“So?” James said after a moment. “How goes the Chatterley case?”
“Hm? Oh, yes, we were able to garner a confession out of the sister-in-law. Evidently, the husband had taken to bedding not only his wife and his wife’s sister, but another mistress. It seems the sister-in-law didn’t wish to share him anymore, but when he told her that he intended to go on just as he had, she killed him.”
James nodded, having investigated the scene himself. It had been rather gruesome, as the man had been stabbed several times, but it was important to note that multiple stab wounds usually indicated some sort of rage behind the incident. James had marked several similar cases, all people murdered by a close family member or friend.
“Case closed then.”
The constable glanced back at the closed door. James was sure that he was wondering about Grace.
“I assure you, Chief Constable, that whatever you’re worried about, you needn’t be. Miss Sharpe will not be attending me on police matters. I plan to keep her plenty busy in this office.”James added quickly, “By having her tend to my patients, you see.”
The constable tilted his head.
“I’m glad to hear it, because we have a new case and…” He hesitated, visibly disturbed, which was a rarity for someone like the constable, who had seen his fair share of evil happenings within the city for at least ten years. “It’s a grisly situation.”
“What’s happened?”
“Do you remember the Flannery case? Over on Leafy Hyndland?”
James remembered, having only worked on it eight months prior. Mr. Flannery had been a well-to-do merchant who lived with his wife and two sons in a rather distinguished residence in Glasgow’s west end.
“Yes. Mr. Flannery was found frozen to death on his front doorstep after a particularly vicious snowstorm.” James shook his head. “I believe the investigation was led by Dr. Stewart, was it not?”
“Aye, it was.”
“I read his report. Supposedly, Mr. Flannery had been drinking, quite extensively, and walked home that evening from his club. He had barely made it home when he must have fallen asleep and eventually died.”
“That was the extent of it.”
James shook his head.
“I’m sorry, but what does a closed case have to do with us this morning?”
“Well, there have been rumors circulating, rumors about Mr. Flannery’s offspring. Apparently, the old man had threatened to cut off his ne’er-do-well sons for racking up bills and debts all over Scotland.” The constable leaned closer. “I’ll tell ya, it doesn’t do well to spoil children. But supposedly, the sonshad the idea to inherit their father’s fortune before they were removed from the will, so they poisoned him.”
James frowned.
“Poison? But there wasn’t any evidence for that. And word of mouth is circumstantial.”
“Therein lies the gruesome part. A gentleman friend of the deceased heard of the rumors and came to the station to suggest a, well, something ungodly, really.”
“What?”
“He suggested that we exhume the body, so that one of you lot might do some tests, or something.” The constable shook his head. “I shouldn’t have even entertained the idea, but being who he is and all, I felt rather conflicted, you see.”
A hard stone seemed to settle in James’s throat. He knew who the constable was talking about without even asking.
“I presume you mean Sir Douglas Ward has requested the inquisition.”
The constable bobbed his head.
“Aye.”
“Perhaps Dr. Stewart would want to take the lead on this then? It was his case after all.”
“Begging your pardon, but Sir Ward has requested you to lead it.”
James let out a long breath as he folded his arms across his chest and he leaned back in his chair. It was a strange case to be sure, but what was more pressing to James was the fact that his almost father-in-law wanted him involved. They hadn’t spoken in over a year, not since Catriona ran away with some peer from England.
