For Dead Men Only: An Alexandra Gladstone Mystery Read online

  “Why, indeed?” Nicholas said. “It’s not going to be easy to get to the bottom of any of this.”

  Nancy made her fake-sounding cough again, a little louder this time.

  “We can only hope there are no more deaths,” Alexandra said. “We would all feel so much better if the constable…” There was a loud thump and several feet of white bandages unwound as they snaked across the floor. “What is it, Nancy? If there’s something you must say, then say it.”

  “Well, I don’t mean to be impertinent,” Nancy began.

  “Of course you do,” Alexandra said, “but go on.”

  “It’s just that it seems to me there is a way we could get to the bottom of this—”

  “Oh, no,” Alexandra interrupted her. “Your idea of clandestine surveillance won’t work.”

  “Excuse me, miss, but—”

  “I say, you did mention a surveillance plan,” Nicholas said. He took a step forward, but backed up again when Zack made a slight move toward him. “What did you have in mind, Nancy?”

  “ ’Tis the obvious solution, if you ask me,” Nancy said, clearly eager to have her say. “As I pointed out, this knight, or whatever he is, has been seen several times recently, mostly around the Masonic Temple, which makes sense if you think about it, since people say the Freemasons grew out of the Knights Templar.”

  “That’s never been verified, actually,” Nicholas said, “but I think I see what you’re getting at. Please go on.”

  “He rides at night, they say,” Nancy continued. “I wouldn’t know because I’ve never seen him with my own eyes, but if ’tis true—”

  “Of course!” Nicholas said. “I remember your suggestion. We wait at the temple. Undercover, so to speak. Sounds like one of those American novels, but it’s brilliant. You’re brilliant, Nancy, old girl.”

  Nancy blushed. “As I said, ’tis nothing more than the obvious solution.”

  “What’s not so obvious, however, is, if we do see this so-called knight, how to determine exactly who he is,” Alexandra said. “Are we going to take this American adventure to the ultimate and shoot him off his horse so we can see his face?”

  “But who’s to say we won’t recognize him just by seeing him close?” Nicholas said. “I say it’s worth a try.”

  Nancy nodded with an excited look in her eyes, and she glanced first at Nicholas and then Alexandra.

  “I say we do it,” Nicholas said. “I say we start now, while it’s good and dark. We can take my carriage, leave it a few yards from the temple, and walk to the building under the cover of darkness. What do you say, Dr. Gladstone?”

  “I say you only call me Dr. Gladstone when you’re trying to win me over to something, and I might ask why you thought my scheme of getting Judith Payne to your place to talk to the deputy was so far-fetched when it pales in the light of this surveillance idea.”

  “My dear Alexandra, you obviously need to read the right kind of literature if you want to stay current with this sort of thing,” Nicholas said.

  —

  A breeze had blown a thin veil of fog in from the sea, rendering what might have been a bright half-moon pale and weary-looking. The air felt damp, and, if not quite cold, it was uncomfortably cool. The three would-be spies walked a few yards from where Nicholas had left his carriage, which he’d driven himself, not wanting to involve a driver in their scheme. They moved toward the Temple of the Ninth Daughter, which looked like a hovering monster in the hazy darkness. The tall pillars in front appeared as enormous teeth, and roaring lions guarded each side of what might be the mouth. A growth of brush and trees around the building offered cover to the three of them as they huddled together, communicating with one another only with gestures.

  Finally, after what she judged to be near half an hour, Alexandra broke the silence with a whisper. “This is futile and ridiculous.”

  “Shhh,” Nicholas said, putting a finger to his lips.

  Nancy said nothing and sat so still Alexandra was astounded at her fortitude and patience. Nicholas was the first, after several more minutes, to show signs of restlessness. He bobbed up several times to peer over the tops of the brush that obscured them and finally stood upright, searching all around in the dim light.

  “Sit down, or you’ll be seen,” Alexandra whispered.

  “Seen by whom?” Nicholas whispered in response. “There’s no one around. The horseman isn’t riding tonight.”

  Nancy rolled her shoulders as if sitting still for so long had made them ache.

  “I feel ridiculous,” Alexandra muttered. “We should leave.”

