When she had finally settled on the very edge of a sofa, Oscar smiled at her. “Mrs. Jennings. We’re just trying to tie up some loose ends on a case, and we were wondering if you might answer a few questions for us.”
She had the bright dark eyes of a robin, but the way she was chewing on her lower lip gave her nervousness away.
“Well, now,” she said, her hands fluttering. “You know I’m not the youngest anymore, and my memory sometimes fails me.”
Jack caught on before Oscar. He introduced them both and left all details about their last visit unstated. It seemed possible that Mrs. Jennings had no memory of their earlier meeting; Anna wondered if that would work for or against them.
Mrs. Jennings seemed relieved not to be scolded, and sat up even straighter, an eager schoolchild wanting to please the teacher.
“We have a few questions about one of your boarders, Neill Graham. We are trying to locate his family, but without luck. Do you happen to know where they live?”
Vague enough, he hoped, to start her talking.
She knotted her hands in her lap. “Oh,” she said, “Neill Graham. A very good boy, very orderly, never late with his rent. Never tries to sneak girls into his room, which you must imagine, happens often with young men like these medical students. The things I’ve seen, I could make the seven sisters blush, I’m sure of it.”
She paused as if she had lost track of the subject.
“Neill Graham,” Oscar said gently.
“Oh, yes. Dr. Graham. No, he never has girls in his room, or I’ve never caught him at it, I should say. Young men do have their urges. But he’s never been any trouble.”
“Do you know if he has any family nearby, or any close friends who might come to visit?” Oscar leaned back, as relaxed as a Buddha, radiating calm acceptance of whatever she wanted to tell them. It was the only hope they had of getting anything useful from the conversation.
“Family. Family. A sister, I think. Or a brother? A brother-in-law. Yes, a married sister, she comes by now and then and brings him things, new shirts and socks and such. He never seems very happy to see her, but then brothers and sisters often quarrel. She was a very elegant type, tall and slim, but no furs or jewels. Spoke to me very politely and didn’t even blink when her brother was short with her.”
“And her name?”
The small dark eyes opened wide. “Sure, she has one. I don’t recall what it was he called her, she came in a fine carriage.”
“You don’t have any idea of her family name?”
“Well, Graham, of course.”
“Pardon me, Mrs. Jennings, but didn’t you just say she was married? Did her husband come to call with her?”
“He waited out in the carriage.”
“Did you catch the brother-in-law’s last name?”
“No, I don’t think I did. Shall I ask Dr. Graham when he comes in?”
“It’s really not important,” Oscar said. “No reason to bother Dr. Graham with it. If you happen to remember anything else about his sister, would you drop us a note at police headquarters? We’ll come again if you recall something new.” He fished a card out of his vest pocket and passed it over to her.
“I’ll try, but my memory does sometimes fail me. Oh. Dr. Graham’s sister might be a baker’s wife, she smelled of anise. Might that be of use?”
“It might just,” Oscar said.
On the porch Oscar shook Mrs. Jennings’s hand with great formality. As he was turning away he seemed to remember something—it always amazed Jack that no one ever saw through this little ruse—and came up with one last question.
“How often did the older gentleman visit?”
Mrs. Jennings smiled apologetically. “I can’t say. It wasn’t very often, and always on Sunday. Not a talkative man, the kind who don’t heap praise on a child. Or anybody, for that matter.”
“And his name?”
“Don’t fathers and sons always have the same last name? Dr. Graham, I suppose.”
“Wait. I’m confused. Neill Graham’s father comes to call, is that right?” Oscar’s voice came a little hoarse: a hound on the scent, Jack thought.
“Not very often,” said the landlady.
“And his father is a doctor, like he is. How do you know that he’s a doctor?”
She nodded eagerly, as if she had finally come across something that might please him. “He carries one of those doctor bags. I’ve been boarding medical students for many years, and I’d know one of those bags anywhere.”
? ? ?
JACK SAID, “SHE could be wrong on both counts. The old man might not be Graham’s father, and even if he is, she could be mistaken by the bag.”
“No,” Oscar said. “She had it right, except I think the man she remembers was the grandfather she mentioned last time. An older doctor, established, experienced, trustworthy. A woman paying him a visit would be assured by all that. Once she’s under, she doesn’t know who actually does the operation, does she?”
Jack shook his head. “I don’t know. It feels too pat, like a big bow on an empty box.”
“Do you have a better idea where to start?”
The ultimate argument. When you were stuck, you worked the clues.