Depth of Deception (A Titanic Murder Mystery) (27 page)

"
He returned to England two days ago to prepare for all the pomp and circumstance associated with the launch of the RMS
Titan
,
a
new ship he likes to call
Titanic II
. As a British ship, we feared that it would
be
called to the war in Argentina the way the largest luxury liner on the planet, the RMS
Queen Elizabeth 2
was now
.
Father has managed to secure
Titan
’s safety for her maiden voyage, upon which Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II will be traveling to New York.
"

"
Queen Elizabeth? What happened to King George V? Oh, never mind... I have a lot of lost history to learn... A Queen. How exciting to have the monarchy aboard. However did you manage it?
"

"
It wasn’t too difficult. She was already planning on coming to America on her way to Canada to sign their Constitution next week. We offered an exciting and highly secure means to travel.
"

"
I’ve never met royalty before,
"
lamented Myra.

"
I could arrange it," Edward smiled. He wanted her to experience the life that had been robbed of her. "The
Titan
departs from South Hampton on the tenth of April.
"

"
April tenth was the launch date of
Titanic
,
"
she said, rising and putting down the book as if she no longer wanted to give it any further warmth.

"
It’s now a publicity stunt," sighed Edward. "Even charging extra for the maiden voyage.
"

"
I would like to meet the Queen," Myra said as she went to the window and watched the cold flakes tossing about in the wind. "But moreover I would very much like to see Archie... I need to see him."

"
Well, we’re not going anywhere until the roads clear," Edward said, looking out at the continuing blizzard. "But I’ll make the travel arrangements to take us to England.
"

Myra looked out the window and paced about,
"
If tomorrow is the seventh of April, we’ll never get to England by the tenth. Unless ships are faster now.
"

"
Certainly we will," smiled Edward. "We’ll take my private jet. It'll get us there in eight hours.
"

"
What is a jet?
"

"
That’s right you wouldn’t know,
"
Edward laughed.
"
You’re in for a treat.
"

It warmed Myra’s heart to see him smiling.
"
I wish I could have seen how you grew into this fine man.
"

She stopped as she saw a framed photo of Edward as a young man, smiling, with
a
beautiful
,
young
,
red-haired woman showing off a diamond ring.

"Was this you?" She turned and looked at Edward, who nodded with embarrassment.
"
You look so young... and happy. Who’s that lovely lady with you?
"

"
That was Dolanna. Dolanna Fergraith. We were engaged… but it wasn’t to be.
"

"Why not? You looked so happy together," pouted Myra.
"
What happened?
"

"
I’ll never know for certain, but I suspect Father had something to do with it.
"

"
What?" Myra was aghast. "I can’t believe that. I can't believe he's the monster you keep making him out to be.
"

"
That’s the problem," Edward lamented. "No one else did either, not without proof. And I have none. But in my heart of hearts, I’ve long suspected that he blackmailed her to leave me.
"

"
But why? Why would he sacrifice your happiness? It doesn’t make sense.
"

Edward looked at her as he spoke,
"
I had resigned from Arachson International, Father’s company. Dolanna and I were to be married here in New York at the Waldorf and then I planned
to
move to Europe with her. Father was furious because he expected me to take over the company. He was deathly afraid of shareholders. He wanted to keep the business in the family.
"

"
Obviously that’s not what you wanted?
"

"
No, I wanted to become a psychiatrist. I wanted to help people, and perhaps try my hand at being a painter. Live in Paris. But Father wouldn’t hear of it.
"

"
I wish I could have been there for you, Eddie.
"

"
No matter now. Old water under the bridge,
"
Edward said with resignation. He walked over to her and together
they
watched the blustery snow in silence.

April 7, 1982

Chapter
XXXV

66 Kelvindale Lane.

Callum looked at the address that de Kirkhaugh had given him this morning. He had been reluctant to help Callum, which
was understandable. There was
procedure a
nd
protocol that a police officer had to abide by, and this was the best he’d been able to do without jeopardizing his position.

Kelvindale Lane was located a few streets from where Agatha Gilcrest and Ruthie McArthur had been murdered. It was odd that Callum would keep coming back here. At the turn of the century, the area was known as "Square Mile of Murder" because all of Glasgow's most sensational killings had occurred within a few blocks of each other between 1857 and 1909. Callum hoped history wasn't repeating itself.

Callum walked up to the townhouse’s front steps and pressed the door bell button. He paused. He had the same sensation of being watched as he did in the Records Office. Turning away from the door, he looked about. Across the narrow street was another row of townhouses. Small cars parked on the street. Callum craned his neck to see if there was anyone sitting in them.

