“Well, I should be able to get moreinformation about that at this Bernie’s place.”
“Bunch of low-life thieves is all you’ll findthere. English bastards.”
“If you didn’t do it, who do you think mighthave? Did Dunham have enemies?”
LeMieux snorted. “Everybody hated his guts.He was the worse kind of Englishman, cruel and arrogant. My friendMichel Jardin saw Dunham fire his brother for sticking up forhimself. Michel was very angry. But he’s no killer. And Greg Mansonwas angry because he was passed over for the foreman’s job. ButDunham treated us all badly.”
“You had no particular reason yourself forwanting to kill him?”
LeMieux looked down. “I do, and somebody hasalready told the magistrate. I expect it was Manson.”
“Why did you dislike Dunham?”
“Not dislike. Hate. Dunham was a corporal inthe militia in ‘thirty-seven.”
“And did something to you?”
“He and his troops razed my barn andterrified my family. They burnt us out.”
“Did Dunham know this?”
“Yes. But he never let on he recognized me.And me, drunk one night, spilled out the whole story to the othermen.”
“So you do have a powerful motive for wantingto kill Dunham?”
“You think I’m guilty, don’t you? Justbecause I’m French.”
“I don’t see how you can be convicted ifno-one can place you at the murder scene last night. The evidenceis all circumstantial.”
“But I’ll be put on trial?”
“Yes, if I don’t find the real killer.”
“Go after Manson. He’s a bitter man with awicked temper.”
“It could be someone else. We don’t know whatDunham was doing out there at night. He could have been meetingsomebody.”
“He’d been out there for three nights keepinga watch on our stock of laths. Someone, a kid likely, was stealingthem. A few every night.”
“I see. Then it’s possible he surprised thethief and the thief picked up the nearest weapon and struck.”
“Yes, that’s quite possible,” LeMieux saidwith some enthusiasm. “So you really think you can help me?”
“I’m going to try,” Marc said, rising. “Eventhough I’m an Englishman.”
***
Marc rode out to the scene of the crime withCampion, the architect. He didn’t expect to find anything, but hewanted to see the spot for himself and search the area for clues.Campion was very concerned about replacing his foreman and aboutthe loss of two men from his complement of five. Of course, DenisJardin, the fired brother could be brought back if he were still intown. Meanwhile, if, as Marc had informed Campion, the accused manwas bruiting it about that he was being charged solely because hewas French, then trouble could be looming when the flooringcarpenters, French and English, came in next week. Marc and Campionarrived about two o’clock and went immediately to the LegislativeCouncil chamber. The three remaining workmen were there, sitting ona pile of laths.
“I know a fellow worker has been killed,” Campionsaid, “but the work must go on. Manson, you will act as foreman forthe time being.”
The men got up reluctantly, even the newlyminted foreman. When they had begun their work attaching the lathsto the studding, Campion went over to the far side of the room andpointed at the rough flooring. Marc saw the large, darkbloodstain.
“So this is where it happened, eh?”
“He was struck from behind, the coroner said.I was here when he did his initial examination. A single violentblow. Perhaps he had dozed off and didn’t hear anyoneapproaching.”
“Then the killer was not likely the thiefwho’s been stealing the laths,” Marc said, looking around. “I takeit Dunham has been out here for the past three nights?”
“He has,” Campion said. “But the thief musthave spotted him and kept away. Perhaps until last night.”
“The laths are here, so it’s likely Dunhamwas hiding behind them. But if Dunham had fallen asleep, the thiefwould just take his booty and slip off undetected, wouldn’t he?No-one kills for a pile of laths if he doesn’t have to.”
“I think you’re right. This was adeliberately planned murder.”
“Where were the tools left?” Marc asked.
“Over near the work on the far side of theroom.”
“So I assume the killer entered the door onthis side, saw the sleeping watchman, slipped over and picked up ahammer, then came across silently and did the deed.”
“And it doesn’t look as if he’s left anythingaround.”
Marc spent several minutes making sure, butthis side of the room was uncluttered, and the killer had leftnothing but his victim behind.
“I’d like to speak to the workman one byone,” Marc said, blowing on his hands. The room was heated by animprovised stove under the windows, but one had to be standing nextto it to receive its benefits.
“Fine with me,” Campion said.
“I’ll talk to them over where it’s a littlewarmer,” Marc said.
First up was Gregory Manson. He was a large,florid man who possibly drank too much.
“I understand you felt cheated when you werepassed over for the foreman’s job,” Marc began.
“That’s true, sir. But I didn’t kill him. Iwas home at midnight, in my bed.”
“And earlier you were at Bernie’s placedrinking?”
“And doin’ a little dice, we was. Marvin andme.”
Marvin Leroy was the other English-speakingworkman.
“And Jacques LeMieux was there as well?”
Manson frowned. “He come in later. He’dalready been into the booze somewheres. Bernie lets the Frenchiesin if they behave themselves. But they don’t usually come atall.”
“You don’t socialize with your Frenchcomrades?”
“You crazy! Them bunch of rebels andlayabouts? We only work with them because we got no choice.”
“And you heard LeMeiux make threats againstDunham?”
“Yes. And I told the magistrate straight offwhen he come here this mornin’.”
“What was the specific nature of thesethreats?”
“What did he say, ya mean? It was in Frenchand my French isn’t perfect. I can understand it mostly, but can’tspeak it.”
“So what did you hear, in French?”
“He said he was gonna get even with thatbastard Dunham if he lived to be a hundred. ‘I’ll get him, you’llsee!’ he kept sayin’ over and over. He was very drunk and slurrin’his words, but they were clear enough.”
“He did not use the word ‘kill’? -‘tuer’?”
Manson looked confused for a moment. “Not assuch, no. But his meaning was obvious, wasn’t it?”
Marc could hear the cross-examination in thetrial to come. He had no doubt that he could get LeMieux acquitted,but the damage could already have been done. Robert and Louis weremeeting two or three new potential members of the new Parliamenteach day and laying the groundwork for the upcoming alliance in theAssembly. Any perceived strains between French and English at thisstage could prove detrimental to these delicate negotiations.LeMieux’s arrest on purely circumstantial evidence certainly lentitself to misinterpretation by the French.
“Was it, though?” Marc said. “There are manyways to get even, aren’t there?”
“Not when you hate a man as much as LeMieuxdid Dunham,” Manson said stubbornly.
“He might have sabotaged the work project,eh?” Marc continued. “That might have got Dunham fired. Or perhapshe merely wished to give the fellow a good thrashing.”
“With his hammer?”
“Where were you after you left Bernie’s” Marcsaid abruptly.
“Leroy and me walked back to Kingston aboutmidnight. LeMieux was still in the dive. We went to our separateboarding-houses.”
“Did your landlady or landlord hear you comein?”
“She may have. She’s a light sleeper.”
“Dunham was killed sometime during the nightaccording to what the coroner told Mr. Campion. That leaves plentyof time for you to walk back out to the site and do the deedyourself.”
Manson laughed. “I didn’t have to, did I?Somebody did it for me.”
***
Marvin Leroy was a small man with bright red hairand freckles, and a livid scar the size of an earthworm on hisright cheek.