The Palace of Lost Memories

Chapter 22

"Did you find evidence of poisoning on your father's body?" Hammer asked.

I shook my head. The dog and Lady Miranda vomited, but there was no sign of discharge from my father's mouth or nose, yet the smell couldn't be mistaken. "The poisoner must have cleaned up."

"To make it look like he died of natural causes," Quentin said with a nod. "Clever."

"And Lady Miranda?" Hammer asked. "Did you smell the same smell on her?"

"No," I said. "It's possible that by the time we reached her, the smell had dissipated since the discharge had been removed to the bathroom. Or a different poison may have been used on her."

"I don't understand," Quentin said. "Why did the poisoner kill your father? He didn't know the murderer's identity."

I tried to think of the things my father said on the day of his death, what he'd done and where'd he gone, but I could think of nothing that implied he knew the poisoner's identity.

"Describe the room to me when you found him," Hammer said. "How did you find him? Was anything out of place?"

I could hardly recall any of it beyond my shock and sadness. "He was slumped over his desk. There were some books within his reach, but I didn't notice which ones." I closed my eyes against the rush of tears and fought not to cry. It was not the time for tears, it was the time for clear thought. It didn't help my concentration when Hammer folded my hand into his.

"Take your time," he said, his warm voice washing over me.

"The heat box was nearby. I remember because I worried about his hair burning. The contents of a dish had burned and the smell lingered. It almost hid the smell of the...of the poison."

"Do you remember putting away the books?" Hammer asked. "Could you find them again?"

"My neighbor tidied up."

"I'd put money on them being books about poisons," Quentin said. "Seems like Doctor Cully knew he'd been poisoned and was trying to make an antidote for himself."

"But ran out of time," I finished for him. "Merdu. I cannot believe it. My father was poisoned. But why?"

"He must have learned something that could identify the poisoner," Hammer said. "Did he act differently that day? Did he seem anxious?"

"He was always anxious lately, but even more so after Lady Miranda was poisoned." I blinked watery eyes at him. "He knew even then, didn't he? He knew who poisoned her but he didn't say. Why wouldn't he tell you?"

"Perhaps he only suspected and didn't want to accuse anyone without proof."

"Even so, he should have mentioned his concerns to you. I cannot believe he would withhold something so important."

"He had a daughter to protect, and a livelihood. He wouldn't want to jeopardize either for people he didn't know."

I thought back to the day I'd gone out to meet Hammer at Half Moon Cove, and come back to find my father dead. The strangeness of that day was etched into my soul, a memory that would be with me forever. I'd been happy seeing Hammer on the beach, and sickened by the scars on his back, then overwhelmed by immense sorrow upon finding my father. It was difficult to wade through the tumult of emotions to remember the conversations I'd shared with Father.

"He went out that afternoon," I said. "That I do remember. He didn't take his medical bag and wouldn't tell me where he was going."

"You think he confronted the killer?" Quentin asked.