Jane Carter Investigates: Episode Forty

       

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Episode Forty

Returning with the master key a moment later, Emma led us upstairs to room seven. Mrs. Fairchild was horrified when she learned that three persons had disappeared while sleeping in the chamber.

“Oh, this is shocking! I hope the police will not blame me because I am the owner of the house.”

“It’s fairly evident you could have had no part in the affair,” I said. “However, I did hope you might be able to throw a bit of light on the mystery.”

“This is the first I have heard about it!”

“I thought perhaps you might know of a secret exit from the room or something of that sort.”

“Indeed, I don’t. I lived in this house for almost forty years and room seven—of course, it hadn’t any number on the door then—was never anything but an ordinary bed chamber.”

I took the key from Emma and unlocked the door. We stepped inside. Immediately, Mrs. Fairchild’s gaze focused upon the four massive paintings.

“These are imitations, too, I suppose,” I said.

“No,” said Mrs. Fairchild. They are not even copies. I never owned anything so hideous in my life! And to think of placing four of them on one wall!”

“It’s strange, to say the least,” I said. “I wonder—”

I decided to keep my suppositions to myself.

Mrs. Fairchild could contribute nothing by way of any explanation for the mysterious disappearances from the room, so I locked the door and returned the key to Emma.

I was anxious to see the patient, so I left Mrs. Fairchild with Emma and drove on to Mud Cat Joe’s cottage.

I found Jack considerably improved, although his mind was still far from rational. He had recovered consciousness, and had taken a little food, but wasn’t yet sitting up. Doctor Hamsted had called again. It was the doctor’s opinion that by late afternoon Jack could be moved to a hospital.

“Has Jack—talked?” I asked the nurse when we were left alone for a minute.

“He jabbers constantly, but nothing he says makes sense.”

“Poor Jack,” I said.

“Would you mind sitting with him for a few minutes while I fix myself a bite of breakfast?” the nurse asked.

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