Daniel’s mother put down her fork with a clatter. “Is the dinner table conversation in this family always to be about murders?” she asked. “It’s most unhealthy for young Bridie, and not too good for my digestion either.”
“I don’t mind,” Bridie said. “I think it’s exciting.”
“It’s quite unsuitable for a young girl like you,” Mother Sullivan said firmly. “In my day dinner table conversation centered on socially acceptable subjects like balls, and parties, and…”
“And scandals, Mother,” Daniel said. “Don’t forget I’ve been at enough of your dinner parties to know that the conversation often touched on infidelity and other delicate topics.”
“Really, Daniel.” Mrs. Sullivan sniffed in indignation. Daniel and I exchanged a knowing grin and went back to our food. Later, when we were alone in the privacy of our bedroom, he said to me, “I really want to warn you about getting involved in your friends’ problem. You have no experience with insanity and the forms it can take. I have seen people who appear to be quite normal one moment and raging demons the next. It is out of your league and your friends’ too. And from what I know of young Yeats, you might well find yourself locked in the Tombs for obstructing justice.”
“He’s a horrid man, Daniel. I just hate to see that young girl bullied by him,” I replied. “The very least you could do is to suggest the exhumation. Then Mabel couldn’t be arrested until the results are known. And by then, Gus may have found a qualified alienist, who would be taken seriously in court, to treat her.” I pulled my nightgown over my head and slid into bed.
“Enough about murders and courts,” he said. “I come home to let the cares of the day slip away, not to discuss them into the night.” And he climbed into bed beside me.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “But you know me. I can’t help being interested.”
“You can’t help wanting to stick your nose into any criminal case.” He laughed. “You are still not prepared to stop being a detective. I know you too well, Molly Murphy.”
“I only want to see justice done,” I said. I smoothed down the covers and turned to look at Daniel. “And speaking of criminal cases,” I went on, “have you started making a list of your own cases—ones that ended with the death penalty and might have made your note writer seek revenge against you?”
“I have started, yes, but frankly I don’t see where it’s going to help. Most of the cases I’ve come up with were clear-cut. A man killed his wife with an ax. Found with blood all over his clothes, even admitted his guilt. That sort of thing.” He sat up in bed, propping a pillow behind his head. “But I’ve been giving some thought to what you said about some of the murders being random, to hide the real one for which the killer had a motive. That might make sense, Molly.”
“It might well,” I agreed. “That first victim, the simple old woman. He could have seen her and decided that she was of no use to society, and therefore her death wouldn’t matter. If he was testing himself, trying out how easy it was to kill someone, then she’d have been a likely target. She was too simple to know she was being followed, and probably not as aware as other people of the approaching streetcar.”
“So you’re saying that he killed her simply to see how easy it is to kill someone?”
I nodded. “And the second murder might have been for the same reason. How easy was it to walk through a crowded student café, and drop cyanide into a coffee cup without anyone noticing?”
“But then your system breaks down,” Daniel said. “The murders after that are no longer opportunistic, or in public places. He had to gain access to private homes. He poisoned. He even entered a bathroom where a woman was taking a bath. Surely her screams must have been heard? And what about the man in the meat safe? Wouldn’t it have taken brute strength to force him in and lock the door? If only one of those killings has a clear motive, then why are the others so unnecessarily complicated? Why flirt with failure like that? Servants could have apprehended him in the judge’s house. The woman’s screams could have been heard when a man entered her bathroom. And he might not have been strong enough to force the butcher into the meat safe.”
I sat up now too and wagged an excited finger at him. “I’ve just heard one word that might make sense of this. Judge. I asked you about your trials that led to execution or death. What if he’s also taking his revenge against a judge? You can narrow down your search, Daniel. Have you ever brought someone to trial who was then sentenced by that particular judge?”