  This time Nancy nodded and, after a brief pause, stood up. Alexandra stood as well, and almost immediately Nicholas sighed.

  Something hovered over them, glowing white in the sickly light of the partially obscured moon. The specter was accompanied by a sweet smell. In the same instant, Alexandra looked up into the flaring nostrils of a white horse and then raised her gaze higher to see that the deathly glow came from the white tunic the rider wore. It was making a weak reflection of the moonlight. Before the rider turned his horse and rode away at a fast gallop, she saw the red cross sewn on the breast of the tunic. It was the traditional dress of the Knights Templar. All three of them ran toward the carriage.

  “ ’Twas no ghost we saw. I take some comfort in that,” Nancy said when they were safely back in the carriage. “ ’Twas a flesh-and-blood human.”

  “An altogether unnerving experience, nevertheless,” Nicholas added. “And he got away so quickly, it’s too late to follow him.”

  “Can either of you say whether or not the horse was Constable Snow’s?” Alexandra asked.

  “All I can say is the horse was white,” Nancy said. “Same color as the one the constable rides.”

  “I’m afraid I’d never be able to swear under oath to anything other than the color of the animal myself,” Nicholas said. “And you’re right, Alexandra. We don’t know any more than we did before. It seems every turn we take leads to a dead end.”

  “Did you notice the oddly sweet smell?” Alexandra asked.

  “Nothing odd about it. Just the usual horse smell,” Nancy said.

  “I have to agree,” Nicholas said. “No odd smell, just bloody frightening.”

  “Frightening, yes,” Alexandra agreed. “But there was that odor…I can’t quite identify it.”

  “It means there’s going to be another death.” Nancy’s voice was heavy with fear and foreboding. “Each time someone sees the horseman, someone dies.”

  —

  It was the next morning when Alexandra had started her rounds to see homebound patients that Nancy’s prediction was confirmed. When she stopped by Olive Fontaine’s home to make sure she was safe and well, she learned the news.

  “That young man, the Poole boy,” Mrs. Fontaine said. “I’m told he has passed on.” Tears rimmed her eyes. “Such a young man. Knew his grandparents years ago.”

  Alexandra was alarmed. “Do you mean Deputy Daniel Poole?”

  Mrs. Fontaine nodded and stroked the white Persian cat that had just jumped into her lap. “Died right in front of his house. Nell Stillwell was the one who found him when she went to deliver a sausage to young Poole’s neighbor. You know, Mrs. Ives next door, the one who can’t walk well enough to do her own shopping.”

  “Why wasn’t I sent for?” Alexandra was gripped by a sense of unease. With Constable Snow gone and now the deputy dead, the parish could descend into chaos.

  “Why, you were sent for, my dear,” Mrs. Fontaine said. “Nell stopped by here to deliver my own sausage. She was in and out like a frightened cat. Said she was on her way to fetch you.”

  Alexandra, who had not had time even to put down her bag, turned back to Mrs. Fontaine’s front door. “Unless you’re in need of anything, I’d best be on my way to Mr. Poole’s home,” she said.

  “I need nothing. Please go,” Mrs. Fontaine said. “Although it’s too late, of course. Nell says the poor boy obviou
sly died of an apoplexy. He’s young for that, now, isn’t he? Still, you’d best be gone. It will give the village some comfort to think someone is in charge. Oh, and there’s one more thing,” Mrs. Fontaine said just as Alexandra turned away. “Poor Danny was wearing his Masonic apron. Nell said there was a spot of blood on it.”

  —

  When Alexandra reached Daniel Poole’s cottage, she found Nancy already there, bent over his body with a stethoscope.

  Nell Stillwell hovered nearby. Nell, who along with her husband, Horace, ran the butcher shop, was one of the town’s main sources of news and gossip. She seemed always to know everything that was happening, and just to make certain she didn’t miss anything, she made it a habit to stop by the surgery often to find out whether Nancy had learned some tidbit she didn’t already know herself. At first she created imaginary ailments on her part to provide an excuse for her surgery visits, but when she ran out of maladies, she continued to stop by anyway. She apparently felt she no longer needed an excuse to gather or dispense information.

