The Floating Corpse

by James Walker

  When I just stared back at him, he laughed again and took out his cigarettes. “Still, if I can help clarify a few minor points for you,” he lit his smoke and blew out a huge plume. “Ask away!”

  “Then let’s start at the beginning,” I suggested. “What put you on to Susan in the first place.”

  “Simple really. When I realized that no one in town knew of an unwanted pregnancy or a missing baby, I fell back on the simple rule, written by Sherlock’s creator – Conan Doyle. , that applied. ‘When all other possibilities have been exhausted…”

  “Whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the solution!” I finished for him just like my father would have.

  He barked a laugh, delighted by my knowledge. I explained, “My father quoted that to me from the time I was very young.”

  He shook his head and the smile faded from his face. “Oh, how I miss your father, Collin. He would have been so proud of you.”

  I didn’t want this to turn into a crying fest, so I patted him on the knee and said, “Just go on—I’m sure he’s listening too.”

  Uncle Will brightened at that and came back to life and continued with details about Susan. “She first became a candidate for my investigation when the doctor mentioned her, and her abilities as a midwife at the office, but she became a suspect after our talk with Kitty at the Inn.

  “She was a recluse that no one had laid eyes on in months, and she had a strong knowledge of child birthing. The only obstacle was her refusal to have contact with anyone.”

  “So, you faked that spill outside her home. Which could have caused you considerable harm!” I accused.

  He raised an eyebrow at that and gave me his little smirk. “Oh, Frohman. I do so find comfort in your concern.

  “Yes, I did. I was counting on her ingrained training as a nurse to overwhelm her desire for seclusion. Of course, I was right.”

  “You were stupid!” I pointed out. “You gave yourself a nasty burn!”

  He wasn’t sure how to react to that. I’m sure he was rarely called ‘stupid’ by anyone.

  His smirk became an acquiescent pout. “Perhaps. I laid the bike down gently, but I confess I had forgotten about the hot tail pipe when I slipped my leg beneath it. Still, it only enhanced my deception and served its purpose to gain us access to her.”

  “Did you know then that she was the mother? I know I didn’t make any connection.”

  “You should have. Though something about the napkin she wrapped around my burn nudged the back of my mind, it was the knitting needles and yarn next to the chair that connected her.”

  I closed my eyes and thought back to the first time we were in her house and it came to me. ”Red! The yarn in the basket next to the rocker and the baby’s booties were that same shade of red, almost crimson!”

  He smiled and nodded with a slight tilt to his head. “Of course. It was confirmed last night when I received the baby’s clothing from the Doctor, and I matched the napkins.”

  I shook my head slowly in amazement. The answers always seemed so simple when he explained them. “So, when did you peg Marquis for the father? I mean…jeez…she was nearly old enough to be his mother! Who could have imagined that those two would…make a baby?”

  He snorted. “I found it hard to believe at first myself, Frohman. I thought Susan had far more sense. But remember, Marquis was known for his silver tongue. Truth be told, he was an immoral pig with an insatiable lust! I would not have trusted him alone with my cats!”

  I had to laugh. Normally, Uncle would have never made such a ribald joke. He smiled slyly and took another drag off his smoke. “To answer your first question-I had my suspicions before we even got inside her home. I know you glanced at her midden heap, as I did. You saw it too.”

  I remembered the pit where she burned her trash and I brought the picture to my mind. The oddity struck me right away, but I wasn’t sure of its significance. “The empty Coca-Cola bottles?”

  He beamed and raised the head of his cane to touch the brim of his hat. I wondered what he had inside this new cane. “Bravo, Frohman. You have got it!”

  “Got what? We already knew Marquis made deliveries here. Susan and the barge were his two biggest customers in that log I found.”

  He sighed in mock exasperation. “Yet there were no Coca-Cola bottles on the barge—were there?

  “You have been told repeatably how notoriously tight-fisted Marquis was with that product. He sold the lion’s share to me and spared a bit for his immediate family—and then, only on occasion. Bear in mind also that Marquis himself didn’t like the stuff.

