Chapter 16 #2
I had no more questions, but we didn’t want to leave until D.S. Forrester arrived. Dr. Iverson asked if he and his wife could withdraw to a different room, and Harry agreed.
“I’ll make tea,” I said, following them out.
Dr. Iverson put his arm around Mrs. Iverson’s shoulders to support her. “You know it’s all right with me if you want to act on your…nature with other like-minded women. If you find love, you should accept it, Margaret.”
She blinked damp lashes back at him. “But I love you.”
“And I love you. But you know I’m talking about a different kind of love.”
She shook her head. “I won’t. It’s disgusting.”
“It isn’t, because you are not disgusting. You are a good woman who has hidden herself away too long. Don’t worry, Margaret. I’ll protect you if necessary.”
Mrs. Iverson leaned into her husband a little more. It was enough for them both, for now.
By the time D.S. Forrester arrived, Sister Dearden was no longer willing to talk.
She’d closed up entirely and refused to even look at anyone.
He ordered his constables to take her to Scotland Yard and for Duncan Hamlin to be released, while he remained behind to gather witness statements.
Once finished interviewing Dr. and Mrs. Iverson and the housekeeper, he joined Harry and me in the sitting room.
“You deserve congratulations,” he said flatly. “Both of you.”
“Thank you,” Harry said.
“It’s good of you to acknowledge our efforts,” I agreed.
“Although I can see why you thought it was Mr. Hamlin. We did, too. If it wasn’t for Mr. Pierce telling us that Sister Dearden had assured him the doctor would get what he deserved, I doubt we’d be here now.
So you see it’s quite by chance that we solved it at all. ”
“I know you’re saying that to be kind, Miss Fox, but we both know I could have managed this investigation better. D.I. Hobart would reprimand me if he were still my superior officer.”
“My father wouldn’t have been too harsh,” Harry said. “He understands that hurt feelings can cloud judgment.”
“Hurt feelings?” The sergeant glanced sideways at me beneath his furrowed brow.
“I meant I should have taken more notice of the Electro Therapy Machine before I asked the manufacturer, Mr. Reid, to look at it. He put it back the way it was supposed to be, after informing me it had been tampered with. I should have taken more notice of the way the wires were rearranged, to help determine the level of electrical understanding required. If I’d known a woman could do it, I might have cast my net wider. ”
“Is that so,” I said coolly.
“I’ve put in a request for my own portable camera. That way this won’t happen again. If I forget how the crime scene looked, I can simply refer back to photographs rather than relying on memory and notes.”
I tilted my head to the side and regarded him.
He narrowed his gaze. “Is everything all right, Miss Fox?”
“Oh, er, yes. I hope we can work on another case together soon, Sergeant.”
“Not too soon, given the circumstances in which we always meet. And hopefully I’ll have a camera by then, although I don’t know if my superiors will grant me one after I made a poor account of this case.
” He held out his hand to me. “Until we meet again, Miss Fox.” He shook my hand then Harry’s. “Armitage.”
“Forrester,” Harry intoned.
We waited until he was gone then went in search of the Iversons. We found them in Mrs. Iverson’s bedchamber, where she was sitting up in bed with a cup of tea.
Her husband sat beside her but stood upon our arrival. “I’ll fetch your fee from my study, Armitage, if you’ll be good enough to wait here.”
“Before you do, I have a request,” Harry said. “I’d like you to reduce my portion.”
Dr. Iverson glanced at me. “With the rest going to Miss Fox?”
“No,” I said, firmly. “I didn’t become involved to receive financial compensation.”
“Then why?”
“For something interesting to do?” Mrs. Iverson suggested.
It seemed right to confess now that it was all over. Besides, I wanted a favor and he ought to know the reason behind it. “My aunt is Lady Lilian Bainbridge.”
“My patient?” Dr. Iverson regarded me anew. “I see the resemblance between you now. Does she know about…” He cleared his throat as his gaze flicked to Harry.
“My sleuthing? She does, although not about this case specifically. By the way, she is no longer your patient. She’s seeing a new doctor now. One who is helping her overcome her addiction to cocaine.”
Dr. Iverson stiffened.
“You know the Nerve Elixir you advised her to take was making her addicted,” I went on.
“The tonic works wonders to revive the constitution of the anxiety ridden.”
“Temporarily, yes. But once its effects wore off, her anxiety was worse than ever.” I suddenly felt so very weary.
He and many others in the medical profession must know what cocaine did to the body, yet they continued to deny it.
