The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(69)

"I did hear about it," I said, resting my hand on his arm. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Matt nod for me to go on, so I followed my instincts and perched on the edge of Wiley's desk. "And I believe that patient used to be Dr. Hale's?"

Wiley nodded. "Hale misdiagnosed him, not me. The odd thing is, despite the misdiagnosis, Hale managed to keep him alive. According to the chart, the medicine Hale prescribed shouldn't have worked on either the condition Hale thought he had, or the one he actually died of. And yet the fellow hung on."

I did not look at Matt for fear that my face would give me away to Wiley. But I was sure now that Hale had prescribed magical medicine to his patient, enough to alleviate his symptoms and pain as his condition deteriorated.

Wiley sipped from his flask again, but finding it empty, tossed it on the desk with a click of his tongue. "Try telling any of that to Ritter. Since the patient died under my care, I must be responsible, so he says."

"And the widow didn't believe you either," I said.

"That old dragon. It's her fault I'm in an even bigger hole than I would have been. Have you ever noticed, Miss Steele, how some women become crosser and fiercer as they get older? Don't get old, Miss Steele. Stay young and pretty and kind." He patted my hand and his eyes turned watery.

"Dr. Ritter will forgive you in time," I assured him. "Speaking of Dr. Ritter, do you know who he sold Dr. Hale's personal medicine collection to?"

He lifted one shoulder. "I don't know, and I don't care. Ask him."

"We did and he wouldn't say."

He frowned. "Why wouldn't he tell you? There's no reason for that sort of thing to be kept private."

"He said all of Dr. Hale's things were taken to the dispensary or store room. He claims not to have sold anything."

He frowned harder. "Dr. Hale's collection was so large, there wouldn't be room for all of those bottles in the store room. I wonder why he refuses to admit he sold them."

"Dr. Wiley," Matt said, speaking for the first time.

Dr. Wiley blinked slowly at him, as if he'd just realized he was present. "Yes?"

"Cast your mind back to the afternoon Dr. Hale died."

Dr. Wiley picked up his flask and shook it. Finding it still empty, he set it down on his desk again. "If I have to."

"You checked on a patient in your ward then went home. Do you remember that?"

"I think so," he hedged. "Why?"

"You wrote the time as five fifty-five on the patient's chart, but one of the nurses who came after you wrote the time as five forty-five. How can that happen if you were first? And before you attempt to lie to us, let me warn you that we've spoken to the nurse and she's adamant that she wrote the correct time and that you had already left the hospital."

Dr. Wiley swallowed. "I-I can't recall. I suppose I simply made a mistake."

"You seem to make a lot of them."

Dr. Wiley folded his arms over his chest. "Your point?"

"My point is, you could have killed Dr. Hale or you could have simply lied in order to leave early."

"I didn't kill him! My god, man, I know I've made mistakes lately, but I haven't deliberately killed anyone in my life! What do you take me for?"

"For a man who is skating on thin ice. If Dr. Ritter finds out you lied on a patient's chart, that'll be another strike against your name."

Dr. Wiley half rose from the chair, only to fall back heavily, as if he didn't have the energy to confront Matt face to face. "Don't tell him," he said. "Please. I can't afford to look for another job at my age. I'm tired, and I just wanted to go home a few minutes early that evening. That's all."

Matt nodded, and I thought that was the end of it. I rejoined him on the other side of the desk and headed toward the door. He did not follow.

"If you want me to keep your secret," Matt said to Wiley, "then find out who Dr. Ritter sold Dr. Hale's medicines to."

Dr. Wiley stared at Matt. Matt glared back at him, his face as uncompromising as I'd ever seen. Like Dr. Wiley, he too was at the end of his tether, but it manifested in anger, not resignation.

For a moment, I thought Dr. Wiley would refuse, but then he nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Send word to me at sixteen Park Street, Mayfair, when you learn something," Matt said.

We made our way through the hospital and outside. Matt insisted on exiting first and making sure no one accosted him before allowing me to follow. Until this investigation was over, he would remain cautious.

"You were very severe with poor Dr. Wiley," I said as we drove off.

"We need answers and we need them quickly to get this investigation over with. If that means pushing harder and stepping on toes, then so be it. Besides, he is still a suspect."

"I believe him when he said he didn't do it."

I half expected Matt to tell me I was too trusting or not a very good judge of character, but he said nothing. Perhaps he didn't want to hurt my feelings again.



Matt dined with his aunt at her friend's house, and I retired before they returned home. He slept late the next morning. So late, in fact, that Duke went to check on him at ten.

"He just woke," he announced upon his return to the sitting room.