serious. “Then that lightning flashed and made everything so bright, and Mrs. Bramwell screamed.” She blinked her eyes. “Mr. Moss wasn’t a nice man. Still, he didn’t deserve to end his days like that.”
“It must have been awful for you, Mrs. Ahern,” I said. “You were seated directly next to Mr. Moss. Did he say anything before he, ah, before the candle was relit?”
For the first time since I’d entered the saloon, Nora Ahern’s expression became guarded. “No, I don’t think so. But then, like everyone else, I was busy watching Madame Karpova. Besides, Mr. Ahern and I hardly knew Mr. Moss, so I didn’t pay him much mind.”
Nora Ahern was a terrible liar. I watched the color creep back into her pale cheeks as she diverted her eyes.
“Oh?” I said, allowing my skepticism to be reflected in my voice. “When you said Mr. Moss wasn’t a nice man, I thought perhaps you knew him personally. He did write a popular newspaper column. Surely you must have seen it.”
“Mr. Ahern says that paper is nothing but trash and he won’t allow it in the house,” she said in a rush, then looked down at her hands, which she was twisting and untwisting in her lap. As if realizing this uneasy movement revealed the state of her nerves more than was prudent, she hastily folded her hands and held them still. Raising her eyes to meet mine, she even attempted a wan smile. “Now that you mention it, I believe I have seen Mr. Moss’s paper once or twice.”
“But you didn’t know him personally?”
“Oh my, no. Mr. Ahern doesn’t hold with reporters. Always getting hold of the wrong end of the stick, he says. Making the police look like a pack of idiots.”
“Lieutenant Ahern didn’t seem pleased to see Mr. Moss.” Nora laughed nervously. “Trust me, Miss Woolson, it was nothing personal. Just Mr. Moss’s work and all.” She looked toward the door, clearly anxious to leave the saloon—and, I thought, to escapemy questions. “Now that you’re here to watch Mrs. Reade, I’ll just go and find Mr. Ahern. That is, if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, of course I’ll be happy to—” I began. But with a rustle of skirts, Nora Ahern had already swept hastily out of the room.
I should have known I’d get no sleep until you had rehashed the entire evening,” Robert lamented as Eddie Cooper and I crowded into his small bedroom.
I seated myself in the room’s only chair, while Eddie sank onto the bed, which took up most of the limited space. A small table—upon which had been placed a kerosene lamp, a towel, and a washbowl filled with water—and a black-walnut wardrobe cabinet completed the room’s simple decor. All the essentials, I thought, without any frills.
I’d waited in the saloon until Robert and the cook had assisted Mrs. Reade to her room, which was located next to the Aherns’, in case she required assistance during the night. Afterward, Eddie and I—for of course the lad was determined not to be left out—had followed the Scot to his room.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Robert, but there are one or two things I’d like to discuss while they’re fresh in my mind.” I hurried on before he could voice another objection. “To begin with, I’m sure you realize Dmitry Serkov was lying about going outside for a cigarette. His clothing was hardly damp. He may have gone outside, but he could not have remained there for more than a few minutes, or he would have been drenched.”
“Then, dash it all, where was he the rest of the—” Robert’s face lit with sudden comprehension. “Of course. He must have slipped back into the dining room to help his sister with the séance. And since I didn’t hear the main door open, he must have used the second entrance, the one hidden behind the Japanese screen.”
“I was sure you’d noticed it,” I said, pleased with his perception.“If you recall, Mr. Serkov was dressed entirely in black. It would have been simplicity itself for a dark figure
“It must have been awful for you, Mrs. Ahern,” I said. “You were seated directly next to Mr. Moss. Did he say anything before he, ah, before the candle was relit?”
For the first time since I’d entered the saloon, Nora Ahern’s expression became guarded. “No, I don’t think so. But then, like everyone else, I was busy watching Madame Karpova. Besides, Mr. Ahern and I hardly knew Mr. Moss, so I didn’t pay him much mind.”
Nora Ahern was a terrible liar. I watched the color creep back into her pale cheeks as she diverted her eyes.
“Oh?” I said, allowing my skepticism to be reflected in my voice. “When you said Mr. Moss wasn’t a nice man, I thought perhaps you knew him personally. He did write a popular newspaper column. Surely you must have seen it.”
“Mr. Ahern says that paper is nothing but trash and he won’t allow it in the house,” she said in a rush, then looked down at her hands, which she was twisting and untwisting in her lap. As if realizing this uneasy movement revealed the state of her nerves more than was prudent, she hastily folded her hands and held them still. Raising her eyes to meet mine, she even attempted a wan smile. “Now that you mention it, I believe I have seen Mr. Moss’s paper once or twice.”
“But you didn’t know him personally?”
“Oh my, no. Mr. Ahern doesn’t hold with reporters. Always getting hold of the wrong end of the stick, he says. Making the police look like a pack of idiots.”
“Lieutenant Ahern didn’t seem pleased to see Mr. Moss.” Nora laughed nervously. “Trust me, Miss Woolson, it was nothing personal. Just Mr. Moss’s work and all.” She looked toward the door, clearly anxious to leave the saloon—and, I thought, to escapemy questions. “Now that you’re here to watch Mrs. Reade, I’ll just go and find Mr. Ahern. That is, if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, of course I’ll be happy to—” I began. But with a rustle of skirts, Nora Ahern had already swept hastily out of the room.
I should have known I’d get no sleep until you had rehashed the entire evening,” Robert lamented as Eddie Cooper and I crowded into his small bedroom.
I seated myself in the room’s only chair, while Eddie sank onto the bed, which took up most of the limited space. A small table—upon which had been placed a kerosene lamp, a towel, and a washbowl filled with water—and a black-walnut wardrobe cabinet completed the room’s simple decor. All the essentials, I thought, without any frills.
I’d waited in the saloon until Robert and the cook had assisted Mrs. Reade to her room, which was located next to the Aherns’, in case she required assistance during the night. Afterward, Eddie and I—for of course the lad was determined not to be left out—had followed the Scot to his room.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Robert, but there are one or two things I’d like to discuss while they’re fresh in my mind.” I hurried on before he could voice another objection. “To begin with, I’m sure you realize Dmitry Serkov was lying about going outside for a cigarette. His clothing was hardly damp. He may have gone outside, but he could not have remained there for more than a few minutes, or he would have been drenched.”
“Then, dash it all, where was he the rest of the—” Robert’s face lit with sudden comprehension. “Of course. He must have slipped back into the dining room to help his sister with the séance. And since I didn’t hear the main door open, he must have used the second entrance, the one hidden behind the Japanese screen.”
“I was sure you’d noticed it,” I said, pleased with his perception.“If you recall, Mr. Serkov was dressed entirely in black. It would have been simplicity itself for a dark figure
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