The Harrison: A Beautiful Place to Die (Madeline Donovan Mysteries Book 2)

by Madison Kent

  She hoped sufficient time had passed, and that perhaps it was easier for Louie and Rosa to speak about Maria. When she arrived at their home, Louie met her at the door.

  "It is good to see you. I suppose you are here because you know."

  "I'm sorry...know what? I am here with some news, so I am not certain what you mean."

  He picked up the newspaper that was laid open on their dining room table and pointed to the article on the fourth page. It was short, just one short sentence and a few paragraphs of news, but the headline certainly caught Madeline's attention. In bold letters it read, "It's Murder...Maria Falco's Death Now Ruled Homicide".

  She read the brief article that stated an eye-witness had now come forward to testify he had seen an unidentified man push Maria into the path of the carriage. He had been reluctant to come forward, believing he might then be in danger, but had been persuaded by his wife to do so. They described the man as having a short, stocky build, but because his long coat was pulled up around his neck and a bowler hat had been pushed down across his face, the witness could give no further details. The person's identity has not been released to the public.

  "Like you, I have believed it possible from the beginning that foul play may be involved in this incident," said Madeline.

  "My poor sister, to have met with such an end, still...I am relieved that something may be done now to find out what happened to her and punish those who brought her life to an end. You said you have news for me?" asked Louie.

  She had brought Maria's dress back with her and now showed Louie the separation in her dress where the chocolates were.

  "The powder on the dress was nothing more than sugar and salt. I had believed it might have turned out to be some type of drug...that Maria may have been manipulated through drugs. I was surprised that it turned out to be nothing. Then by chance, we discovered that Maria had hidden these chocolates in her dress. I am having them analyzed as we speak. My supposition is that perhaps she knew the pieces of chocolate contained an opiate or something that dulled her ability to escape her captor. Perhaps this is how she escaped, her captor did not know she had her wits about her and had not taken the drugged candy. Whoever held her prisoner might have believed she was in a drugged state of mind and would pose no threat. Of course, this is all conjecture for the moment, but it seems a good possibility."

  "That is the most unusual news. There must be some logic behind such a gesture, no one hides chocolates in their clothing. And now with this new turn in the case, it seems, as you say, that someone was holding my sister against her will.

  Rosa and I both want you to continue investigating. She had a two-thousand-dollar life insurance policy in which she named my sister and me as benefactors. We would like to give you two hundred of it to continue to work on this case until something is resolved."

  "That is a great deal of money, Mr. Falco, I am not certain I should accept it. I cannot guarantee that I will find the answers you are looking for."

  "Nonetheless, we believe in you. From the first, you were the only person who took an interest and had the correct supposition about what might have happened. Rosa is a little better; your father has been to see her several times. She still remains most days in her room, but comes down for dinner now. That is an improvement. Perhaps next time I see you, she will come down and speak to you also."

  She shook his hand and said, "I will do everything that I can and will endeavor to report back to you every few days. If there is anything else that you discover, please send word to me and I will come to your home."

  "This is a beginning. There will be no peace for us until the person who did this is in jail."

  "I understand."

  She left their home feeling that all newly discovered facts were leading in the same direction. There was indeed a murderer loose somewhere in her neighborhood, and no one was safe until he or she was captured.

  In light of this news, she decided to return to the Erie Street market area. She would try to engage Jacob, the street vendor, in further conversation.

  "Jacob, may I speak to you?" she asked when she saw his familiar, friendly face.

  "Miss, I know what you are here to talk to me about, and I don't think it best for me to talk about it."

  "May I ask why?"

  "You don't know these streets like I do. It's not always safe, but now, when there looks to be a murderer about them, it's not wise to talk to anyone. You can get a reputation of a snitch, and that's never healthy."

  "Can I ask if it was you who contacted the police?"

  "Miss, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. It weren't me. That's all I can be saying."

  "If you do see something, I am willing to pay for the information and I promise you no one will know I spoke to you."

  "Pay for information? Hmm...now that's another matter, I will think on it."

  She wrote her name and contact information down and handed it to him.

  "If you don't feel comfortable coming around, I will be back within the week to check with you."

  "All right. I'll keep my eyes open for you."

  The hotel was now in walking distance so she decided she would just stop in for a minute to see if Marilyn or Nancy might be there. When Madeline did not see them, she took a seat and when the waiter came by she found herself saying, "An absinthe, please."

  She almost called him back to change her order to tea, but then surmised this was only the third time in many months that she had partaken of the forbidden substance. She rationalized that the stress of these past few days had made her believe she had earned a brief respite from abstaining. She wondered if she would always fight this demon, and then sometimes didn't think it was a demon at all, being only natural to partake in substances that helped alleviate one's suffering.

  "I see you also like the lovely fée verte. In my country, it is well liked," said Joanie Sobon.

  Madeline had not seen the artist come up behind her. The scent of oil paint was a welcomed one, as she also had a passion for painting.