  “That he treated her to the soda was a strong indication that their relationship was more than a business arrangement.”

  That seemed a little thin to me, but hey, who was I to say? It proved out in the end. “So, why didn’t you confront her with it the first time we were there?”

  “I could not have accused her—or Marquis—of such a heinous act as infanticide without tangible proof. I wished to confront Marquis before I took my next step, only I never got the opportunity. After he deceived Susan and pried the child from her mother’s breast, he crossed the river and then abandoned the child in the woods to die.” His face turned hard. “May he burn at Satan’s feet for all eternity!”

  We sat in silence for a moment then a thought occurred to me. “Do you think Susan knew Marquis had taken a diving suit? Think she gave him one and maybe was in on it?”

  William considered the question. “No, I rather think not, Frohman. If she did, she probably thought Marquis was simply playing with it. The old saying of ‘Boys must have their toys’.”

  “Like motorbikes and trains?”

  His eyes snapped up, and he grinned. “Touché! Yet, I think that if Captain Roy even suspected that she knew the suit was being used for some other purpose, he would have sent a few men to insure her silence. The stakes were far too high for loose ends.

  “If the Captain had known Marquis was going to Susan for help after the robbery, he would have surely stopped him. I suspect that Roy, after having administered a thorough thrashing and a death threat against his family, no doubt, expected Marquis to anchor somewhere out of sight and lick his wounds. He would have been long gone with the documents before Marquis recovered.”

  That was another bone of contention with me. “I’ll give you that. I understand that Roy was angry. He cuts Marquis out of the deal, takes the suit, and uses the crane to take the air compressor from Marquis’s boat. I even get returning the money as to avoid having the police swarming the river. Why didn’t Roy just beat the hell out of him and send him on his way? Why not shoot him and sink his boat?”

  He looked at me like I asked him what my name was. “You just answered your own question, Frohman. If Marquis was found dead or gone missing, it may have caused the same activity the stolen payroll would have.”

  I snorted. “So, how’d that work out for him? Remember that crowd out on the river? Susan using that harpoon on him nearly threw a wrench into his gears!”

  William shrugged. “Circumstance has ever impeded genius.”

  I didn’t have the time to tackle that one. I thought I saw movement up the road, though it was hidden by the trees. The funeral procession was coming, so I figured it was now or never. “So, what were those documents?”

  He stared at me for a long moment. I had the feeling he was weighing the merits of answering against the nature of my character. He finally spoke.

  “They were Treaties, Frohman. Between England, France, and our United States. Well...actually, they were more of a list of demands made by our government. Lower trade tariffs, forcing them to cut ties with some of their colonies, allowing autonomy, and creating new spheres of influence across the globe. Our government was demanding quite a few conditions be met, before we would involve ourselves in the war. Quite likely, and with good reason, many Americans would have seen this as extortion on a global scale. Certainly, the isolationists would have cried foul on
moral grounds. Releasing those documents, by the Germans, could have very well kept us out of the war entirely.”

  That frosted my behind to no end. My father lost his life and my brother had one foot in the grave because of the Huns and here our government was wasting time trying to bend our allies over a barrel. “Maybe we should have just let them take the papers. Wilson and his cronies deserve an undoing for that nonsense!”

  “I agree, Collin. But then I think of the sacrifices your family—and others—have already made. Would we want them to be in vain?”

  We had let it go at that as the hearse, pulled by six black horses, reached the edge of the cemetery lawn by then.

  The graveside service was calm and uneventful. There was a big crowd -- Catty’s family was huge -- but, aside from the usual sniffling and the occasional sob, there were no dramatics. The Priest droned on a bit too long, as Catholics were prone to. For those of us in the know, there was more relief than grief when they finally lowered him into the ground.

  Yet, the thing I will always remember about that day was how William introduced me to folk. I expected a lot of ‘This is Charles son’, and the like, but he said every time, “This is my friend, Collin Frohman”.

