“Are you assigned to a particular doctor when you do your rotations?”
“What does that have to do . . . with this?” His hand trembled as he gestured to the body.
“Do you have a problem answering the question, Mr. Dawes?”
A spark of annoyance lit his eyes. “Of course not. I usually assist Mr. Dandridge, Mr. Burnell, and Sir Preston. But it depends on what is happening at the hospital, and who requires assistance.”
She waited a beat, then said, “You have blood on your hands, Mr. Dawes.”
He lifted his palms, surveying the specks of blood like he’d never seen them before, and shivered. “Hazard of this profession, I’m afraid.” His breath hitched a little. “I knew he was gone, but I still tried to . . . tried to save him.”
The door opened, and Kendra glanced at Alec and Dr. Munroe as they came into the room. Alec walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Dr. Munroe and I had just finished at the inquest when he got Mr. Kelly’s note.” He took in the scene. “Suicide?”
“Aye,” Sam answered, and looked at Munroe with concern. “I didn’t think before, but maybe we should call in someone else—”
“Nonsense.” Munroe’s tone was brusque. Kendra saw more than grief on his face. Anger tightened his features, burned in his eyes. He hunched down to examine the dead man. “I want to be involved, Mr. Kelly.”
Sam shifted uneasily on his feet. “Aye. Well, it’s pretty clear what happened, even if we didn’t have an eyewitness to confirm it. But we’ll need you for the inquest, doctor. And you, Mr. Dawes.”
Munroe pointed at the ugly bullet hole. “The stellate shape around the wound indicates that the barrel was pressed directly against his skin when the gun was fired.”
Kendra nodded. She’d already noted the injury’s star-burst pattern.
“I don’t understand this.” Munroe slowly rose to his feet and looked to Kendra. “Why would he kill himself?”
Kendra had one answer, and it made her feel sick.
“May I . . . go?” Dawes ran a trembling hand through his red hair, leaving it in unruly tufts. “I’ve told you everything . . .”
Sam nodded. “Aye. I’ll let you know when the inquest is.”
Dawes nodded as he pushed himself to his feet and shuffled unsteadily to the door. Kendra felt a little unsteady herself.
“Kendra—” Alec began, but she put up a hand to stop him.
“It’s my fault,” she whispered. Bile rose up in her throat, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. “I pressured him last night. He wasn’t ready to talk, but I wouldn’t listen. I didn’t care.”
“You think he knew who killed Lady Westford, but never said anything?” Sam asked.
Kendra shook her head. “I think hesuspected, and was doing his best to pretend otherwise.”
“But why?” the Bow Street Runner insisted. “And why would he blow out his brains before talkin’ ter you, lass?”
Kendra pressed a fisted hand to her roiling stomach as she answered, “Last night, he told me how difficult it’s been for him to become accepted in the medical community because he’s Jewish. He was afraid he’d be ostracized and lose everything he’d worked for.”
“His fear was justified.” Munroe sounded weary. “Many voiced their reservations about allowing Mr. Goldsten into St. George’s. Dr. Carter was the loudest in his objections. He’s fond of saying that if the hospital lowered its standards to permit Jews to practice medicine, then we might as well open the doors to women.”
Kendra wasn’t surprised. The old geezer was against the freaking stethoscope.
“Sir Preston advocated for Mr. Goldsten to join both St. George’s and the Metamorphosis Club,” Munroe continued. “Mr. Goldsten never gave into the naysayers. How could he have done this?This?”
“I’ve known men who put a bullet in their brain after losing everything at the gaming tables,” Alec murmured. “They couldn’t face their families after what they’d done. If Mr. Goldsten truly believed he’d lose everything . . .”
That brought up an excellent point. Kendra turned to Munroe. “Does Mr. Goldsten have family?”
“He has a mother and a sister. They live in Fulham “
“They’ll have to be notified and questioned,” Kendra said as she crossed the room to Goldsten’s desk. “Maybe he said something to them recently about his suspicions.”
