“I’m interested in something you saw onenight. Something you should have gone to the magistrate about.”
Fear filled the boy’s eyes. “I didn’t mean tosee it. I couldn’t help it!”
“I want you to tell me exactly what you saw,and then perhaps I’ll put in a good word for you with themagistrate.”
“What good would that do? I’ll go tojail.”
“What if I agreed to pay the company back forwhat you took?”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because I want you to go to the magistrateand tell him what you saw here last week.”
“I saw a man kill another man,” the boy said,near tears.
“With a hammer?”
“Yes. I came in here like I done tonight, andI see a man crouched down where you were. He’d been here for threenights, guarding the laths. I turned to run as usual, but then Ihear him snore. So I think I’ll just take a few pieces andskedaddle. But then I hear someone comin’ down the hall. So I hidebehind another pile of laths, and this fellow comes in, real quietlike. He goes over to the sleeping man. Then he goes to the otherside and picks up a hammer. I wonder if he’s seen me, but, no, hejust walks back and raises up the hammer and — and hits thesleepin’ man on the head. It makes a terrible sound.”
“Was there moonlight, like this tonight?”
“Yeah. Lots of it. That’s why I thought hemight’ve seen me. But he didn’t. I heard him laugh, and then hewalked away. I went over to the man, but he wasn’t snorin’. I wassure he was dead, and I thought I might be blamed for it. So I justgrabbed a bundle of laths and ran. I didn’t come back the nextnight, but I heard they arrested a man, and we needed firewood. SoI come back tonight.”
“Did you get a real good look at thekiller?”
“Yeah. I saw his face.”
“Can you describe it for me?”
“He had a long scar, right here.” The boybrushed his cheek.
Marvin Leroy. They had their murderer.
“Now, son, you and I are going for a rideinto town.”
***
Next morning, faced with an eye-witness, MarvinLeroy soon confessed to the crime. Jacques LeMieux was set free.Marc convinced Magistrate Wilson to let the thief off with awarning and restitution (courtesy of Marc). A further toast was inorder in Robert’s room, after which Marc went back to his own roomand discovered a pile of papers sitting on his desk. He sat downand began to read.
***
Constable Cobb was invited into the Chief’soffice.
“You wanted to see me, sir?”
“I’ve just come from the Mayor’s office,Cobb. They are very pleased at your catching the mad killer.”
“And mad she is, sir. I figure she’ll end upin the asylum.”
“I’ve sent a note to her brother in Kingston.He’s a twin. He’ll no doubt take the news hard.”
“Bound to, ain’t he?”
Cobb sensed there was more to be said, so hejust waited.
Bagshaw cleared his throat. “The Mayorordered me to pass on his congratulations to you for a job welldone.”
“That’s real nice of him.”
The next sentence was delivered as if thespeaker were in pain. “He also ordered me to make you ourdetective, to investigate all serious crimes.”
Cobb’s surprise showed on his face. “I wasn’texpectin’ that,” he said.
The next sentence came out a whisper. “Hewants you in plain clothes, just like the detectives in London,”Bagshaw said, his right eyebrow quivering.
***
When Cobb got home and told Dora the news,her response was, “Well, then, I guess we’ll have to get yer Sundaysuit mended.”
Then she mentioned that she had picked up aletter at the Post Office. Later, alone, Cobb opened it. It wasfrom Marc in Kingston.
Dear Cobb:
I just spent a couple of delightful hours readingthrough the copies of your interviews and your reports on theDevil’s Acre murders. I have formulated a theory, which is quitefanciful but may prove to have some basis in reality. First of all,I think you took into account almost all the clues available toyou. Your pursuit of the dropped glove was persistent and resultedin the first detailed description of the killer by BartholomewPugh. The scarf with the ‘P’ on it certainly suggested Pugh mayhave been more than a witness to the crime. And were it not foranother, more compelling theory, I would say that he — given hisobsession with Sally Butts — was the most likely ‘gentleman’ tohave committed the crime.
Also, you were quick to discern that you weredealing with one killer and three victims. The killer was obviouslyobsessed with women with blond hair. But even though the deathsoccurred in Devil’s Acre, I don’t believe this was a case of agentleman hating prostitutes. Sally Butts may have been taken for aprostitute, but Sarie Hickson was dressed as a lady (a famouslady), and your cross-dresser certainly had good taste in clothes.So victims two and three were taken for respectable women, whoseblond wigs got them murdered. So we are left with a killer whomerely hated blondes.
Why? Well, it could be a blond lover who’sbetrayed him or a despised mother who was blond (which wouldn’taccount for the youthfulness of the first two victims). But I amgoing to suggest another motive, and it’s based on the one clueyou’ve overlooked so far. In your very first report you mention alaundry woman whom the watchman saw on Church Street, just beyondthe point where the killer left Devil’s Acre. Also, you mentionthat the bootprints showed the killer “shuffling” about, waiting toenter the street. What I am wondering is, what might have been inthe laundry woman’s sack? Could it not have been the coat, hat andboots that your killer is described by Pugh and Miss Pettigrew aswearing? That is, could this have been a disguise, allowing thekiller to move about freely in Devil’s Acre to search forvictims?
Yes, I know it sounds fantastic, but if themale clothes were a disguise, then the killer might have been thatlaundry woman.
If it was a woman — and I think you shouldkeep an open mind on the matter — then the motive becomes clearer.Remember that the crimes are committed about three days apart andthe same figure is murdered — a youngish blond woman. This suggeststhat your killer is mad to some degree, for she kills the sameperson over and over again, every three nights or so (although thismay be coincidence). Why? Because the woman is a rival or otherfigure of detestation. I am convinced there will be more murders ifthere are victims available, so I do hope you are lucky enough tocatch the killer in the act. Meanwhile you’ll know who to warn.
Anyway, I enjoyed speculating on your case.Thank you for sending me the material.
Your Friend
Marc Edwards
Cobb told Dora about Marc’s letter, and then said,“The Major and me still make a great team, don’t we?”