Murder on Charles Street - Leighann Dobbs Page 0,67
whenever they came to visit.
Then again, how would Papa feel to know he’d purchased a chair for Wayland? Katherine shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
Oblivious to her discomfort, Wayland deposited the chair next to hers. Rather than sit, he waited for the others to enter. Pru and Lord Annandale seemed content to chat with Harriet for the moment. Much to her chagrin, Katherine was likely the topic.
“How is your ankle?” Wayland asked. He sounded genuinely concerned.
“Better.”
He nodded, flexing his hand over the back of the chair. “You haven’t been taxing yourself overmuch?”
She cocked one eyebrow. “We saw each other yesterday. How much taxing could I do in one day?”
His mouth twitched, but he didn’t press the issue as their friends entered the room, still clothed in their outer things. Didn’t they intend to stay? Perhaps they had only come to inform her that they had caught Mr. Gammon in a lie and now intended to fetch Lyle to make the arrest.
That would be a pity, though. James Gammon seemed so aggrieved at his father’s death, and what of his courtship of Miss Ball? If he was arrested, Katherine would have to take even longer to find her a suitable match. Though that assumed she was as interested in him as her barrage of questions had made it seem.
There was only one way to know for certain. As Pru and Lord Annandale took their allotted seats on the loveseat, Katherine leaned forward. “Did you confirm Mr. Gammon’s whereabouts on the eve of the murder?”
Lord Annandale seemed taken aback at her decision to begin the conversation with business, but he nodded. “McTavish and I went out last night. The manager confirms that Mr. Gammon was there Wednesday last.”
Katherine sighed under her breath and leaned back, satisfied that she’d been correct. But if Mr. Gammon had not killed his father, who had?
Wayland added, “And I sent my runners to the hotels in town, as well as to Lord Westing’s residence to query the staff. It seems the late lord’s daughter, Mrs. Eden, truly does live out of town. I cannot place her in London at all this month.”
Katherine nodded, her stomach sinking. “We have only one suspect, then. Dr. Sumner.”
Wayland made a disapproving noise in the back of his throat.
Turning in her seat, Katherine glared at him. “Did you have something to add?”
He cleared his throat and fiddled with his cravat, looking nervous. “I’m afraid we have none.”
“None?”
“No suspects. Dr. Sumner could not have killed his former partner, and I know that for a fact. I managed to track him to his daughter’s residence in London.”
Katherine’s stomach dropping, she sighed. “He was out of town?”
But that didn’t make any sense. After all, Dr. Gammon had claimed to have had a visit from Dr. Sumner the day Katherine had visited him. If Dr. Sumner had claimed to be out of the city, it must be a lie!
“I’m afraid he isn’t able to get around on his own. He’s limited to the use of a sedan chair or a bath chair, neither of which are stealthy enough vehicles with the retainers needed to propel them in order for him to visit without anyone knowing.”
Katherine opened her mouth, then shut it. “You’re certain?”
He looked sympathetic as he nodded. “I met with him myself. His limited mobility is why he doesn’t frequent the men’s clubs. He confirmed that he did visit Dr. Gammon on the Wednesday in question, but he denied any knowledge of the secrets Dr. Gammon might have been keeping. Of course, he might have been lying on that account, but he certainly would not have been able to kill his friend without several witnesses to bring him to and from the house.”
“And Emma did not bark,” Harriet reminded her.
Katherine swallowed hard, sinking down in her chair. “Then we have no suspects? None at all?”
With her eyes dark and sympathetic, Pru said gently, “I think you know what happened, Katherine. You simply refuse to admit it.”
Dr. Gammon did not kill himself. It must have been murder. He said himself how well he enjoyed life! Katherine bit her tongue rather than air an argument she had a half dozen times in the past two days.
Briskly, Pru stood and straightened her skirts. The two men stood simultaneously.
“I’m afraid we cannot stay. Wedding business, you understand. I’ll tell you all about it later, but now, we have an appointment to make. Don’t fret yourself to death, will you?”
As the door shut behind them, Katherine’s spirits drooped with disappointment. She