  My elation was dampened when William, with me in tow, stepped over to give Marquis’s parents his condolences. Catty was standing beside them. When her eyes met mine, she gave a slight shake of her head. It was obvious to me that any further attention would be unwelcome at that time and place. It would have to wait until we could be alone.

  When the crowd was back on the road to town, behind the empty hearse, William and I headed back to the Helena. Halfway there, William broke to the right and I followed him to the grave of the baby girl named Kara. He stood silently over the tiny patch of bare ground for a minute and then said, “Amen.”

  For my part, I heaved a great sigh. “Jeepers, what a mess, Uncle Will! Here lies baby Kara while they shovel dirt over the father who killed her, and upriver Kara’s murdering mother is ready for a sanitorium! I thought I’d never would understand tall these deaths…it’s all so depressing!”

  He reached over and patted me on the shoulder. “Sometimes I think that is why I prefer the stage to reality. Under the lights, I can make everything turn out as beautiful as we would wish it to be. Truth is all too often ugly and chaotic.”

  He changed the tone and the subject, asking, “So, what are your plans now, Collin? Of course, you are welcome to stay as long as you wish—or until you prove to be too much the distraction for my maid.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” I assured him, depressing myself with the words coming out of my mouth. “She is going to need some time and I want to steer clear of her until I’m sure I won’t spill my guts. I don’t want her to think about what her brother did every time I’m around!

  Besides, though I’m sorry, I think I have to cut my stay short. I should head home tomorrow if there is a train. If I’m going to run my father’s theater syndicate—I might as well be there Monday morning, bright and early.”

  His face softened and he smiled, “That is very wise, Collin. And I wouldn’t worry about Catherine, if I were you. She’s as tough as she is sweet and I’m sure you’ll say the right thing, at the right time. Besides! You should have no problem acting naturally around her! The theater is in your blood!”

  I laughed and nodded. “So, what about you, Uncle Will? You discovered the parents of the child, solved yet another river robbery and murder, and, quite possibly, changed the course of history. What’s next?”

  William shook his head with a sad smile. “Retirement, Collin. From here on out, I will leave Sherlock Holmes on the stage. I plan on building my railroad, doing some entertaining, and make the occasional appearance on stage- as I promised I would.

  “It’s the simple life for me now.”

  I thought about the stack of stories my father had written and were piled on my desk at home. I had my doubts. “Good luck with that, but you better hope Rowan doesn’t start asking too many questions. There were a lot of thinking that didn’t add up for me, until you explained them, and he’s a professional in Law Enforcement.”

  “Bah! The Chief Inspector will be basking in glory for weeks, possibly months! Police are fond of closing cases in nice, neat little packages. Soon enough, the file will be in the back of the cabinet, all but forgotten.

  As for the rest of the populous-in a month it will all be local folklore. Connecticut swamp Yankees tend to move on quickly.”

  He gave me a straight look. “Only two of us know the entire story and I know you can keep a secret.” He laughed. Then he stopped dead in his tracks. Squinting a side look down at me, he warned “And don’t you go writing anything down- like your father did!”

  I laughed to show him the absurdity of the idea, and we started back to the boat.

  Notice--I made no promises……

  EPILOGE

  Six weeks later, I was just getting up to leave for the day, when the telephone on my desked rang loud enough to stop my heart. I considered not answering it—having already putting out numerous fires throughout the day—but curiosity was always my bane.

  “Hello.” I said loudly into the mouthpiece as I put the receiver to my ear.

  “Working hard, I hope.” The voice on the other end was distant and a bit tinny, but I’d know William Gillette’s voice anywhere.

  “Uncle Will! How are you? To what do I owe this pleasure?”

  “I called to ask when you might be planning to return my maid to me.”

