Depth of Deception (A Titanic Murder Mystery) (44 page)

It all became clear as Edward turned to see Roger looking sheepish.

"
They asked what the extra security was about,
"
said Roger.
"
I couldn’t lie.
"

"
And you call yourself a lawyer?
"

"
Our bags are almost packed,
"
snorted Archie.
"
We should get going.
"

The private nurse nodded as she wheeled some medical supplies out the door.

Edward closed the door behind her.
"
I disagree. I think you’re safer here. Besides, what will Her Majesty say? You two have been planning this anniversary cruise for the past five years… the dinner is tonight. You’re letting a con-artist spoil it.
"

From her wheelchair, Mrs. Hoffman smiled the most fake smile Edward had ever seen. He suddenly found her differently-colored eyes morbidly distracting. She continued to smile as she said,
"
I appreciate the thought. But the truth is I’m not up for ocean travel. I’m not twenty years old anymore, and I find it difficult to maneuver this chair while the ship is swaying.
"

"
Likewise,
"
Archibald said.

"
Well it’s a good thing I stopped by instead of waiting to give you this tonight.
"
Edward said as he handed his mother a large, flat, brightly colored gift.
"
Happy Anniversary.
"

"
Oh, how thoughtful,
"
Mrs. Hoffman exclaimed as she took the present. Her trembling wrinkled hands ripped away the wrapping paper, to reveal an elegant frame.
"
I don't know what to make of it.
"

"
It’s your marriage certificate. I managed to track down a copy from the Manhattan archives.
"

"
It’s a lovely thought,
"
remarked Mrs. Hoffman, as she replaced the oxygen mask over her face.
"
Isn’t it lovely, Archie?
"

"
Yes, yes… quite lovely,
"
he grumbled absently.
"
Come on, we have to get going before the last ferry departs for shore.
"

"
I am confused about one thing,
"
interrupted Edward.
"
It says on the document that you two
were married on December 31st, y
et you always celebrate on April 14th. Why is that?
"

That caught Archibald’s attention. His bushy eyebrows went up, and the elderly couple looked at each other as if to see who would answer.

"
Because April 14th is the day they poisoned the real Myra Hoffman’s tea…and left her to die…
"

The familiar voice of Myra came from the adjoining cabin. She suddenly appeared in the doorway and continued,
"
Isn’t that right, Archie?
"

Roger stood up, but she aimed the gun at him.

"
Be a dear, Mr. Zisholm, and step over there with the others,
"
commanded Myra.

Roger complied quickly.

"
What do you want with us?
"
demanded Edward with his hands up in the air.

Myra, still holding the gun, smiled at Edward,
"
I have something for you… Eddie.
"

Chapter
LVII

"
What do you hope to gain?
"
Roger asked Myra.

Myra looked at him
.
"
Revenge, plain and simple. These two people have committed a heinous crime and have gone to great lengths to cover it up.
"

"
I didn’t kill anyone!
"
cried Mrs. Hoffman, her voice muffled from behind the oxygen mask.
"
I’m the real Myra Hoffman!
"

"
Really?
"
Myra turned the gun at her.
"
You never did answer Eddie’s question: Why do you celebrate on the wrong day?
"

"
That’s the day we renewed our vows,
"
snarled Archibald.
"
Plain and simple.
"

"
That sounds reasonable,
"
Roger added.

Myra
,
still holding the gun, glared a
t him
which caused him to take a step back. She turned her attention back to Mrs. Hoffman.
"
What was your sister’s name?
"

"
What?
"
Mrs. Hoffman looked at Myra with confusion.

"
Your sister. You had a younger sister. What was her name?
"

"
It was…. u
mm… it’s on the tip of my tongue…
"

"
Maggie,
"
Archibald answered.

"
The question was for her, not you!
"
Myra screamed.
"
What was the name of the church you were married in?

