Dave had heard all this without connecting it to himself. When they came for him early the next morning, it was like hearing the news all over again. Like the worst bad dream he had ever had and something that could not possibly be happening to him. To be accused of her murder was like death itself.
The entire town was suffering from the same combination of grief and disbelief. But fear was abroad and the fact that someone, anyone, was arrested meant that at least something was being done. Little by little throughout the day, news leaked out and spread through Aleford like a particularly noxious gas.
It seemed Patricia had called the police station on Friday morning and asked to speak to either Charley Mac-Isaac or Detective Lieutenant John Dunne. Neither was available, but Dale Warren told her he could reach them easily. They were up at the county courthouse. She asked him to have one or both of them drop by that afternoon as she had something of particular importance relating to the case which she had decided to tell them.
Her exact words were, Dale recalled later, “ I have decided to tell them something which may help clear things up." Accordingly Dale left a message with the secretaryat the courthouse and told her it was urgent. But somehow it didn't reach Charley until close to dinner, arriving just before the message of her death. He had in fact been in the cruiser on the way to the Moores' when the news came over the two-way radio.
The police were speculating that Dave overheard Patricia 's conversation with Dale and killed her to prevent whatever it was from coming out. Everyone knew how fond Patricia was of Dave and it was not unlikely that she might have been shielding him in some way. Just as he had killed Cindy in a moment of passion, he killed again.
When Robert found Patricia, she was sprawled out on the floor, a few feet from the phone. Her coral twin set was covered with vomit and one hand was still grasping her mouth in an expression of intense pain. The small daybed in the room was in disarray, the pillows flung to the floor. When the coroner arrived, he told Dunne that she had probably gone to lie down, feeling unwell, then convulsions started. She managed to get up to try to get help, but it was too late and she may have gone into a coma.
They had the answer soon.
Metaldehyde, administered in the strong, hot tea Patricia was so fond of drinking, a habit all Aleford knew about.
Metaldehyde—an unpleasant last meal for snails and slugs. An excruciating one for humans.
So it was Dave again. He met all the classic tests : means, motive, and opportunity. The snag was personality and Charley tried hard to convince himself that indeed anyone could kill, as he had so emphatically told Faith.
Dave had, by his own report, left the Moores' at noon, which was the approximate time the poison was administered, according to the coroner. Friday noon for Cindy and Friday noon for Patricia. Could it be simply coincidence?
Dave had gone home, eaten lunch, and left for an afternoon class. Just a normal day. The next morning he was hauled in for the murder of the woman he had loved best next to his own mother.
When Dave entered the police station, Charley could hardly bear to look at him. He tried to put a comforting hand on Dave's shoulder, but it was shrugged away—not so much in anger as sadness. Charley thought he had never seen anyone look more tragically defeated than Dave sitting slumped over, his eyes fixed on the concrete floor, waiting.
Tom and the Svensons arrived and Dave broke into noisy sobs. But they didn't last long. The lawyer came soon after and tried to talk with him, but Dave wasn't saying much. It was as though he was afraid that if one word escaped, a whole torrent would gush out and he'd never regain control. Finally a statement was taken.
Torn turned to the Svensons. " Why don't you go home for a while ? The others will want to know what is happening and I'll stay with Dave. I'll call if there's anything new to report. We know Dave didn't do this, so it's a question of sitting tight until the police find the real murderer.”
The Svensons reluctantly left and a few minutes later Dunne asked Dave and his lawyer to come with him to review and sign Dave 's statement. Charley and Tom looked at each other wearily.
“Thanks for getting rid of the Svensons, Tom. The way Eva was staring at me, I was beginning to feel so guilty I almost confessed myself just to get that look off her face."
“I know," Tom agreed, shaking his head. He was sitting in a swivel chair across from Charley's desk. He was becoming horribly familiar with the decor of the Aleford police station and it left a lot to be desired. The calendar from the Patriot Fuel Oil Company appeared to be the only thing that wasn't gray or dark green.
“Charley, I know this probably isn't necessary to say, but I hope when I have to leave, you'll keep a close eye on Dave.”
The chief looked surprised.
“I don't think he's going to try to escape," Tom said. "Or at least not in the way you're thinking. I'm afraid he 's so depressed now ; he might try to take his own life."
“It's crossed my mind, too, Tom. He 's never been a high-strung kid, but Lord knows what's happened in the last two weeks would do it to anyone. Dale has known him for a long time and I'll make sure he 's with him all the time. Once he starts to really talk, the danger will be past. I've seen it before."
“Maybe he'll talk to Dale. Of course the one person he would have opened up to isn't here." Tom looked grave.
“You know, Tom, I simply can't make any sense of this one. Patricia Moore was just about the finest woman I've ever known and if it does turn out to be Dave, it would have to have been insanity. Maybe Millicent is right and there is some sort of lunatic loose. Last night I was awake all night. What did Patricia have to tell us and why didn't she tell us sooner? Why didn 't she tell Robert, her own husband ? He says something was definitely bothering her lately, but when he asked her what was wrong she told him it was something she had to work out herself. It all ties in with what she was saying to Faith last weekend, too. Obviously she knew something, but what? I know it wasn't Dale's fault, or the secretary 's. We were in closed court, but dear God if only she had called yesterday—I was at the station all day. She might be alive now.”
Tom had never heard Charley speak at such length.
He got up, went around the desk, and put his arm around MacIsaac 's shoulder. Charley didn 't shrug it off. "Charley, don 't forget the strain you're under, too. The answer will come in time. The pieces are all here in Aleford in front of our noses, I 'm convinced of that."
“So am I. I just hope Dunne and I can put them together without breaking the town up too much." Charley was verging on metaphorical, Tom thought. It looked like he was being stretched to the limit. "I 'll be going now. Faith is meeting me at the Moores'. She wants to take Jenny back to our house for the next few days and maybe that would be the best thing for her. You can reach me there if you need me.”
“We'll be in touch, Tom, and thanks for all your help.”
Faith was waiting at the foot of the Moores' driveway. She wore a black wool dress quite unbecoming to her and her eyes were puffy from crying, yet there was a kind of wild beauty to her and Tom was momentarily startled. Faith was very, very angry.
“Everything is different now, Tom. Somewhere in Aleford there is a completely amoral, degenerate person who must be stopped. We could treat the whole thing with Cindy a bit lightly, but I understand now that it was just as bad. It was the taking of a life. I know you think I should stay out of it, but I cannot. Patricia was a dear friend. I 'm not going to lock the door and hope whoever it is confesses.”
Tom took her in his arms and held her tightly. "Faith, Faith, my darling. I know. I feel that same way. Patricia stood for a lot of things for me, and not the least of them was her own personal courage and unselfishness ; but Patricia herself was worried that something might happen. She didn't realize it might happen to herself and not you. Still, she must have had a good reason for thinkingit might be you, and what good will you be to me and Benjamin dead?"