Hush Now, Don't You Cry(98)

What on earth do I say next? “Then you must realize that the Newport police are looking for you as a possible witness,” I said.

“Why would they think that?”

“Because you came to the gates of the house at about the same time that Alderman Hannan arrived,” I said. “It is estimated that he was killed soon after that. So we wondered…”

“If I came up there to kill him?” he demanded. He took a step toward me and I realized that a steep flight of steps was right behind me. One good shove and I’d go flying down it.

“We wondered if you saw anyone on your way to or from the house,” I said. Even to me it sounded weak. Suddenly I decided to stop beating around the bush. I was in a tenement building, for the love of Mike. If I screamed, doors would open on all sides. “Why did you go there?” I asked. “You must realize that it looks bad for you.”

“And who is going to identify me?” he demanded. “Who is going to say I was there, apart from you?”

“It won’t do any good to threaten me,” I said, sticking out my chin more bravely than I felt. “I’ve already talked with the police about you, and Mr. Hannan’s secretary gave me your address. They all know I was on my way to speak with you.”

I saw the air go out of him like a deflated balloon. “You’re right,” he said. “I’ve thought about that. When I heard he had died, I knew it would look bad for me. I just hoped that nobody would be able to identify me.” He sighed. “I should never have gone up there. I’ve always been too impulsive.” He glanced back into the room. “Do you want to come in? I’ve no doubt that there are half a dozen ears glued to their doors at this moment, listening to what we have to say.”

I hesitated. “Will you walk into my parlor,” said the spider to the fly? And yet my instinct was to trust him. The matter was decided by a small blond head poking out of the door and saying, “Uncle Josh. Whatcha doing?”

He wasn’t likely to kill me in front of children. “Thank you,” I said and accepted his invitation. The room was well furnished by tenement standards, and trust me, I have seen enough of the other kind. A table, chairs, even an armchair by the stove, curtains at the window, a print from a magazine on the wall. This was a well-cared-for home.

“You live here too, do you?” I asked.

“I moved in to take care of Trudi and the kids,” he said. “This is no city for a woman alone.” He pulled out a chair for me and I sat. I was conscious of three small faces watching me from a backroom doorway.

“I’d offer you coffee, but I’m not sure where she keeps her things,” he said. “She’s out, working in one of the garment shops. Seeing as how I don’t have a job at the moment, someone had to bring in money.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“Not nearly as sorry as I am,” he said. “My brother and I were both working on the subway, you know. Then it caved in, my brother was killed, and I was laid off. Work stopped until the investigation was completed. No money to tide us over, just good-bye and see you later.” He pulled up another chair and leaned closer to me. “I was planning to kill him, you know,” he said in a low whisper. “Because it was shoddy materials that caused that cave-in. I’ve worked on enough construction sites. I know about these things. I took a look at that collapsed tunnel. I could tell they had skimped on the rebar and poured the walls too thin. I tried to get people to listen to me, but I was warned to back off—roughed up, in fact by Hannan’s bully boys. I got the feeling that the Hannan brothers were not going to be held responsible for anything, because of who they were. So I followed him to Newport. I thought it would be easier to get him alone out there. Then he had a vehicle waiting and he took off and I lost him. And when I found the house, the gates were locked. I suppose that brought me back to my senses. I couldn’t even find a way into the damned house.”

“What did you do then?”

“I turned around and went home. Pathetic, isn’t it? I feel like such a fool.”

“And you didn’t see anyone else anywhere near the house?” I asked.

“It was dark,” he snapped. “And all I wanted to do was to get out of there and back to New York. It was foolish on my part to think I could do anything to harm people like the Hannans. But I tell you one thing. I’m glad he’s dead. I hope his family is suffering the way Trudi and the little ones are. The way I am.” He looked directly at me and I saw tears in his eyes. “We were twins you know. There’s a special bond between twins. I feel as if part of myself is missing now.”