The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(91)

Fortunately his delay wasn't a sign of his reluctance to arrest Pitt. He'd informed us that Pitt was indeed alive and had been detained at Lord Coyle's house by the servants until the constables and Brockwell arrived. Having been summoned to the office of The Weekly Gazette, it had taken a little longer for word to reach Brockwell, but he'd soon taken the situation in hand and arrested Pitt, on Lord Coyle's urging. My watch's involvement was not mentioned.

I had already established that Oscar Barratt was going to fully recovery, despite a bullet wound to the shoulder, and the other newspapermen in the printing room had not been harmed. Lord Coyle had given his account of events, but he'd been vague on the particulars leading up to Pitt's arrival at his house with me at gunpoint.

"Mr. Pitt has confessed to the murder of Dr. Hale," Brockwell told us. "But he has not told us why."

"Does the reason matter?" Matt asked. "He has confessed. It's enough for a jury to convict him."

"True." Brockwell pocketed his pencil and notebook, the slow movement driving Willie to mutter under her breath. "But I would like to know, nevertheless."

"Then you must question Mr. Pitt more thoroughly," Matt said. "I cannot provide the answer for you."

"You see, he had no reason that I can see to murder Dr. Hale."

"The inheritance?" Matt said with a shrug.

"But Hale was worth more to him alive than dead. His name helped him make a fortune with the Cure-All. Poisoning the bottle of Cure-All sabotaged his own product. So again, I wonder why."

Willie threw her hands in the air. "People kill each other all the time because they rub the wrong way."

"Usually in fits of anger or frustration, with fists, knives or guns. Poison is far more calculating."

"Murdering someone out of frustration I can believe."

"I'm afraid I cannot give you the answer," Matt said.

"Then how did you know Pitt was guilty?"

"We didn't, not until we arrived at the office of the Gazette and learned that he attacked Barratt." The lie rolled smoothly off his tongue and I could see from Brockwell's face that he believed him. Matt was back to his old, assured self, in full control of his temper and emotions once again. Looking at him now, with his smooth forehead and easy manner, it was almost impossible to fathom that he had another side lurking beneath the charming fa?ade. "It was merely our ill fortune that we were there at that time," he went on. "As I informed you after the accident, Miss Steele and I had given up the investigation. The risks were too great."

"Did Pitt confess that it was he who shot at your carriage, or threatened Miss Steele?" Brockwell asked.

"No." Matt said nothing more. It would seem he wasn't going to tell Brockwell about Coyle's involvement. I wasn't entirely sure it was a good idea to withhold the information. Coyle ought to face the repercussions of his actions, but I knew that pinning them on him would be almost impossible.

"It must have been him." Brockwell shook his head as if he couldn't quite believe Pitt had it in him. "Must say, I am surprised. I can see him attempting to bribe me to overlook evidence, but not shoot at you."

Matt leaned forward, the first sign of interest he'd shown in the conversation since Brockwell arrived. "Bribe you?"

Brockwell gave him a flat smile. "Now that it's over, I can tell you that he did. An anonymous letter arrived at Scotland Yard, addressed to me, urging me to find no guilty party in the case of Dr. Hale's murder. It must have been Pitt who sent it."

More likely it had been Coyle.

"You were offered money?" Matt asked.

"A considerable sum," Brockwell said.

"And you didn't take it?" Willie sounded as if she couldn't quite believe someone would walk away from easy money.

"No, Miss Johnson, I did not. I'm not a rich man, but my income is enough for a bachelor to live comfortably."

She nodded her appreciation and studied him again as if she were seeing him anew.

"Solving the puzzle is what drives me," Brockwell went on. "That and the satisfaction of seeing people like Pitt pay for their crimes." He stood and patted his pocket containing his notebook and pencil. "I have everything I need, for now."

Matt rose and put out his hand. "We haven't always seen eye to eye but I think I have a better understanding of your process now."

Brockwell shook his hand. "I hope so."

Bristow arrived after Duke pulled the bell and escorted Brockwell out.

"Maybe he ain't so bad," Cyclops said, resuming his seat.

"He's only doing his job," Willie agreed. "Ain't his fault if Sheriff Payne is trying to pull the wool over his eyes. Just as long as he does his duty and investigates proper, you ain't got nothing to worry about there, Matt."

Matt watched the doorway through which Brockwell had exited. Then he turned to me. "What do you think, India?"

"Me?" I looked at him aghast. "I don't think I'm the best person to ask about someone's integrity."

"I disagree. And anyway," he added, cutting off my protest, "I'd like your opinion."

He'd said just the right thing to draw it out of me, and he knew it too, if his small smile was an indication. "Well," I began. All four sets of eyes watched me. I cleared my throat and met Matt's gaze dead-on. "Just because Brockwell can't be corrupted doesn't mean he always gets to the truth and arrests the right man."