Chapter 21 #2
“Perhaps?” She could all but see him shrug and run his hand through his hair in that well remembered gesture of agitation.
“But I would guess it means the sender of the telegram likely didn’t know Mr. Thayer’s name, as you’re not charged for the recipient’s name and address, only the contents of the message. ”
“Well, that would certainly comport with what I’ve learned about Wilkie Valentine—he had never actually met the Thayers.”
“So, they have no description of him?”
“No one seems to.” If she weren’t standing in front of Miss Burke, shouting into a box, she might have cursed herself. “And all the time he was sending that blasted wire, Olivia was already dead.”
Cab made a sound that might have been either consolation or compassion, but the distortion of the telephone was too much to decipher. “Read me the rest, if you would.”
Marigold quoted the text. “ ‘By time you read, will have sailed Sunday for Liverpool on RMS Utopia on honeymoon.’ Those are the fifteen words. And at the bottom it reads ‘Olivia Valentine,’ as if she were married when she sent it.”
“When she was already dead. Damnation.” Cab gave vent to his feelings.
“But I should also hope that might make this wire more memorable for the clerk—JW at the South Natick wire office—Valentine’s signing a woman’s name to the wire. I’ll try to go there after my classes tomorrow—”
“No. Please. You leave it be, Marigold. Now that the coroner has made their findings, a Special District Police detective will be assigned to the case. I’ve got some connections with their office—I’ll go on over and hold their feet to the fire and give them all this information so they can go to Natick to question the clerk. ”
There was something—was it something paternalistic or almost patronizing in his tone? “Cab, Natick is only the next town over.” She enunciated clearly to be sure of his understanding. “I can get there and back on my bicycle in no time.”
“I know, but—”
“And you know I can look out for myself.”
“Of course you can,” he all but shouted back. “But you’ve worked too hard and sacrificed too much to get back to college to let an only marginally important conversation with a wire clerk interfere with your studies now. Isabella told me you’re already in hot water with your Professor Irvine—”
Isabella was an awful snitch. “She’s President Irvine now.”
“Then she has even more influence over your future. Please, Marigold, let me do this for you.”
His appeal was too logical to dismiss out of hand. “You’re right, I suppose. Police assistance wouldn’t go amiss—that is, if they prove themselves sufficient to the work and don’t jump to unfounded conclusions.”
“They are men trained in the specific requirements of criminal detective work, I assure you,” Cab promised.
“I will take your assurance but hold you to it.”
It was almost as if she could feel his smile coursing through the wires. “I look forward to being held. Always.”
Always came sooner than Marigold expected—the very next afternoon.
“Miss Manners?” Miss Burke waved her over to the reception room as if she had chocolate to share. And in a way, she did. “You have a telegram from Mr. Cox.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“You are fortunate in your character—or should I say we are fortunate,” Miss Burke clarified confidentially, “that you have been so persistent in working to solve this unfortunate matter.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Marigold recognized this overture from the timid woman and returned it with praise of her own. “You are very kind to help me.”
“You are most welcome. I realize our dear president has discouraged your involvement in this dreadful affair, but I know how this death has hung over her like a veritable sword of Damocles. You seem to be the only one holding up a shield to protect her—and protect us all.”
Marigold didn’t know when she had been so truly flattered. “I will continue to do so, Miss Burke, especially with your kind assistance.”
“Thank you.” Pleased roses appeared in the older woman’s pinched cheeks. “One tries one’s best.”
“You do more than try, ma’am, you succeed. I am glad Olivia Thayer was a favorite. I am sorry I never met her.”
“Lovely girl. Such a tragedy. Such a loss.”
“Yes,” Marigold agreed. “For both the college, and for women’s suffrage, and of course for her family. I made a condolence call to their house on Blossom Street and found them quite lovely. Did they ever come here with Olivia?”
“No, not that I recall. It was generally Professor Currier who either met her or accompanied her.”
“Was there ever anyone else? A gentleman, perhaps?” Marigold suddenly remembered Aggie’s proprietary fellow looking for a girl in a blue velvet tam.
“A young man who might have hinted that he was Miss Thayer’s beau?
Or were there any men that Mr. Duckett or Mr. Griffin or any of the staff noticed on the grounds, or out on the golf course when they ought not have been?
Anyone in the last two weeks? Anyone the porters or the lodge keepers noticed? ”
“Well, I don’t know about the others, but I keep a strict eye on the comings and goings here.
Unescorted males are never allowed to pass freely.
” Miss Burke nodded fiercely. “And Miss Thayer must have told her young man that, for he did walk her to the front of the building, the one time I did see him, but he did not attempt to come in.”
Marigold felt that strange tingling awareness course through her, silently urging her to action. “Her young man—what was he like?”
“I only had a glimpse of him, you understand, but very respectful,” Miss Burke opined.
“Very gentlemanly. He tugged his hat politely and went back out the drive.” Miss Burke pointed the way.
“I’m sure Mr. Duckett or others on the custodial or grounds staff kept an eye on him when he was unescorted by Olivia. ”
“How often?”
“Well, I only saw him that once, but I’m sure Mr. Breyer at the East Lodge has a record—”
“Yes,” Marigold agreed. “I shall ask him directly.”
“You do that,” Miss Burke approved. And then looked at Marigold expectantly. “Miss Manners? Your telegram?”
“Oh, yes!” Marigold recalled herself to the present. “Thank you!”
She tore open the missive. “No Valentine listed White Star Line. On hunch, found Mr. & Mrs. Valentine embarked Cunard Line to Liverpool on 11th.”
Valentine was still in the area until last Thursday—four days ago!
Marigold tried to logically parse out the facts.
Firstly, whoever had embarked as Mrs. Valentine was not Olivia Thayer.
Secondly, if Valentine had indeed embarked on the eleventh, then there might still be time to file official charges and wire to Liverpool to have him arrested before he could disembark—the transatlantic voyage now typically took only five to six days on modern, up-to-date ocean liners.
Which meant they had one or two days, at most, to find some conclusive proof linking Valentine to Olivia’s murder in order to have him taken into custody.
The clock was ticking down.