Mrs. Hoffman stammered
for a moment before managing,
"
Bloomingdale
...
Reformed Church.
"

"
What was your grandfather’s name?
"
Now, Myra barely waited for the answer
.
"
What was your mother’s name? You take my life away and don’t have the decency to remember the names of my family?
"

"
You’re crazy!
"
replied Archie.
"
My wife’s memory isn’t what it used to be. You could ask her what she had for breakfast this morning and she’d likely not be able to answer you.
"

"
Ok, Archie,
"
Myra said pointing the gun at him.
"
This question is for you… how did my mother die?
"

"
I don’t know who you
really
are, so how the hell should
I know how your mother died…. a
nd I don’t care.
"

"
How did Myra’s mother die, then?
"
demanded Myra.

"
I’m not going to sit here…
"

CLICK

Myra cocked the gun,
"
Answer the question!
"

"
She died in a fire from smoking in bed,
"
replied Archibald.

"
She didn’t even smoke,
"
Myra said coldly.

"
Oh yes
,
s
he did!
"

"
No, she didn’t!
"

Edward interrupted,
"
I think this could go on forever…
"

"
I remember you smoked, Archie,
"
Myra said
.
"
You would roll your own unfiltered cigarettes… you’d keep them in a silver cigarette case that your father gave you.
"

"
You could have found that out somewhere,
"
Archie snarled, unimpressed. Myra sighed. He was indeed a tough
,
bitter old man.

"
How did your parents die?
"
Myra asked Archie.

He flummoxed and floundered,
"
I don’t have to sit here and be interrogated by some crazy woman.
"

"
This crazy woman has a gun,
"
Myra reminded him.
"
Answer or else.
"

"
Or else what? You’ll kill me?
"
Archie challenged.
"
You don’t have it in you.
"

"
Father…
"
Edward spoke up,
"
a
re you sure that’s a wise move?
"

"
I’ve been around long enough to know when someone’s bluffing. She may be crazy… but she doesn’t have what it take
s
to take someone’s life.
"

"
I would never kill anyone,
"
Myra admitted.

"
See! I was right!
"
He guffawed as he started to roll forward.

"
Death would be too easy,
"
Myra said as she lowered the aim of the gun.
"
You need to suffer in long
,
agonizing pain…. Just like my mother did when you burned her alive… Didn’t your uncle die in a fire? Or what of Barry Mackenzie’s store…?
"

The old man fidgeted about and bristled,
"
I have no idea of what you’re babbling about…
"

"
Your old school mate… in Glasgow…. His family lost everything in yet another mysterious fire… because he started flirting with…
"
Myra said as she slowly looked at Mrs. Hoffman,
"
Flirting with Heather Langlea… a lowly servant girl who used to work for Agatha Gilcrest before coming to work for us.
"

"
Us?
"
Archie snarled.
"
You truly believe you’re Myra?
"

"
I’m the real Myra Hoffman!
"
cried the old woman from her wheelchair.

"
No you’re not, you misanth
ropic old crone!
"
Myra hissed as she gestured with her gun
. She
continued calmly,
"
You’re Heather Langlea. You had an illicit affair with Archie. Then after I gave him a son, the two of you conspired to kill me so you could be together with my money and…
"

"
Now listen here
,
you bitch…
"
snorted Archibald.

Myra aimed the gun at him,
"
Archie, that is no way to talk to your wife.
"

"
You’re a sad
,
pathetic lunatic!
"
Archie retorted.

Roger cleared his throat as he spoke carefully,
"
No one‘s going to believe a story li
ke that! You have no proof:
just wild conjectures.
"

"
It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. As long as Edwar
d knows what these people did, h
ow many lives they’ve ruined.
"

"
What do you want me to do?
"
asked Edward who had been watching quietly from the corner.

"
I want to give you a parting gift. Something that you can have and will
prove
that I’m telling you the truth and that I have always been honest with you.
"

With the gun still aimed at Archie, Myra reached her other hand into the bag and pulled out a tattered old teddy bear.

A look of wonder and awe fell across Edward
's
face and slowly expanded into a smile as he asked,
"
Mr. Fluffy?
"

Myra noticed the look of surprise, shock and determination that crossed the older Mrs. Hoffman’s face.

"
Look,
"
said Myra.
"
Here is where I stitched in your name on his foot. An
d here are the buttons I sewed o
n after you chewed his eyes off…
"

She extended her arm to give it to Edward. She could see the look of confusion cross his brow. Slowly he came forward and started to reach for it.

