CHAPTER 10 #3
“The article said Sebastian died in a room approved by Pattern House Conservation.”
“That was press language.”
“You did not correct it.”
“We had no verified basis to correct it then.”
“You do now.”
Nell shifted.
“Romy.”
“No. This matters.”
Peter stayed professionally smooth.
“The committee cannot make a categorical statement while the police investigation remains active.”
“You can say the police have confirmed no restoration defect caused Sebastian’s death.”
Vivian said, “Technically yes.”
Peter looked at her.
“But,” Vivian continued, “if police are withholding the deliberate mechanism, public wording may create questions they cannot answer.”
Romy understood the legal caution.
She did not accept the convenience.
“So Pattern House stays damaged because your messaging is easier that way.”
“That is not fair.”
“Neither was the headline.”
Nell rubbed her forehead.
“We are trying to protect Asterleigh too.”
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The building gets protected. The committee gets protected. Sponsors get protected. Pattern House gets patience.”
“That is not what I mean.”
“It is what happens.”
Daniel finally spoke.
“Romy, the completion sheet frightened everyone.”
“So did the body.”
Silence.
Romy regretted the sharpness immediately.
Sebastian’s death should not become a weapon in an argument about public relations.
She took a breath.
“My work did not create the fatal condition. Someone altered the room after I documented it. I want that acknowledged.”
Peter said, “When the police conclude their investigation.”
Romy looked at Ellis near the door.
He gave the smallest shake of his head.
Limit.
She understood.
The killer did not know everything police knew.
Public vindication would have to wait.
Facts always arrived slower than damage.
Romy stood.
“Fine.”
Nell said, “Romy.”
She paused.
“I am relieved,” Nell said quietly. “Truly.”
“That helps personally.”
“And professionally?”
“Not enough.”
She left.
Leo waited in the hall with two paper cups.
“Tea.”
Romy took one.
“Any good?”
“No.”
“Perfect.”
They sat on the main staircase.
Leo looked at her.
“So?”
“Murder.”
His face changed.
“They said it?”
“Working theory. Deliberate carbon-monoxide poisoning.”
“And Pattern House?”
“Not the cause.”
Relief crossed his face openly.
Then he saw hers.
“They won’t say it publicly.”
“No.”
“That’s rubbish.”
“Yes.”
“Can we?”
“No.”
“Because of the investigation.”
“Yes.”
He drank the bad tea.
“That’s still rubbish.”
“Yes.”
They sat in companionable silence until Anika found them at one thirty.
“You both look cheerful.”
“We are privately exonerated and publicly compromised,” Romy said.
“Efficient morning.”
Leo handed Anika a spare tea.
She tasted it.
“This is terrible.”
“Consistent quality.”
Anika sat one step below them.
Romy asked, “Can the beech charcoal be compared with the briquettes in Celeste’s car?”
“Yes.”
“Will it tell us whether it came from that bag?”
“Possibly not conclusively. Commercial charcoal can share characteristics across batches.”
“Marcus’s demonstrations?”
“If police obtain stored fuel from Fenn Found, we can compare physical characteristics, binders if present, ash profile, particle structure.”
“So maybe.”
“Maybe.”
Leo asked, “The felt?”
“Better chance. Fibre composition, dye system, weave, finishing, and the gold edge may be more discriminating.”
“If it matches Marcus’s roll exactly?”
“Then it tells you material from the same type or source was used.”
“Not that Marcus used it.”
“Correct.”
Romy sighed.
Anika smiled.
“You’re learning restraint.”
“I hate it.”
“That means it’s working.”
Ellis appeared at the bottom of the staircase.
Romy looked at Anika.
“Does he materialize when conversations become useful?”
“Detective training.”
Ellis climbed two steps.
“We have one more thing.”
“What?”
“Not evidence. A question.”
“That sounds worse.”
He looked at Leo, then Anika, then Romy.
“We know someone burned fresh charcoal inside a decorative plate-warmer.”
“Yes.”
“We know someone packed wool felt into the transfer gap after you documented it open.”
“Yes.”
“We know the room door then closed normally behind Sebastian.”
“Yes.”
“We know the person responsible did not need to remain inside while the gas accumulated.”
The timeline rearranged itself.
6:44 Celeste.
6:48 Adrian.
6:52 Marcus.
6:57 Sebastian.
7:01 alive.
7:03 message.
7:05 Marcus speaking publicly.
Murder did not require presence at death.
Only preparation.
Ellis continued.
“This wasn’t somebody randomly setting fire to an object.”
“No.”
“They needed to understand that the plate-warmer could hold burning charcoal.”
“Yes.”
“They needed to understand the room’s airflow.”
Romy looked toward the Blue Study corridor.
Celeste knew enough to argue about the spacer.
Adrian knew the building systems.
Marcus knew historic warming equipment.
Sophie had been through the room.
Imogen had held the screwdriver.
Daniel had the completion records.
The field widened even as the method sharpened.
Ellis watched her think.
“Who knew enough about that room to turn a harmless prop into a murder weapon?”