The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(74)

That cottage was looking more and more attractive.



Matt approached Park Street cautiously, walking in front of me until he was sure that no one waited to jump out at us. Someone was waiting for us to return, as it happened, but inside the house. Detective Inspector Brockwell sat in the drawing room.

"He insisted on waiting, sir," Bristow whispered as he took our hats and the bag of bonbons.

"Is he alone?" I asked. "Or are there constables with him?"

"Alone, ma'am. I put him in the drawing room."

He hadn't come to arrest Matt then, thank goodness.

"It's more likely he's here to warn us off his investigation again," Matt told me.

He was correct, as it turned out, but only in part. "I've had another complaint from Dr. Ritter." Brockwell pronounced the T in complaint with crisp precision. "He claims you've been badgering him with questions and that he had to throw you out of his hospital."

"I asked him one question," Matt said, "and he did not have to throw us out of anything. By the way, do you know he's been tampering with the scene of the crime?"

Brockwell cocked his head to the side, the movement quite jerky for a fellow who favored slow, deliberate words and actions that always seemed carefully thought out first. "Go on."

"He sold off Hale's medicine bottles."

Brockwell seemed to have recovered his composure because he took his time answering. "Then he is a thief unless Mr. Pitt, Dr. Hale's heir, gave his consent."

"Not only that, Dr. Ritter sold them without the hospital's knowledge and pocketed the money. The hospital board is most likely aware of the situation now."

"Ah. That explains why Dr. Ritter visited me in an agitated state early this morning blaming you for his ill luck. He wouldn't elaborate, however, merely ordered me to ‘put my dog on a leash.’ Those are his words."

"I've been called worse," Matt said.

Brockwell's mouth stretched into a flat smile. "I don't doubt it."

"Consider me chastised," Matt said, standing.

"That's not all."

Matt huffed out a breath and sat again.

"Thank you for the information about Dr. Ritter," Brockwell said. "Is there anything else you'd like to pass on? Anything about Mr. Oakshot, for example?"

"Nothing," Matt said. "Why? What do you know?"

The inspector scratched first one sideburn then the other. The seconds ticked by, stretching my nerves thin. Matt did a remarkable job of looking unruffled, but I suspected he was as frustrated as me with Brockwell's delaying tactics.

"Oakshot's company bought all remaining stock of Hale's Cure-All from Mr. Pitt."

"He moved quickly," Matt said.

That was all he had to say? "We can guess why Mr. Pitt sold it," I said. "The Cure-All's reputation has been damaged for its role in Hale's death. But why would Mr. Oakshot buy it? He'll be stuck with something he can't sell."

"He didn't say," Brockwell intoned. "I wondered if he you'd learned anything."

Matt shook his head. "As to why he'd do it, I suspect he'll simply change the label and market it as something else. It might be cheaper to buy the stock than make his own."

"That must be it." Brockwell stood and buttoned up his jacket, an ill-fitting garment that looked as old as the man himself. "Good day, Miss Steele, Mr. Glass. Please inform me of any progress you make."

"You actually seem amenable to us continuing with our investigation," Matt said. "Indeed, you shared something of your own investigation with us. Why?"

"I've come to the conclusion that it's best if we pool our knowledge. We both want the killer caught, and three heads are better than two or one. Besides, I cannot force you to stop. Not while you have the commissioner's favor and I suspect you'll have that for some time. He did seem very grateful to you both for finding Daniel Gibbons's killer. Very grateful indeed."

Did he know Daniel was the illegitimate son of Commissioner Munro or was he guessing and trying to gauge from our reactions if it were true? I studiously kept my gaze on him, trying hard not to blink or glance at Matt and give anything away.

"As he was grateful that Miss Steele captured the Dark Rider," Matt said lightly. "Indeed, our success doesn't make his force look particularly competent. Perhaps that will all change with this investigation, now that you are on board, Detective."

Brockwell linked his hands behind him. "And now that we are sharing information."

Matt tugged on the bell pull and Bristow appeared to show Brockwell out. Matt stifled a yawn.

"Perhaps you ought to ask Mr. Pitt or Mr. Oakshot for a medicine for your condition," Brockwell said.

"My condition?"

"You look unwell." Brockwell put up his hands in surrender. "My apologies if I am mistaken. Perhaps you're merely showing the effects of a late night and early morning."

So Commissioner Munro hadn't told his detective that our reason for visiting Dr. Hale in the first place had been to find a miraculous cure for Matt's illness. He was a decent man, the commissioner, and knew how to keep a secret.

Matt gave Brockwell a tight smile. "We gentleman of leisure tend to burn the candle at both ends."