Hush Now, Don't You Cry(59)

“Me? What on earth makes you say that?” Terrence demanded. “I was always the soul of politeness to the old boy.”

“Even after he gave you that ultimatum last week?” she asked sweetly. “I seem to remember your language was quite colorful.”

Terrence flushed uncomfortably. “I didn’t like being spoken to as if I was a child.”

“None of us did,” Joseph said. “But Brian thought he had the right to lay down the law.”

“And he did have the right,” Irene said. “He created this pleasant existence for all of us. He worked jolly hard all his life so that we could live like this and it’s not right to try and run him down after he’s dead.”

“Nobody is running him down,” Terrence said.

Father Patrick stood up. “We’re all a little on edge, aren’t we? Brian was a fine man and at this moment we should be praying for his soul and reflecting on the good he achieved in his life.”

Suddenly Terrence got to his feet beside his uncle. “There is an automobile outside the gates. I believe the moment we’ve been anticipating has arrived. That pompous policeman has returned and now maybe we can all go home.”

The auto contained three policemen as well as Chief Prescott. One of the men was in the process of dragging open the big gate so that Chief Prescott could drive through. As the auto approached the house he spotted us seated on the lawn. He left the car and strode purposefully over to us. “Ah, good. I’m sorry to interrupt your little tea party, but I have news for you.”

“You do? What is it?” Joseph said. “Have you discovered that we were right all along and the poor blighter had simply drunk too much and fallen?”

“Not exactly, sir.”

“Then what, for God’s sake?” Joseph blustered. “Speak up, man. Don’t keep us in suspense any longer.”

“I’m afraid I’ll need your servants out here too.”

“Our servants?” Archie said indignantly. “What right have they to be privy to matters that don’t concern them.”

“I’m hoping that they can shed light on a few facts,” Chief Prescott said. He saw me sitting there. “And Mrs. Sullivan—could you fetch your husband. I’d like him to hear what I have to say.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” I said. “My husband has been gravely ill. He almost died of pneumonia last night and he is not to be moved or excited. You’ll just have to tell me and I’ll pass the news on to him.”

“I see.” Chief Prescott frowned as if he wasn’t sure I was telling the truth.

“My brother Patrick had to give him the last rites,” Mrs. Flannery said. “It’s a miracle he’s alive at all today.”

“Of course. I’m sorry. Please give him my best,” the chief said gruffly. He turned to address the maids. “Would one of you girls go to summon the rest of the servants?” The girls looked uncertainly at Irene.

“It’s all right, Alice. Do as he asks,” Irene said. The maid scurried across the lawn toward the front door.

“And your gardeners. I don’t see any of them around today.”

“It’s Sunday,” Archie Van Horn said brusquely. “They don’t work on Sundays.”

“I’ll need to speak to them as well,” Chief Prescott said. “If you could give me their home addresses, I’ll have one of my men go and round them up.”

“You make them sound like escaped cattle,” Terrence said dryly.

“You’ll have to ask the housekeeper for their names and addresses,” Joseph said in a clipped voice. “She handles everything to do with the servants around here.”

“Then go and fetch the housekeeper, please,” Prescott said to the other maid. “Tell her we need to speak to her right away.”

The girl took off like a frightened rabbit. We continued to stare at the police chief.

“Now, for God’s sake tell us what you’ve found,” Joseph bellowed the words. “Don’t keep us in the dark any longer.”

“Very well.” Chief Prescott looked around the assembled group with a certain amount of satisfaction. “Mr. Brian Hannan did indeed have alcohol in his blood, but not enough to have made him drunk.”

“Then what killed him? Was it an accident?” Joseph demanded.

“No accident, sir. What the physicians doing the autopsy did find was the presence of potassium cyanide.”





Twenty-one

Nobody moved. We stared at him, trying to comprehend what he had just said. Then Archie stood up. “Alex, Thomas, go to your room immediately and stay there until I tell you that you may come out.”