“Not likely,” I said. “We’ve still got a murderer on the loose. If Gerald the rotund Matrix cosplayer didn’t kill Professor Hathaway and Alice Yo, then who did?”
Chapter Thirty
“I’m bored,” Lydia moaned, tossing her shoe at the wall. “Can you throw someone over the balustrade again?”
We were holed up in our suite, trying to stall for time while Morrie picked his way through Jo’s files, looking for a clue as to who killed her.
“The more you distract Morrie with your incessant prattling, the longer we remain holed up here,” Heathcliff growled. “I’d like to remind you that this is entirely your doing. If you weren’t blackmailing us into solving this murder, we could be back at the shop.”
“That’s it. I’ve had enough.” Lydia stood up, pointing a finger at Quoth. “I can’t stand it in this room a moment longer with that uncouth gypsy! You there, with the enviable hair. We shall take a turn about the gardens.”
“Don’t use the wordgypsy,” I hissed.
“I’m not sure—” Quoth began.
“That was not a request, but an order!” Lydia’s face reddened.
Quoth shot me a helpless look, but Lydia was already dragging him away.Morrie will probably work faster without her distracting us. I just hope Lydia doesn’t break my poor Quoth.The door slammed, and they were gone from sight.
“Ah, blessed silence,” Heathcliff grinned, leaning against the chaise lounge and raising a tiny bottle of whisky to his lips. We’d had him checked out by the paramedics, who determined that nothing was broken, but he had some bruising around his ribs. He was warned not to undertake any strenuous physical activity for the next few weeks, and was given a handful of painkillers he’d promptly washed down with whisky in true Heathcliff fashion.
Heathcliff and I snuggled up together, drinking and talking quietly while Morrie worked. After some time, Morrie pulled off his headphones.
“Hmmmm,” Morrie purred. “That changes things.”
“Did you find anything more about Alice’s article?” I asked.
“No.” Morrie spun his computer around. “But I did findthis.”
He turned the computer toward me and hit a button. On the screen, a video played, showing a view of the top of a chair, a white wall, and an arched window that looked identical to the one in our room.This is shot at Baddesley Hall. In the corner of the screen, the timestamp read 1:03 AM on the night of Professor Hathaway’s murder. Outside the window was pitch black, and there was a starkness in the inside light that lit Alice’s face as she came into view, leaning down to adjust the camera. Satisfied that it was set correctly and recording, she sat in the chair facing the screen. Tears streaked down her cheeks.
“If you find this tape,” Alice sniffed. “It’s because I am dead. It was I, Alice Yo, who killed Professor Hathaway.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“What?”
“Shhhh,” Morrie raised a finger to his lips. “Keep watching.”
I leaned over Morrie’s shoulder to peer closer at the screen.
“I did it,” Alice paused, then nodded. “I did it because I’m in love with his daughter, Christina. He wouldn’t accept that she was gay. He wouldn’t allow us to be together and I… I didn’t want her to be hurt anymore. I had enough. I intended to write an article to discredit him, but my editor wouldn’t publish it because it was all lies I invented. That’s why I took the sword and I plunged it through… through his chest.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She did nothing to wipe them away. “I’m recording this confession in the hope that my dying wish is obeyed. Please, if you find anything, do not publish any of my evidence about Professor Hathaway. Destroy all my research. Tear up my notes and delete all the files from my computer. It’s all lies, anyway, and I don’t want anything else to hurt my dear Christina. Please, if you’re watching this, please…” her voice cracked. The camera clicked off, and the screen went black.
I can’t believe it.Something about the confession niggled at me, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. Morrie hit reply and we watched it again. Chills ran down my spine.
“Shite,” Morrie breathed.
“That’s what Alice meant when she said she couldn’t go to the police,” I said. “She didn’t want to turn herself in, but she wanted me to know the truth in case something happened to her.”
“Something did happen to her. She had her head bashed in. But why?”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Iglanced out the window, at the crowds of people milling about on the steps. One of them killed Alice Yo, but why? If it wasn’t to cover up Hathaway’s murder, then it must have been to prevent her article for going public. But who knew about the article, and why would they…
Suddenly, I realized what was wrong with Alice’s video confession.