  “No sign of blood, no sign of anything. Died just like the others,” Nell said by way of greeting when she saw Alexandra. “No sign of blood on his body, at any rate. Just that spot on his apron. Why was he wearing that thing, anyway?”

  Nancy glanced up from her examination and nodded her agreement with Nell’s observation.

  “What’s happening to our men?” Nell asked. “They’s dying like flies. Some claim that ghost knight is really Snow hisself. Not right for him to abandon us like that. Not right for him to kill people, either.”

  “We’ve no proof that anyone killed anyone,” Alexandra said, “and certainly not that Constable Snow committed such a crime.” Alexandra pulled her stethoscope from her medical bag. “What do you think, Nancy?”

  “No sign of trauma. Looks like an apoplexy. Except he’s so young. Of course, youth doesn’t always protect a person from diseases of the brain, but—”

  “That smell!” Alexandra said, interrupting Nancy. “Did you notice it?”

  “I smelt it,” Nell said. “Vomited, he did. Seen it on the ground. Fear makes a person do that. Somebody scared the vomit out of ’im.”

  “I saw the bile,” Nancy said, “but now that you mention it, yes, there’s something else.” She bent over the corpse and sniffed. “Smells good. Rather like, I don’t know, something sweet.”

  “It’s the same scent I detected on the horseman,” Alexandra said.

  “Horseman?” Nell asked, forcing her way toward the body. “You mean the ghost knight? You seen ’im?” She sniffed. “I see what you mean by that smell. Smells like cakes baking, don’t it? You smelled it before? On the ghost knight? Danny Poole was the ghost knight?”

  “We must get Mr. Poole’s body to Percy Gibbs,” Alexandra said, ignoring Nell’s barrage of questions.

  Nancy looked at Alexandra and seemed to read her mind. “You’re going to…” She stopped speaking and glanced at Nell with a guilty look, then back at Alexandra.

  Alexandra gave Nancy a cautionary look before she spoke to Nell. “Please ask Mr. Stillwell if we can borrow his wagon to transport the body. Oh, and see if you can find another able-bodied man to help your husband. It’s never easy to lift a lifeless body.”

  “I’ll fetch the men and the meat wagon right away,” Nell said, hurrying off toward the butcher shop.

  “You’re thinking of doing an autopsy,” Nancy said in a low voice, when Nell was out of hearing range.

  “I’m not allowed to do autopsies, you know that,” Alexandra said. “That’s a task reserved for male physicians.”

  “You’re thinking of doing an autopsy,” Nancy repeated.

  “You must think you’re quite clever to presume to know my thoughts.”

  “Ha!” Nancy said. “ ’Tis not that hard when I’ve been with you as long as I have. And it won’t be the first time you’ve broken that particular law, now, will it? Are you going to ask Lord Dunsford to help you again?”

  “If I remember correctly, the last time Lord Dunsford observed an autopsy he developed problems with his digestion and had to leave the building.”

  “I’ll get the boys to keep watch for us outside the mortuary while we do it,” Nancy said.

  “I have never said I am going to perform an autopsy, and I certainly never said we would perform one. I couldn’t be responsible for enticing you to break the law even if I did so myself, but, of course, I have no plans for such a thing.”

  “Don’t worry about getting in after the building is closed,” Nancy said as if Alexandra had not just offered an elaborate protest. “Rob can manage that for us, just like he did the last time. And if my memory serves me, you had no problem with me being there when you broke the law before.”

  Chapter 9

  Alexandra and Nancy accompanied Deputy Poole’s body, secured away in the meat wagon, to the undertaker’s house. Percy Gibbs greeted them with one of his scriptural proclamations. “Through envy of the devil came death into the world.”

  “You can’t fool us, Percy,” Nancy retorted. “You don’t believe in the devil.”

  “Nor in God, either,” Percy said as he set about unloading the body with the help of one of his workers.

  “Will you be wanting to examine the body?” Percy asked.

  “Yes,” Alexandra said, without looking at him. “But I’m afraid I don’t have the time at the moment. I shall do the exam later.” She knew he was referring to a cursory examination of the body and not an autopsy.