  "Yes, the 'green fairy', it is well liked here also. I learned of it while in London, becoming addicted to this smooth nectar of the gods."

  When Madeline was in London, absinthe, a green colored liqueur, was all the rage, and people had taken to calling it the 'green fairy'.

  "May I join you," asked Miss Sobon.

  "Certainly. Where is the inimitable Vincenzo?"

  "Here is somewhere that I have no knowledge of. It is very strange indeed. He has been hired to paint for someone, but with the understanding that their identity be unknown. He has been taken somewhere that I do not know where, but with the generous monies he will be given, we can leave here and perhaps return to my beautiful city of light, Paris. Or if not there, we will be able to rent a loft somewhere. This is not where a true artist paints, in the lobby of a hotel, it is what you Americans call crass."

  "I understand that sentiment, but you both are greatly admired here, and it is one of the finest hotels in the city."

  "Yes, that is true. I suppose that is why we tolerate it for now, but soon, we shall have money. That will change everything."

  "That sounds interesting. There seems to be no shortage of secrets that surround this hotel."

  "I must go now. Alfred is waving to me to get back to work. Ahh...that is life."

  Madeline walked home, stopping in the park to sit and watch the pigeons and the children play. She chastised herself for consuming the absinthe, and then in the next moment, thought of her lost children and believed perhaps it wasn't so dire that she ease her mind somehow.

  No one was home when she returned. She retrieved her Conan Doyle mystery book and sat reading by the window seat, looking up periodically with the hope that Hugh or Mrs. O'Malley would return soon.

  Mrs. O'Malley arrived first, her normal easy-paced walk became a quick bound up the steps. She knew she must have something interesting to tell her.

  "Miss, I'll get us some tea. Oh...she is a cha
racter, that one. I think she has had an unusual background, not one like my lady friends and I have, cooking and sewing all the time. She is the kind of person we would talk about in whispers."

  "I'll make the tea. You freshen up and then we can meet in the dining room."

  "I'll be there in a few minutes. I would like to change my shoes. I'm not accustomed to such tight boots."

  When Mrs. O'Malley sat down, Madeline was leaning forward in her seat, pouring her a cup of tea and waiting impatiently for her to speak.

  "I don't remember when I have seen you in such a state. You look flushed. You must have had an exciting time," said Madeline.

  "I've never played the part of a detective. I found it rather stimulating. She is not the type of person I might have otherwise associated with. Not that there is anything wrong with her, she's just a little too modern and bold for my taste."

  "Yes, go on...," said Madeline, trying to hurry her to speak about their luncheon details.

  "It took two drinks of bourbon and soda before she opened up about anything. She seemed pleasantly surprised that I was treating her―the money you gave me helped initiate some goodwill with her. When she did start talking, however, she told me things that were quite private."

  "For instance..."

  "She said she was a dear friend of the Harrison's mother, Mary. They had played together as children and even went to boarding school together. When her sister had a child out of wedlock, the Harrison's, who were told they could have no further children, agreed to raise the child."

  "So, one of the Harrison's is adopted?"

  "Yes, the bulky looking one, Patrick."

  "That explains his physical differences from his brothers―but he does resemble them. Perhaps, it is as they say, that you begin to take on the appearance of those you spend so much time with. Maybe it is his mannerisms, but I would never have guessed by just his appearance that he wasn't a blood brother. He fits in with them like any group of brothers I have ever seen."

  "It gets even better. Alfred was an orphaned boy, left on their steps. The Harrison's had always been a prominent family, known for their investments in the rails, and whoever left him felt they would care for him."

  "And did they?"

  "Apparently they took him in and a nanny cared for him. Of course, the brothers were a good ten years older than he. They didn't actually adopt him, but cared for his financial needs and sent him off to boarding school. When he finished, he returned and became their assistant."

  "That certainly explains her protective nature of them, and theirs for her. Did you find out anything about that day in the library?"

  "She was the most reluctant to speak about that, but eventually she did. She said she likes to go to the library because sometimes she sneaks a cigarette up there, and she does like to look through the old books, especially the racy romance books. I can tell you she did not sprain her ankle. I admired her boots and asked to have a better look, and she was right as rain...no swelling and she did not walk with any limp or pain. Of course, I didn't want to mention the scream at all because I didn't want her to know you might have asked me about it.

  She said she had quite the fright the other day when she went into the corner of the library, into a little-used nook, and there she saw a hanging skeleton."

  "A skeleton? Did she call the police?"

  "No, she said Alfred told her it use was for the education of the bone structure and nothing more."

  "I do suppose a library might have such things when you have such unusual owners. So that's why she screamed. I wonder why Alfred lied about it though, why wouldn't he have just told the truth. It would actually make an amusing tale.

  What a great job you did. You found out more than I could have hoped for."

  "I enjoyed doing it. I suppose I have made a new friend in Lady Mary. I'm sure I will see her again."

  "Did she happen to mention the missing girls?"

