“We asked ourselves the same thing,” Terrence said. “Didn’t we, sissy?”
“It was most inconvenient,” Eliza said. “I had volunteered to take part in a suffragist rally and I had to let them down.”
“Maybe that was why Uncle Brian did it.” Terrence grinned. “You know his feelings on giving women the vote.”
“Not amusing, Terrence. Your uncle is dead,” Joseph said. “Show a little respect, please.” He turned to Daniel and me. “And I take it you’ll have the decency to vacate the guest cottage and leave us to our private grief, given the circumstances.”
“Unless Chief Prescott would like us to stay.” Daniel looked across at the other policeman.
“Why would he want to do that?” Joseph asked.
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Prescott said hastily. “The family will surely want to arrange for the burial, but that would not concern you. I see no reason that you’d not be free to go.”
“So you’ve completely ruled out the possibility of foul play, have you?” Daniel asked.
“Foul play?” Joseph asked. The other occupants of the room jerked their heads up as if they were puppets on strings.
Daniel nodded. “Mr. Hannan was a very rich and ambitious man, after all.”
“You’re hinting at murder?” The color drained from the police chief’s florid face. “Surely we’re talking about a tragic accident. Mr. Hannan took a wrong turn in the darkness and fell off the cliff. It’s easy enough to do here, as you all know too well.”
There was an uncomfortable silence among family members.
“And if he was pushed off the cliff, I don’t know how you’d ever prove it without a witness,” Prescott continued. “It’s not as if there would be a handprint in the middle of his back.”
“What an awful thing to say,” Mary Flannery gasped. “Who would want to kill dear Brian? The kindest man that ever lived, God rest his soul.”
“He’s a political figure and I’m sure that such a man has enemies,” Daniel said.
“If he did, would he be likely to meet with them near the edge of the cliff?” Terrence asked, again with a hint of amusement in his tone. “Uncle Brian certainly wasn’t stupid. What I want to know is why he didn’t come into the house and greet us when he arrived. He usually loves to have the family around him. That does seem odd, doesn’t it?”
“Where is his bag, if he didn’t come to the house?” Daniel asked. “Surely he would have traveled with luggage?”
“As to that, I expect the servants would have brought it,” Joseph said. “And they traveled separately from us.”
“Ah, yes, the servants. Maybe one of them can enlighten us as to why Mr. Hannan arrived at his house but didn’t come in,” Daniel suggested.
“What about that strange man Mrs. Sullivan encountered at the gate?” Joseph said. “If we are to suspect that my brother met his end unnaturally, then this fellow is someone we need to talk to. A stranger, hanging around the property after dark, wanting to know if Brian had arrived. You need to find him, Prescott. Find out if he stayed in a boardinghouse in town overnight and if he was seen at the station.”
“I believe I know my job, sir,” Prescott said primly.
“Let’s hope it does turn out to be him,” Terrence said, “because if not, everyone else on the property was a family member.”
“What a ridiculous thing to say.” Archie Van Horn rose to his feet. “Are you suggesting it was one of us?”
“Some day you’ll go too far, boy,” Joseph said. “It’s about time you learned that your idea of amusing talk might be taken seriously. It was an accident, I tell you.”
“And if it wasn’t?” Terrence challenged his father. “What then?”
“Anybody could get into the property if they were serious about it,” Joseph said. “It would be simplest matter in the world to come in during the day when the gates are not locked and hide out in the shrubbery. I told Brian we should have the grounds patrolled by watchdogs, but he didn’t like the idea.”
“Wouldn’t the gardeners have noticed someone trying to enter?” Eliza said. “They always seem to be around when I’m outside.”
“Not necessarily,” Archie gave her a withering look. “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s a big property and when we’re not here who knows how much work they do.”
“They were much in evidence yesterday,” Daniel said. “It would be worth questioning them with the rest of the servants.”