that I really need to see her?”
“What’s her address?”
“314 Baker Street.”
“We’ll go by there right now,” Downs said.
As the officers headed down the corridor, a guard came toward Seth’s cell and said, “Your attorney’s here to see you, Coleman.”
Adam Burke had more questions about the case, and Seth felt even more encouraged than when he had talked to Burke the first time.
It was late afternoon the next day when a guard approached the cell and said, “You’ve got a couple of visitors to see you, Coleman. Since they’re not policemen, I’ll have to take you to the visitor’s room.”
Seth followed a guard to a small booth where he was told to sit on a straight-backed chair. A barred window showed him two chairs on the other side. A few minutes later, the door on the other sideopened. Seth saw the same guard enter, and behind him came Claude Ralston and his daughter.
Seth stood to his feet. “Bettieann! Oh, I’m so glad to see—”
The look on her face stopped him cold.
“When you two are ready to leave,” the guard said, “just rap on the door. Remember, ten minutes at the most.”
“We won’t need that long,” Claude said. “In fact, we don’t even need to sit down.”
He moved up beside Bettieann and said, “Seth, this poor girl hasn’t eaten or slept for nearly two days. I brought her here so she could tell you what she has to say, and that’ll be the last you ever see her. Go ahead, honey. Tell him.”
“What a disappointment you have turned out to be, Officer Coleman!” Bettieann said. “Murdered a fellow policeman! I’m so ashamed before my family and friends for ever letting you court me!”
Seth’s mouth went dry. “Bettieann, I didn’t kill Lawrence Sheldon.”
“The papers all say there are witnesses who will swear in court that they saw you do it. Don’t lie to me, Seth! You told me yourself that you didn’t like Lawrence.”
“No, I didn’t like him, but I didn’t kill him. Bettieann, you’ve got to believe me! I’m not a murderer!”
“But those two people saw you do it!”
Tears filled Seth’s eyes. “They’re mistaken. It wasn’t me. Bettieann, you told me you loved me. If you love me, why don’t you believe me?”
“I did love you, Seth. I truly did. I had such hopes and dreams for us. But after what you did.” She turned her back on the barred window and said, “Daddy, I have no more to say to him. Let’s go.”
Claude gave Seth a hard look and said, “I’m sure glad we found out your true character before Bettieann ended up marrying you.”
Seth watched as Ralston put an arm around his daughter and ushered her to the door. Neither one looked back as the guard opened the door for them.
Seth guided the buggy around a corner and blinked at the tears in his eyes. Since news traveled fast in Philadelphia, Bettieann might have already heard about the outcome of the trial. If he could just get a glimpse of her again.
The Ralston house came into view, and he could see Bettieann and her mother standing on the porch, talking to a couple of women. He slowed the horse as he drew near the house, pulled over, and stopped.
Seth looked at Bettieann and said, “Have you heard what happened at the trial?”
The look on her face made his heart sink. “Yes, we heard. That fancy-pants lawyer hypnotized the jury, that’s all. We know the truth, though, don’t we, Seth? Those witnesses saw you do it.”
Seth closed his eyes and drew in a ragged breath, releasing it slowly. Without another look at Bettieann, he urged the horse into motion and drove away.
Adam Burke left his apartment, eager to get to the Conrad home. He scanned the sky as he approached his buggy and decided to leave the top down. Less than fifteen minutes later, he wheeled into the tree-lined circular driveway and drew rein in front of the Conrads’ mansion.
Adam smiled at the silver-haired butler who answered his knock. “Good evening, Delmar. And how are
“What’s her address?”
“314 Baker Street.”
“We’ll go by there right now,” Downs said.
As the officers headed down the corridor, a guard came toward Seth’s cell and said, “Your attorney’s here to see you, Coleman.”
Adam Burke had more questions about the case, and Seth felt even more encouraged than when he had talked to Burke the first time.
It was late afternoon the next day when a guard approached the cell and said, “You’ve got a couple of visitors to see you, Coleman. Since they’re not policemen, I’ll have to take you to the visitor’s room.”
Seth followed a guard to a small booth where he was told to sit on a straight-backed chair. A barred window showed him two chairs on the other side. A few minutes later, the door on the other sideopened. Seth saw the same guard enter, and behind him came Claude Ralston and his daughter.
Seth stood to his feet. “Bettieann! Oh, I’m so glad to see—”
The look on her face stopped him cold.
“When you two are ready to leave,” the guard said, “just rap on the door. Remember, ten minutes at the most.”
“We won’t need that long,” Claude said. “In fact, we don’t even need to sit down.”
He moved up beside Bettieann and said, “Seth, this poor girl hasn’t eaten or slept for nearly two days. I brought her here so she could tell you what she has to say, and that’ll be the last you ever see her. Go ahead, honey. Tell him.”
“What a disappointment you have turned out to be, Officer Coleman!” Bettieann said. “Murdered a fellow policeman! I’m so ashamed before my family and friends for ever letting you court me!”
Seth’s mouth went dry. “Bettieann, I didn’t kill Lawrence Sheldon.”
“The papers all say there are witnesses who will swear in court that they saw you do it. Don’t lie to me, Seth! You told me yourself that you didn’t like Lawrence.”
“No, I didn’t like him, but I didn’t kill him. Bettieann, you’ve got to believe me! I’m not a murderer!”
“But those two people saw you do it!”
Tears filled Seth’s eyes. “They’re mistaken. It wasn’t me. Bettieann, you told me you loved me. If you love me, why don’t you believe me?”
“I did love you, Seth. I truly did. I had such hopes and dreams for us. But after what you did.” She turned her back on the barred window and said, “Daddy, I have no more to say to him. Let’s go.”
Claude gave Seth a hard look and said, “I’m sure glad we found out your true character before Bettieann ended up marrying you.”
Seth watched as Ralston put an arm around his daughter and ushered her to the door. Neither one looked back as the guard opened the door for them.
Seth guided the buggy around a corner and blinked at the tears in his eyes. Since news traveled fast in Philadelphia, Bettieann might have already heard about the outcome of the trial. If he could just get a glimpse of her again.
The Ralston house came into view, and he could see Bettieann and her mother standing on the porch, talking to a couple of women. He slowed the horse as he drew near the house, pulled over, and stopped.
Seth looked at Bettieann and said, “Have you heard what happened at the trial?”
The look on her face made his heart sink. “Yes, we heard. That fancy-pants lawyer hypnotized the jury, that’s all. We know the truth, though, don’t we, Seth? Those witnesses saw you do it.”
Seth closed his eyes and drew in a ragged breath, releasing it slowly. Without another look at Bettieann, he urged the horse into motion and drove away.
Adam Burke left his apartment, eager to get to the Conrad home. He scanned the sky as he approached his buggy and decided to leave the top down. Less than fifteen minutes later, he wheeled into the tree-lined circular driveway and drew rein in front of the Conrads’ mansion.
Adam smiled at the silver-haired butler who answered his knock. “Good evening, Delmar. And how are
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