  "She said that she thought they must all be low woman, especially if they were about the city without an escort. She said she had no pity for them."

  "That's a rather cynical view and not one I think most women would have."

  "I dare say not. How could anyone help but have anything but sorrow for what happened to those girls!"

  "I agree."

  "I'll be attending to the dinner now. I was happy to be of help to you."

  She would have much to tell everyone at dinner this evening, this time she would share her news.

  Hugh and Phillip returned, packages in hand; Phillip having purchased gifts for his family back in England.

  At dinner, Mrs. O'Malley retold her story about her meeting with Lady Mary.

  "It does seem odd that there would be a skeleton hanging there, even if it was for study purposes. What do the Harrisons do that would involve needing that? Of course, as it has been pointed out, they are a strange lot. I suppose we don't know enough about them yet to judge whether that is just normal for them," said Hugh.

  "Alfred had mentioned to me that they each had different things they collect. Patrick is an avid hunter and mounts his dead birds in a room somewhere. He, at some point in his childhood, became interested in taxidermy. Joseph and Christopher each have their collections as well. I think he said Joseph's was stamps and Christopher model airplanes, or the other way around. But apparently, their interests are diverse and include many different things," said Madeline.

  "I wish I could sneak up to the third floor or see what's behind all those ornate doors," said Phillip. "They sound more compelling to see than the shops on the first floor."

  "Jonathan will be here in two days―I wonder what he will have to say about this. As a journalist, he will have a particular keen view."

  "Yes, it will be good to see him," said Hugh.

  They bid each other good night, except, of course, for Hugh, who remained for their nightly visit. She enjoyed ending the day with him, talking about the day's events and sipping on tea or a glass of wine. It had given her a peacefulness she had not known in a long time.

  She had not written in her journal for quite a while. Life had been so busy, and when Hugh left her, she spent a few moments before retiring writing in her journal.

  There has been a witness to the murder of Maria Falco. The public is not being told who it is, but nonetheless, it is as we all suspected. Wanda Gapinski, I believe, will also be found to have been murdered and not accidentally drowned. I am planning on visiting the family tomorrow. Mr. Gapinski has agreed to meet with me. My primary interest is learning about his daughter's suitors.

  It is wonderful to have Hugh and Phillip with us. Although Phillip will be returning to sea shortly, Jonathan will be here, and at least I will have two of my best friends with me.

  I hope also to continue to be a presence at the Harrison, and try to uncover some of its many secrets.

  She had sent word to Wanda's father that she hoped to meet with him tomorrow, and he had sent back his agreement to see her.

  Hugh escorted her to Wanda Gapinski's home.

  "Do I understand correctly that this woman was found in the river?" asked Hugh.

  "So it is believed, but her best friend, Felicia, who we believe, was with her at the time of her disappearance, is still missing. I find it unlikely that she will be found alive. A fisherman found Wanda. There didn't seem to be signs of any struggle, but she also may have been drugged. I doubt there was an investigation into that. I don't think the family would press the matter and ask for an autopsy, as they do not want their daughter's body disfigured in any way. It has something to do with their religious beliefs. I had spoken briefly to them about it, and they were against the idea of it. The police have shown no interest in examining the body further and are satisfied that it was a drowning."

  "I suppose the family would find the idea of a drowning easier to deal with than the prospect of murder. The family might not want to believe that this could have been their daughter's fate."

  "My thoughts exactly. I t
hink it would be much less painful to think it was an accidental drowning, but nothing explains how she happened to fall into the river without identification. We are here."

  Mr. Gapinski opened the door and stepped outside to speak to her.

  "If you don't mind, can we walk down to the park to talk. My wife is not in the state of mind to hear us speak about our daughter. I don't know when it will ever be the case when she will hear her name and not weep. This is also true for her sister, Alice."

  "Have the police spoken to you at all since our last meeting?" asked Madeline.

  "Not at all. They are convinced it was an unfortunate accident," said Mr. Gapinski.

  "What do you believe?" asked Madeline.

  "I know that Felicia is still missing. Two girls don't just vanish, and one end up in the river without a black hand involved in it. It is better for my wife to think she drowned, so I do not discuss it with her, but I don't' believe it for a minute."

  "The police had mentioned that they believed your daughter was engaged. Did she have a fiancé?"

  "No, she wasn't in any way involved with anyone. She had her group of girlfriends and seemed content with that. She was more interested in finding ways to make money and pull herself out of our continued life of painful poverty. We came to this country from Poland with nothing, and now we have little more than that, but we always had hope...that is, until now."

  "What is the relevance of her having a fiancé?" asked Hugh.

  "I think I know why you are asking," said Mr. Gapinski.

  With that, he pulled a ring from his pocket. Madeline's eyes widened. It was the same ring that Maria had, a platinum band with a row of diamonds that resembled an engagement or wedding ring.

  "What is it?" asked Mr. Gapinski.

  "It is nothing, it is an unusual ring to have for someone that is not engaged. It looks expensive," said Madeline.