Shaking his head, Nic paced the floor as the doctor continued to examine the corpse. None of this made sense. Two hours ago after he’d found the boy, he’d summoned the constable to have the body dug out of the ground. Immediately, the doctor could tell David had been strangled because of the bruises on his neck. Now Nic waited for the doctor to tell him more…and for the constable to see if they found anything else in the sand by the boy’s burial.
Nic hadn’t had time to hurry home and inform Frederick. He would certainly want to know since Frederick had known these people a lot longer than Nic. Would this be the thing that ended his and Frederick’s switch? Naturally, the real clergyman would want to come out of hiding and do his job as the town’s comforter. Frederick would know Bible verses to give to the grieving town. Nic definitely didn’t know that.
“Look at this,” the doctor said in a confused voice.
Nic stepped closer to the table where the body had been laid. Doctor Cope had on some glasses that magnified his view, and peered at the boy’s ankle. Nic didn’t really want to get any closer. The corpse was beginning to reek badly.
“What have you found, Doctor?”
“David’s ankle was broken.” The physician raised his head and met Nic’s eyes. “I don’t recall the boy breaking his leg at all. He never came to see me, anyway.”
“Do you think it was done recently?”
The doctor bent once again and peered closer. “Actually, it looks like an old break. Perhaps a few weeks.”
“That’s very odd, isn’t it? Especially since he hasn’t come in to see you about it. I’d think the poor boy wouldn’t be able to walk.”
“Putting pressure on it would certainly make it difficult.” Cope nodded. He glanced back up at Nic. “Have you been out to visit his family lately?”
Just as Nic was ready to ask the doctorwhyhe’d visit the family, he stopped himself when remembering he played a clergyman. It was the man of God’s duty to visit with the families. “If you had asked me this about three weeks ago, I would have given you an answer. I’ve been under the weather for three weeks, and I’ve only ventured out of my house these past few days.”
“That’s right.” Doctor Cope nodded. “I had forgotten. Well, I suppose I shall leave the investigation to the constable. I pray they find this boy’s murderer very soon.”
“As do I.”
He moved away from the physician and stopped at the window, peering outside. A good crowd had gathered and Nic was certain gossip was spreading like wildfire.
Way back in the crowd, he spotted a familiar bonnet, and under it was a delicate shaped face. His breathing quickened and he tried not to smile. Because of these grieving circumstances, smiling was not called for. Yet thinking about Tabitha made him grin more than he should. Especially since their luncheon.
Tabitha stood by Sally as they chatted with Mrs. Stiles and two other ladies. Concern etched in Tabitha’s expression and tugged at his heart. He knew what she was thinking—the same thing he’d been thinking after finding David’s body. Nic was tired of being involved one way or another with dead people, just as he was sure Tabitha felt the same way. Thankfully, she wasn’t involved since she and Sally had just arrived in North Devon. Neither of them would have any reason to kill a boy in hisnineteenth year, and they certainly wouldn’t have the strength between the two of them to bury the poor soul.
As much as he wanted to go outside to comfort her and reassure her they’d find the person who murdered David, he didn’t want to do it with everyone watching. He couldn’t allow the town to think he was interested in Tabitha for anything more than friendship.
One by one, the people gathered out front swung their head in one direction. The constable and two of his men shouldered their way toward the doctor’s office. The constable carried a bulky, cloth bag. They’d found something! Hopefully, their discovery would help point the finger in the direction of the killer.
Nic hurried to the front door and opened it just as the three other men arrived. As soon as they were inside the house, Nic shut the door.
“Did you find something?” he asked.
The constable was a short, squatty man with a bald head. He nodded and opened the cloth bag.
“Indeed, we did, Mr. Woodland.” Sydney Burris pulled out two gold candlesticks as he aimed an accusing glare at Nic. “Do you recognize these?”
“Of course not. Why would I—” Nic closed his mouth as his recollection returned. He did recognize them. They’d been in the church for many weeks after Lord Hawthorne had arrived in North Devon. Frederick took special care of these candlesticks as they were a gift from the former clergyman. These were some of the items that had been stolen!
Nic hitched a breath as panic grew inside him. He must choose his words wisely, for Frederick’s sake.
He narrowed his eyes and moved closer. “Actually, I do recognize these.” He took a candlestick away from the other man. “These were in the church since before I took over. Nottoo long ago, they were stolen.” His mind clicked things together and he released a gasp, swinging his gaze to David before quickly switching it to Sydney Burris. “Do you suppose young David was the thief?”
“Actually, that’s exactly what I’m thinking.” The constable arched a bushy eyebrow. “However, I’m quite sure he wasn’t acting alone.”
“Of course he wasn’t.” Nic gestured toward the dead body. “The person the boy was working with strangled him to keep quiet.”
“Yes, that did cross my mind, but—” Sydney took the candlestick away from Nic—“that doesn’t explain why these were buried near David’s body. Why hadn’t the killer taken these?”
Nic shrugged. “That’s something to consider. I wish I knew the answers.”
“Unless,” Sydney tapped the candlestick on the palm of his hand, moving closer to Nic, “the killer wanted to make it look like the church’s thief was dead.” He threw an accusing glare at Nic.