He heard the front door open behind him. Callum turned back to the front door and froze.

"
May I help you?
"
asked the elderly lady. Callum was speechless. He knew he shouldn’t stare but her face was so strikingly familiar that everything he had practiced to say had vanished from his mind.

"
Miss Fergraith?
"
stammered Callum as he regained his faculties. She nodded as he fumbled with his wallet, and pulled out his card.
"
My name is Callum Toughill…
"

"
Yes, the investigator who called this morning… come in…
"
Miss Fergraith said as she held the door open for him.
"
You have my curiosity piqued.
"

"
Thank you, Miss Fergraith …
"

"
Call me Dolanna.
"

"
Thank you, Dolanna,
"
Callum said as he took one last look to the streets. Nothing. He was getting paranoid.

As they walked to the living room, he noticed the décor was quite stylish and fairly modern, including a nice stereo system, telly, and video recorder. It wasn’t filled with antiques as he had seen at Ruthie’s or in the homes of most other people of that advancing age.

"
Can I offer you a tea or coffee?
"
she asked as she straightened the magazines and pile of newspapers on the coffee table.

"
Coffee please,
"
Callum replied, he needed the caffeine. Or a way of getting it intravenously at this point. Someone really needed to figure out how to hold a drink on a car’s dashboard.

"
Make yourself comfortable,
"
Dolanna said, pointing to the chairs.
"
I’ll be right back.
"

As she started toward the kitchen, Callum looked about, and a framed photo on the nearby bookshelf caught his eye.

"
Is that Edward
Hoffman
?
"
he asked, pointing to the young man in the photo.

She stopped by the kitchen door and looked over at it and sheepishly smiled.
"
Yes, that was taken many years ago. We were both very young.
"

"
Is that you?
"
Callum asked as he studied the photo.

"
Is it so hard to believe?
"
she asked, posing by the kitchen door. He turned to her. Though her hair was white, he could see hints of pale red scattered within.

"
Not at all,
"
he said. Then looked back at the photo.
"
It looks like an engagement photo.
"

"
It was…
"
she said, walking slowly back toward it.

"
But Mr.
Hoffman
never married,
"
Callum added.

"
I broke it off… for personal reasons,
"
Dolanna stammered, her bottom lip quivering as she sat in the nearest chair.

Callum nodded. He took that last statement to mean she wasn’t going to give him a reason. But he still blurted,
"
I can’t help but notice you still wear the engagement ring on a chain around your neck.
"

He regretted saying it the moment it left his lips. Her hand touched the ring as if realizing for the first time that it was there.

"
Sorry,
"
Callum added quickly.
"
That’s not what I came to discuss… So, Margaret Fergraith was your grandmother?
"

The smile returned to her face,
"
No
,
she was my mother.
"

"
I didn’t think you were that old,
"
he said as he took out his notebook and pen.

"
Thank you, Mr. Toughill.
"

"
Callum.
"

"
Thank you, Callum,
"
Dolanna continued.
"
Yes, Margaret was my mother.
"

"
And she worked for Agatha Gilcrest,
"
Callum stated as he made notes.

"
Yes, that’s right! What is this all about?
"

"
Did you ever meet Miss Gilcrest?
"
asked Callum
,
looking up from his notebook.

"
Oh no, she… died a few years before I was born,
"
Dolanna replied.
"
My older brothers had met her when they were little… and Mum would light a candle every 21st of December, the anniversary of her death. Every year for the rest of her life…. It used to dampen the Christmas spirit, I must say…
"

Callum smiled as he wrote her comments. Normally he would find this annual memorial unusual for a servant to perform for her former employer, but a clearer picture was starting to form in Callum’s mind.

"
Oh, good gracious,
"
Dolanna said as she rose.
"
I forgot to make the coffee. Wait here.
"

"
Tha
nk you, that would be wonderful,
"
Callum said as he made some extra notes.

"
You’re in luck,
"
Dolanna said as she started toward the kitchen.
"
The gasman was just here fixing the stove.
"

"
Oh?
"
Callum said absent-mindedly.

"
I didn’t even know there was anything wrong with it!
"

Panic then suddenly overtook Callum,
"
STOP!
"

. . .

"
I’m not asking for the sealed file,
"
de Kirkhaugh whispered to Janna, the records clerk. She looked extremely nervous. It didn’t help that he had chosen not to use the phone and had advised her to avoid doing so as well.
"
I’m just looking for any records that we have from that same year, specifically any unsolved crimes in Glasgow.
"