  “I know I don’t have to tell you that you mustn’t wait too long. You know the way of all flesh as well as I know it myself.” Percy stood back from the wagon now, as his workers pushed the gurney on which the body had been placed. His hands were folded in front of him in what might have been called a pious manner if it had been anyone else.

  “I shall get to the task as soon as possible,” Alexandra said.

  “And I shall do all I can to help,” Percy said, “now that I shan’t be bothered with repairing locks. Did I mention that someone broke the lock on the door sometime back?”

  “Oh, what a shame,” Alexandra said. She felt certain he was referring to the lock Rob had broken for her the last time she’d found it necessary to perform an illegal autopsy.

  “Rather an expensive repair. And surprising. It’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to break into a place where there’s nothing save dead bodies and coffins.”

  “Indeed,” Alexandra said, feeling more and more uncomfortable with the conversation.

  “I don’t want any more broken locks. I prefer going about my work with the dead to trying to repair the contraptions. Should have called the locksmith. ’Twould have saved time, not to mention money, since I broke a lock trying to install it. But, that, of course, is my own concern and none of yours. As I said, I am eager to be of any help I can.” His gaze bore into Alexandra’s eyes.

  Alexandra looked at him in silence for a moment. “I appreciate your offer,” she said, finally. Was he offering to leave the building unlocked so she could accomplish her clandestine deed without doing the damage she had done before when Rob broke the lock for her?

  “It seems as if we’re completely without law enforcement in Newton-upon-Sea with the constable gone and the deputy dead. Could offer opportunities for those who wish to break the law,” Percy continued. “I should think if one were inclined, one wouldn’t even have to wait until darkness falls.”

  “Quite so,” Alexandra said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get back to my medical practice.”

  When they were safely out the door, Nancy leaned toward Alexandra and whispered, “Well, there was an invitation if ever I heard one.”

  Alexandra didn’t reply. Why bother, when she knew Nancy was already reading her mind?

  “I think it best we wait until darkness falls, nevertheless,” Nancy added. “Wouldn’t want any passersby to see us.”

  “You’re quite wise, Nancy,” Alexandra said, without looki
ng at her. “Now, we won’t speak of this again until the time comes.”

  —

  The time came sooner than either Nancy or Alexandra expected. They were able to close the surgery earlier than usual, and Alexandra called Artie and Rob into the house to give them instructions.

  “Zack almost gave us away last time,” Alexandra said, speaking to both of them. “Your job is to keep Zack quiet while all three of you keep watch for anyone who might happen by. Zack has acted as a watchdog for me before, but he’s not always discreet. You must do your best to keep him quiet so he won’t attract attention.”

  “We’ll be going to the house of the dead again?” Artie asked. “Like we done that time before. That time ye cut into that bloke’s body and looked at his innards?”

  “Yes,” Nancy said, answering for Alexandra. “That’s exactly what we’ll be doing.”

  Artie shuddered. “All I can say is, ye’s got more guts than most.”

  “Mind yer mouth, Artie!” Rob scolded. “Ye’s not to use such language with ladies.”

  “What? Ye means guts? She’s a doctor, ain’t she? She knows what guts is.”

  “I said mind yer mouth!” This time Rob accompanied his words with a cuff at Artie’s head.

  “Enough from the two of you!” Nancy warned. “Now, get your caps and Zack and go on ahead of us. You’re to make it look as if you’re out for a stroll with the dog.”

  “Then the two of ye will come up and break into the place.” Rob was unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. “I swears, if the two of ye hadn’t chose the healing professions, ye coulda been thieves and scoundrels with the best of us. Never meant that in a bad way,” he added quickly when he saw the frown on Nancy’s face and her mouth open as if she was about to scold again.

  “We can all do without your opinion of what Dr. Gladstone and I are suited for,” Nancy said. “Now, keep your mouths shut and do your job.”

  Alexandra and Nancy gave the boys a few minutes to get ahead of them before they started out on foot back to the village. Alexandra didn’t want to risk riding Lucy and leaving her tied anywhere near the mortuary in case someone remembered seeing the little mare, who was familiar to everyone in Newton-upon-Sea.