“And she wishes to believe that is what happened,” Penny said. “She is his mother, after all.”
“Regardless of her reasoning, Virgil Warwick’s mother is the one who is responsible for his release and she may be the one person who knows where he is,” Logan said. “I must speak with her.”
Penny shook her head. “Even if she believes her son to be innocent, the last person she will speak with is a policeman.”
“I will find a way,” Logan vowed.
“It will be easier and no doubt faster if I do the interview,” Benedict said.
Amity looked at him. “I am going to accompany you.”
Benedict gave that a brief consideration. “Yes, I think that would probably be best.”
Logan raised his brows. “How do the two of you plan to get past the front door? If you use your real names, she will become suspicious immediately and have her butler inform you that she is not at home.”
“What made you think that I plan to use my real name?” Benedict asked.
“Speaking of names.” Penny held up a sheet of paper. “It just so happens that Mrs. Charlotte Warwick is on the Channing ball guest list.”
“So there was a connection,” Logan said.
“That certainly explains how her deranged son came to hear the gossip about my supposed shipboard affair with Mr. Stanbridge,” Amity said.
“It appears he may have gotten the news from his mother,” Logan said.
Amity sighed. “I’m sure she had no notion of what he would do with the information.”
An hour later Amity stood on the front steps of the Warwick mansion and watched with interest as Benedict dealt with the supercilious butler.
“You may inform Mrs. Warwick that Dr. Norcott and his assistant are here to discuss a matter of utmost importance.”
The butler eyed Benedict’s expensive coat and trousers and then gave Amity’s elegant walking gown a similar perusal. He did not appear convinced.
“Your card, Dr. Norcott?” he said.
“Sorry. All out of cards. Trust me, Mrs. Warwick will see us.”
“I will find out if she is at home to callers today,” the butler said.
He closed the door in their faces.
“Do you think this is going to work?” Amity asked.
“I think that, under the circumstances, Mrs. Warwick will be afraid not to see Dr. Norcott. She must know that he is one of the few people who are aware that her son is likely a killer.”
“But if she does refuse to see us?”
“Then we go in anyway,” Benedict said.
“We could find ourselves under arrest,” Amity pointed out in neutral tones.
“Mrs. Warwick is unlikely to summon the police to remove a doctor and his assistant who just happen to know her darkest secret. She would be terrified that the scandal would be all over town by morning.”
“Indeed,” Amity said. “Your powers of reasoning never cease to amaze me, sir.”
“I’m glad to hear that because at the moment I am not at all in a reasonable mood. I want answers.”
“So do I.”