  I laughed. “That’s not up to me, Uncle. You’ll have to talk to Ma and Arianna about that! They’ve been monopolizing all her time since she got here.” Which was true. After the funeral, Uncle Will and I went to the home of Marquis’ family for a gathering. I explained to Catty that I needed to get home and take over the syndicate in my father’s place. On a wild hope of, a slim chance, I asked her if she would like to come for a visit to my family’s home in New York. To my delight, she accepted. Uncle Will assured her parents that my Mother and my sister Arianna would be adequate chaperones, so last week she took the train down to spend some time with me.

  Unfortunately, my mother and sister took an instant shine to her and, with the exceptions of a few late-night visits and some canoodling in the garden, I had seen little of her besides dinner and coffee in the morning. Still, every moment we stole was wonderful.

  “I’m glad that everyone is getting along so famously, but, Collin…my home is starting to look a bit…dingy!”

  “Then go stay on the Polly!” I teased him. “How are the repairs to her going?”

  “I heard a big sigh. “Slowly, I’m afraid. The fire caused more damage than we originally thought. I think she may never sail again.”

  .I could hear the sadness in his voice, and I felt the same way. That ship was a big part of our lives.

  “Still,” he went on in forced joviality, “I suppose if my home, the Seven Sisters gets too cluttered, I can always book a room at the Inn.”

  I laughed. “Well, we can’t have that, can we? I guess I can bring her back in a while. But Uncle, I have to warn you that you will have to find yourself another girl eventually. Catty’s going to have another job.”

  There was a pause and William asked, “Would you really hire her away from me? Make her a secretary? Or were you planning on putting her on the stage, Hmm?”

  “No, No, nothing like that-though she probably could be an actress after being around you for the last year or so, but I have a bigger job for her than that.”

  “Such as?”

  “My wife. I intend to ask for her hand, at least, I will as soon as it’s appropriate.”

  There was the stunned silence that I had hoped for and then his voice boomed in my ear. “That’s wonderful news, Collin! I’m so happy for the both of you! My word! Two of the people I love most in the world getting married!”

  “Well…hold your horses, Uncle Will. Let’s see if she even says ‘yes’�
��

  “Oh, don’t be a blithering saphead! Of course, she’ll accept. I’ve seen the way she looks at you, my boy, and I can assure you she’s in love. After all that poor girl has been through, I think you’re just the man she needs. You’ll both be good for each other.

  “I know your father would have approved and been over the moon about it.”

  That touched me. “Thanks, William. I guess something good came out of that mess after all. By the way, were there any other reverberations for what happened? Anybody come at you over it? Has Rowan been on you?”

  “The Chief Inspector? I have not heard a peep out of him! As I predicted, he’s been showered with accolades and praise. Word around town is that several Federal agencies have made him offers. I’m sure the town of Chester will be looking for a replacement Chief Inspector before long.”

  “If they only knew.” I mused. “Well, that’s good, I suppose. Now you can build your railroad in peace.”

  “That’s true, happily my privacy is intact. There is one outcome that is worrisome, though I must ask for your discretion.”

  “Of course, you have it. What’s the problem?”

  “It’s Ozaki”

  My heart skipped. “Ozaki? What’s the matter?”

  “Well, ever since he took that blow from Roy, he’s been doing poorly. He won’t admit it, but I can see him struggling to perform his duties and he hasn’t been himself at all.”

  “What’s the matter with him?”

  “Well, we’re not quite sure. Doctor Blum gave him a thorough exam and I even took him up to Hartford to consult with a few specialists. They put him through a slew of tests.”

  “He must have LOVED that,” I said sarcastically.

  I could hear his sigh over the line. “Collin, it was like giving a bath to a rabid badger. I feared he would do violence to the doctors a few times!”

  “That sounds like him! What did they find out?”

  “Nothing conclusive, I’m afraid. The general consensus is that, after getting a concussion from the blow then drowning shortly afterwards, that his brain has been compromised. There is a chance that there is some swelling in his brain. There is no way to determine that without an operation, which would likely just cause more damage…or worse. All we can really do is wait and see what happens. Though, I do think a visit from you would do him a world of good. Catherine too.”