "I found this one where you tripped and fell," showing her the paper. "And see these others: Beware of Forgetting. Beware of Covetousness. Beware of Hypocrisy. Beware of a Wicked Heart. I can match them to at least some of the odd phenomenon in the house."
"Well. Donald certainly has made off hand Bible quotes, and despite his bulk he is physically capable of turning a mattress over, dumping Samuel underneath." Julia looked from Samuel's corpse to William's face, bewilderment growing in her face. "You must keep him from hurting anyone else!"
William spoke, regret filling his voice. "Julia. Donald Harvey has an alibi for where he was early this morning for the time of death. He was, er... trying to seduce Margret Swift. She confirms that. He says he was raiding the kitchen when we think the body was moved, and the kitchen staff have complained about food being taken."
"But it would take no time at all to dump his body by flipping the mattress. I don't think that is much of an alibi at all," Julia argued.
"Agreed. But, if we assume the person who killed Samuel and who hid his body are one and the same it cannot be Donald Harvey. He is in the clear. We need to look elsewhere." The whole thing was giving William a headache. "Julia? Are you up to examining Samuel's body while I tell Thelma and her sister the situation?"
Julia stood, brushing her skirts back in order and beginning to roll up her sleeves. She was so sure it had to be Donald Harvey! Her head pounded and she was feeling the liquor, but that never stopped her from doing her job. If not that hateful man, then whom?
erHer"And after I look at Samuel again?"
"Then I think I want to have a better look outside while we still have daylight. Samuel left the house at dawn and was dead in a couple hours. What have we missed?"