Without warning, Mrs. Hoffman grabbed Mr. Fluffy by the head,
"
No! Leave him alone!
I’m his real mother, not you!
"

"
Let go!
"
shrieked Myra as she pulled on Mr. Fluffy’s legs, forgetting the gun. Mrs. Hoffman’s grip remained surprisingly strong. Myra pulled so hard that she almost tugged the old woman out of her wheelchair. Archie reached over and also took hold of the bear’s head…

RIPPP!

The bear’s head tore off and stuffing exploded from its body. Myra released the bear as Mrs. Hoffman dove out of her chair to search through the stuffing.

"
You tore Mr. Fluffy’s head off,
"
Edward moaned.

"
Where is it?
"
Archie yelled from his wheelchair.
"
Find it!
"

"
I’m looking,
"
yelled Mrs. Hoffman on her hands and knees, picking through clumps of plush and fur. The oxygen tank toppled over with her movements but the old woman didn’t seem to care.
"
It’s got to be here!
"

"
What are you looking for?
"
asked Myra.

"
They’re looking for this!
"

The voice was behind them, emanating from within the adjoining suite. The elderly couple turned their heads toward the voice. There was a wide-eyed, stunned silence as they saw a figure emerge. It was Agatha Gilcrest, also in a wheelchair…. very much alive and holding the crescent moon-shaped brooch with twenty-two diamonds that had been stolen during her murder.

Chapter
LVIII

"
Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Archie?
"
Agatha Gilcrest said sternly, still holding the diamond brooch.

Archibald opened his mouth and his usual gruff voice was reduced to a whimper,
"
Mother?
"

"
What was that?
"
Edward was obviously flabbergasted. Edward looked about and the dumbfounded looks and dropped jaws told him everyone else had heard the same thing. There was a long silence. Edward finally cleared his throat and asked,
"
What did you say?
"

Archibald shuddered in shock at the jarring sound of Edward’s voice. The expression on Archibald’s face was foreign to his features. He looked like a frightened child, caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Then in an instant, it was gone. The acidic old man returned.

"
Bullshit
!
"
Archibald roared, his bony finger stabbing toward Agatha.
"
This is a trick. There are no such things as ghosts… do you hear me? This is bullshit!
"

"
You said, ‘mother’?
"
Myra asked.

Archibald now turned and screamed at Myra,
"
You’re not my wife and she’s not Agatha Gilcrest!
"

"
You recognize her, then?
"
asked Edward.

"
Why was the brooch so important to you?
"
asked Myra, obviously trying to get another emotional reaction.
"
Surely a man of your wealth, you could buy a thousand of these without putting a dent into your wallet. What is it about
this
brooch?
"

"
It’s because of the inscription on the back,
"
replied Agatha Gilcrest.
"
Shall I read it, Archie?
"

Archie started to roll his wheelchair aggressively toward Agatha Gilcrest, startling her enough to drop the diamond brooch.

Myra blocked his way and cocked the gun. Edward picked up the brooch as Myra said to Archibald with an eerie calmness,
"
Do you really think frightening an old woman is necessary, …
Mo muirnín
?
"

The Gaelic term of endearment struck a familiar chord with Edward. He could see by the way Archibald’s eyes widened when she said it, that it was familiar to him as well.

Edward looked at the beautiful crescent moon brooch, encrusted with several sparkling diamonds of various sizes. He turned it over and saw an elegant inscription engraved into the silver.

"
‘To my beloved Agatha. Love eternal, Francis Hoffman - 1889’
,
"
Edward read aloud. He looked up at his father after recognizing his own grandfather’s name.
"
1889 is around the time of your birth, isn’t it?
"

"
Yes,
"
replied Agatha.
"
He was born Archibald Gilcrest, and Francis formally adopted him. His wife Elizabeth was… barren.
"

"
So you truly are a bastard!
"
said Myra.
"
And that’s why the brooch was stolen… It was the only thing that could connect your father to Agatha Gilcrest. The only thing that could connect you to her murder.
"