“But you know me. I can’t sit by and let an injustice happen. But I shouldn’t keep my discovery from my husband and the law, should I?” I looked at them again. “Tell me, what would you do if you were me?”
“As I see it,” Sid said slowly, “if you really want to do something for this girl, then do it. You’re right that you shouldn’t keep anything as major as this from your husband. However, you don’t have to tell him at this exact moment. In fact it would not be wise. He’s been gravely ill. You would not want to upset him with startling news like this. So for his own good you decide to keep the news from him.”
I had to laugh. “Sid, you are devious.”
“Just pragmatic. And in the meantime, if you want to rescue this girl, you could find out who really killed Brian Hannan.”
“And how would I do that?”
“You’re a detective, aren’t you? You’ve solved difficult cases.”
“But I’ve kept my eyes open and tried to quiz family members and got nowhere so far.”
“Then you need to find out who had the best reason for wanting him dead.”
“But that would mean going to New York and poking around in his business and Tammany Hall and the family home…”
“You could do that,” Sid said, sounding enthusiastic now. “We’re here. We’ll watch over Daniel for you. And you can talk to your Dr. Birnbaum at the same time. See what he has to say.”
“I would like to do that. But as for finding the true killer—I wonder if the family members really know and are just clamming up, or that they don’t know and they are frightened to find out?”
Gus had been sitting silent for a while. Suddenly she said. “Did anyone actually witness this child pushing her sister off the cliff?”
“I believe so.”
“Pity,” she said. “Because if they didn’t, then maybe the same person has killed more than once.”
I stared at Gus across the table. Morning sunlight now streamed in through the long windows, making Gus a silhouette against the brightness. “You’re suggesting that a family member killed the little girl, then Brian Hannan?”
“One has to wonder if they are not somehow linked. The same area of cliff, you said. Two family members dying in the same manner. And then there is the reason that Brian Hannan invited you to be able to observe his family. Had he discovered some disturbing fact about a family member and wanted Daniel to confirm it?”
I stared at the ocean beyond Gus, watching a sleek white yacht sailing far out to sea. “He did say one thing. He said to Daniel that he thought he might have got it wrong. But he never explained what ‘it’ was.”
“What if ‘it’ were the circumstances surrounding his granddaughter’s death?”
“But why would that come up now, after all this time?” I asked. “What could he possibly have discovered that made him question what happened when she died?”
“You’re the detective,” Sid said. “You can find out.”
“I don’t see how I can,” I said. “I have no authority to question the family and even if I did, they wouldn’t tell me anything.”
“Then go to New York. Mr. Hannan might have left some kind of clue there—he might have confided in a friend or an employee.”
I shook my head. “Daniel might be furious if he knew I was doing my own investigation,” I said.
“Daniel need never know. If you find out anything valuable you turn it over to the police, anonymously if necessary. The local policeman is a hero and justice prevails,” Sid said.
“He might notice if his wife is missing for a couple of days,” I pointed out.
“Take the early train tomorrow,” Sid said. “There is a fast train at six o’clock. The cottage owners take it when they have to attend to business in New York. You’d have a full day there and be back that night.”
I gave a nervous laugh. “I can’t be expected to solve a crime in a day. Even Sherlock Holmes couldn’t do that.”
“No, but you might find out something that puts you on the right track. We’ll go over to amuse Daniel.”
“And how will you explain my absence?”
“We’ll think of something,” Sid said with an expansive shrug.
“How about poor Molly was exhausted after nursing you through your crisis so we’re giving her a day off,” Gus suggested. “What could be more simple?”
I nodded. “He might accept that. So I’ll go tomorrow then, if Daniel continues to make sufficient progress for me to leave him with a clear conscience.”
“And in the meantime have you talked to the family members about the child’s death? Have you observed their reactions?”
“They’ve been forbidden to speak of her. All traces of her have been removed from the house.”
“All the more reason to do so now,” Sid said. “Ask them questions and you’ll jolt them out of their complacency. They may say things they didn’t mean to.”
“Sid, it’s you who should be the detective, not I.” I laughed.
“I think I’d be rather good at it,” Sid said.
“I’m not having you risking your life, the way Molly has,” Gus said firmly. Sid patted her arm.