Murder on Astor Place (35 page)

For a second she thought he wouldn’t answer, but then he said grudgingly, “Brian.”

“And his mother?”

“Died when he was born. A midwife killed her.”

His bitterness scalded her, and she almost cried out from the shock of it. “Oh, Malloy, I’m so sorry!”

Of course, Sarah couldn’t be sure that’s what had caused his wife’s death. Women died in childbirth every day, and it was nobody’s fault. But obviously, Malloy believed the midwife had been at fault, or at least he needed to blame her for it. And that explained so much of Malloy’s attitude toward her. She must bring back terrible memories for him.

If so, he didn’t want to dwell on them. “You still haven’t told me what you’re doing here. And don’t give me any more stories about how you were worried about me.”

Sarah sighed in defeat. “I guess I’ll have to confess, then, before you use the third degree on me. I called on Mrs. VanDamm the other day. The experience was absolutely extraordinary, and I wanted to share it with someone, but I couldn’t think of anyone else who would really appreciate it except you.”

If he was surprised she’d sought him out just to gossip, he didn’t mention it. Instead, he was as interested as she had expected. “You called on her? What happened?”

Apparently, he wasn’t adverse to a little gossip himself.

“She was sitting in the parlor, wearing a new gown that someone must have spent an entire night making to have it ready so quickly, and she was receiving every visitor who came to the door. A lot of them were coming, too, because nobody had seen her in years and because the deaths of her family were so shocking.”

This time Malloy scratched his head in bewilderment. “Was she telling people what really happened?”

“Of course not. Alicia’s death is old news by now, since people believe she’d died a natural death at their country home, so it was Mina and Mr. VanDamm’s deaths they were concerned about. Everyone knew they had been struck by lightning, but nobody could imagine what they’d been doing on the roof in that terrible storm in the first place. She’d made up a story for them, though. Mina, it seems, was distraught over her sister’s death, and she’d decided to do herself harm, being unable to bear the tragedy of Alicia’s loss. Her father had rushed to save her, and they’d both been struck down.”

Malloy shook his head. “Did anybody believe her?”

“I doubt it, but they pretended to, which is all that matters. And you can’t imagine the change in her. I expect she still takes her ‘medicines,’ but she’s completely different in every other way. She’s actually lively and interesting. And she’s thoroughly enjoying being the center of attention of every person whose opinion matters in this city.”

“Every person whose opinion matters to
her,”
he corrected her.

“At any rate, she’s turned Mina and VanDamm into tragic martyrs, and poor Alicia is very nearly a saint.”

“And she’s the star in her very own melodrama.”

“Savoring every moment.”

Malloy shook his head again and pushed his hat back to express his disgust. “I wish I still believed in hell. I’d like to think of VanDamm and Mina burning in it.”

Sarah had to agree. “I’ve never been able to understand what makes a man do the things he did. Mina may have killed Alicia, but he was the one who twisted her and made her so evil in the first place. He ruined both his daughters, completely and utterly.”

As she might have expected, he picked up her one betraying remark. “Have you met men like VanDamm before?”

Sarah managed not to shudder at the memories. “I’ve delivered their daughters’ babies. Most of the time they deny it, of course. Sometimes everyone denies it, but I always know. The way they act gives them away. The only difference between them and VanDamm is that VanDamm had enough money to keep his sins a secret for over thirty years.”

For a long moment they both contemplated those sins. Then Sarah remembered something else.

“Did you get in any trouble for being there that night?” she asked.

He tried to pretend he was angry again, but this time Sarah saw through him. “You didn’t have to say that you’d sent for me.”

“I was afraid it would be a black mark against you otherwise. VanDamm did have you taken off the case, remember?”

“It doesn’t matter now that he’s dead. Besides, Superintendent Conlin—he’s the one who ordered me off—is going on a long vacation to Europe, and rumor has it he’ll retire when he gets back. I doubt he even remembers my name, so I’m not too worried he’ll go to the trouble of booting me off the force or even reporting me.”

“That’s a relief, since Teddy only promotes men whose records are clean,” she added sweetly.

“I’m surprised you didn’t tell
Teddy
the whole story.”

“I did,” she said, horrifying him. “I wanted him to know how honorably you behaved even when Alicia’s own father didn’t want her murder solved. You deserve a lot of credit.”

“I don’t want any credit for this case.”

Sarah remembered what she’d thought of Malloy when she first met him. She’d thought he was as corrupt as most policemen were. She’d assumed he wouldn’t be interested in solving Alicia’s murder unless he’d get a reward for it. Then he’d gone on to solve it even at the risk of losing his job. Once she’d believed him selfish and even cruel. What other kind of man would become a policeman? But now she’d met his son, and she knew the answer.

“That’s why you do it, isn’t it? Because of your son.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, instantly defensive.

“That’s why you work for the police. Why you want to be a captain. So you can support Brian.”

She could almost see his hackles rise. “I’d be a poor excuse for a man if I didn’t.”

“I wish I believed more men felt that way. I’ve seen too many abandoned children, though. Especially when the children are less than perfect.”

“Don’t make me a hero, Mrs. Brandt,” he warned. “I’ll only disappoint you.”

Sarah was no longer sure of that, but she decided not to argue. “Another reason I came here was to thank you for not giving up and for finding Alicia’s killer.”

“And for bringing her to justice?” he asked bitterly.

“I don’t think we can take credit for that, although they both certainly got what they deserved. The State of New York couldn’t have done a better job of it in that new electric chair of theirs. And now neither one of them will ever hurt anyone again. If that isn’t justice, it’s the next best thing.”

“If you say so.”

Sarah looked at his rough Irish face and realized that at some point she had begun to respect him. Meeting his son had helped her understand him, too. They would never be friends, of course, but together they had accomplished something unusual and amazing, which gave them a bond she’d never experienced with anyone else. Perhaps in time...

But they wouldn’t have that time, and neither of them really wanted it. The case was solved. The reason for them even to know each other was gone, and they never need encounter one another again.

“I guess this is good-bye, then,” she said, offering her hand.

He wiped his own on his pant leg before taking hers. His grip was strong and warm through her glove. “If the department had female detectives, you could’ve been good at it.”

Absurdly pleased by the unexpected compliment, Sarah felt herself blushing for the first time in years. “Well, if you ever need help on a case again, you know where to find me.”

As if he ever would. They both smiled at the thought, and Sarah took her leave. Out on the street, she looked up and thought she saw him watching her through the window. Then she looked again and decided it had probably just been a trick of the sunlight on the glass.

Feeling the odd mingling of satisfaction in a job well done and regret that the job was over and her mundane life beginning again, Sarah made her way back into the life of the city.