AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They’d have been like you. Said nothing and acted as if it was no different than leafing through financial records. At least we know Ware’s infirmities weren’t affectingthatpart of his anatomy.”
More sputtering from McCreadie.
Gray shakes his head. “You are having far too much fun tormenting poor Hugh.”
“Tormenting him by making accurate medical observations that may play a role in the investigation? As I believe we have established, we have two victims known for philandering and a third who recently abandoned his wife to marry his mistress. The working capacity of elderly Mr. Ware’s nether regions may be significant. Now, stop distracting me. We need to find what poisoned the old guy.”
“May I suggest a likely suspect up there, Mallory?”
I turn and find myself looking at a box perched atop a second cabinet. In my defense, the box is above my head, which is why I didn’t see it. Also, there’s clearly an address written on the side, which makes it seem like a simple piece of parcel post.
“Would someone send food through the mail?” I say as I pull down the box.
“That has been delivered. There is no postage mark on it.”
He’s right. I turn the box over in my hands to see it has only a deliveryaddress and name. No postage marks and no return. Of course, that doesn’t mean it came bearing gifts of an edible nature, like Leslie’s figs.
I’m about to ask Gray what made him think that when I notice a red smear with a thumbprint in it. The purplish-red stain of smeared jam, right beside the delivery address.
I open the box. There’s another smear of jam inside, as well as crumbs.
“Those are pastry flakes,” Gray says, peering over my shoulder. “With sugar dust. You are looking for the remains of a jam-filled pastry, such as a tart.”
“There’s a sitting area in the next room,” McCreadie says. “I’ll check there.”
I notice something on the inside of the lid and lift it to see a handwritten message.
In sincerest gratitude for both your work and your kindness.
There’s a signature scrawled below. An indecipherable signature.
“Can you make that out?” I say, tapping it.
“No, it is worse than your penmanship.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ve seen plenty of unreadable signatures, but those are for business. Presumably, if you’ve sent a gift you’d want the recipient to know who sent it… unless that’s exactly what youdon’twant.”
Gray takes the box into the light and peers at it. “The signature doesn’t seem to be composed of actual letters. It is simply a scrawl emulating a signature.”
“In a box with such tasty treats that Ware isn’t going to question who sent it. Presumably a client who appreciated his legal work. Good enough for him.” I lean against the desk, deep in thought for a moment. Then I say, “Lord Leslie’s figs came delivered, and he would not say from whom. He hid the entire box, which made Annis think there might have been a message written directly on it.”
“As with this one.”
“Right. And maybe it was equally indecipherable.”
“A sentimental note, presumably from a past lover, but with an indistinguishable signature.”
“I presume you’ll be taking the box as potential evidence?” I call to McCreadie in the next room.
“I will.”
“May I trace the handwriting first?”
“I’ll do that,” Gray says. “You still don’t quite have the knack of using a pen without making an infernal mess.”
I look pointedly at the spot of ink on Gray’s shirt, from his note-taking earlier this evening. He follows my gaze, but only frowns, as if the stain is invisible to his eyes.
“Fine,” I say. “You can trace it. And let’s work on finding the one that the figs came in. We can compare the handwriting. If the same person sent both, then that helps clear Annis.” I glance over at Ware’s desk. “Unless Mr. Ware had any dealings with Lord Leslie, dealings that Annis might not want coming out after her husband’s death. Please tell me this wasn’t the lawyer he summoned last night to change his will.”