“She had suffered for months and continues to suffer. You are very aware of this, Doctor. It will all be in her file.”
“I say, this is an ambush!”
“Is this true?” Mrs. Iverson asked her husband. When he didn’t answer, she grabbed his hand. “Is it true?”
“The research into addiction is quite new.” At her urging, he added, “But from my own observations, it appears so.”
“Is that why you threw out all of our bottles? If it’s so terrible, you must stop telling your patients to take it!”
“But—”
“No! You must warn every one of them about the research into cocaine addiction. If they are already addicted, you will help them recover.” She turned to me, a determined set to her jaw. “As for Lady Bainbridge, can we do anything for her?”
“I don’t think so,” I said, “but there is something you can do to discourage others from thinking the Nerve Elixir will cure them.”
“Go on.”
“Dr. Iverson, I want you to telephone as many newspapers as you can and inform them you want to state publicly that the cocaine in the Nerve Elixir causes addiction.”
“I can’t do that!” the doctor cried. “My good name and reputation are everything! If I publicly decry a leading brand, my professionalism will be questioned in all the medical circles.”
Mrs. Iverson glared at her husband. “Miss Fox and Mr. Armitage saved your reputation. You will do this for them. Today, Miss Fox?”
“Today,” I said firmly.
“If it’s any consolation,” Harry added, “by coming out now, you will protect your good name into the future. I believe the tide will turn against medicines containing cocaine and other addictive substances. You may receive some backlash now, but you’ll eventually be lauded as the doctor who led the charge against such substances. ”
Dr. Iverson pursed his lips as he considered his predicament.
At least he didn’t seem quite so against the idea.
His relationship with his wife may be an unconventional one, but he certainly respected her.
“The fellow who owns the company that manufactures the Nerve Elixir is currently in London. In fact, he’s running a presentation today at your family’s hotel, Miss Fox.
I was supposed to be there. Won’t they be upset to see their guest’s name dragged through the mud in the newspapers? ”
“I doubt it, given Aunt Lilian’s situation. Anyway, it won’t make this evening’s papers, and Mr. Lombardi is checking out tomorrow. The hotel won’t suffer from the negative publicity.”
“Unlike Lombardi. If other doctors follow my lead, this will ruin him.”
Mrs. Iverson laughed wryly, only to wince when the act pained her side. “Very neat, Miss Fox. Very neat, indeed.” She touched her husband’s elbow. “My dear, you were going to fetch Mr. Armitage’s fee.”
Dr. Iverson left. Once he was gone, Mrs. Iverson invited me to sit on the chair beside the bed. I did, while Harry moved to the window, giving us some privacy.
“I wanted to apologize for my part in all this,” she said to me.
“Did you play a part?” I asked, quite seriously.
“I suspected Sister Dearden’s interest in me.
I didn’t connect it to the murder, but I should have told you that I suspected she’d written that anonymous letter to me.
I’d simply dismissed it, you see, not thinking she was the one who tampered with the Electro Therapy Machine.
If there’s anything more I can do to show my gratitude to you both, please let me know. ”
“My only request is that you look after Miss Wainsmith. She’s very unwell. Harry is going to give her the name of a new doctor, and I hope you’ll support her and encourage her to see him. She has no one here in London, and I think she needs a friend.”
“I will.”
Her husband returned and handed Harry an envelope.
“You’ve done me a great service, Armitage.
While my practice has suffered, thanks to Sister Dearden’s actions, and will continue to suffer, at least I am a free man.
I will do as Miss Fox asks and draft a statement about the addicting nature of the Nerve Elixir, then personally deliver it to every newspaper on Fleet Street this afternoon.
You’re right, Miss Fox. It’s time for the medical profession to take a stand against medicines containing cocaine. ”
I shook his hand. “Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate you taking this risk.”
Harry accepted the envelope and shook Dr. Iverson’s hand, too. “I have one more request to make, Doctor. This one won’t take up any more of your time.”
Harry offered to escort me back to the hotel, but I declined.
“I have some shopping to do on the way,” I said. “I’ll see you tomorrow for lunch at your parents’ house.”
His fingers skimmed the bare skin of my wrist above my glove. “I look forward to it, Cleo.”
I smiled. “As do I.”
We parted, and I caught an omnibus to Piccadilly Circus. From there, it was a short walk to the toy shop on Regent Street. It felt odd buying a grown man a gift there, but the sales assistant assured me many of the customers for the product were adults.