The Lexington House Murder
~ Chapter Twelve
Katrina
opened her eyes. She was lying on her side looking directly at the
back of her beloved’s neck. It was so sweet and vulnerable.
She
kissed it. Ichabod rolled over and placed her face against his chest.
He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through the ends of her hair.
“It must be late, with Cook not here to waken us.”
“Hmmmm.” Ichabod had changed positions and was
kissing
her neck, and burying his face in her hair.
“Constable
Crane?” Katrina got him to raise his head. She saw his sleepy
and
beautiful face. “I am going down stairs now to be a good wife
and
to prepare your morning coffee and breakfast.” She slid
easily out
from under the covers, slipping her night dress over her and placing
her dressing gown around her quickly. Against the sun coming through
the pale curtains, he had seen the outline of her body and its
curves.
He felt he was drunk on her. “What happenstance of
nature, gave you to me, Katrina?”
She sat on the side of
the bed and responded. “It was the spell I cast on you in
Sleepy
Hollow. Come downstairs for your coffee, and in payment for my sin I
will tell you your future.”
Ichabod held out his palms
showing the familiar pattern of markings said simply, “You
cannot
read my palms; they show only the past.”
Katrina kissed
both of his palms. Then she brightened and continued,
“Perhaps then
I shall give you tea and read your tea leaves.”
She left
the room and Ichabod slowly managed to ease himself into his
clothing. Again he left collar and cuffs undone. He slipped a
dressing gown over his shirt and trousers.
To Ichabod and to
Katrina the night before had been a revelation.
Karina heated
water and began to mix a simple biscuit batter. She did so with a
different heart than she had possessed the day before. She knew now
that she would never be without Ichabod. Always be of his heart, in
his heart and understand every feeling and thought he would have.
Right this moment he was thinking exactly as she was. She knew it for
certain.
Ichabod was staring into the mirror, listening to
the sounds of Katrina in the kitchen. He glanced back as their bed,
now mussed. He walked over and picked up her pillow and smelled it.
It brought back everything to him. They would never be separate
persons again, not really. He would know what was in her heart at all
times. He would always know. He started for the door; and a certain
uneasiness came over him.
Below him he heard a frightening
scream. It was Katrina’s voice.
Ichabod ran down the stairs
and into the kitchen. Katrina stood before the door to the back
garden. Her one hand covering her mouth, the other held a piece of
paper in her hand. Ichabod pulled her back into the kitchen and
Katrina clung to him.
“Are you hurt?’ Ichabod asked. When
she did not answer immediately, he sat her down at the end of the
table. “Please Katrina, I beg you! Tell me, are you hurt in
some
way?”
Katrina shook her head emphatically no. He relaxed.
“What is wrong, love?” He suddenly looked rather
warily
back over his shoulder at the rear entrance with a raised brow and
whispered. “Is it spiders?”
“No Ichabod. Outside our
doorstep a robin lays dead.”
“Why would that frighten
you? The cat kills birds regularly and leaves them on the
door.”
“It was because of this I cried out. It lay atop the poor
creature.” She unfolded the paper she had held and gave it to
Ichabod.
“Look no further into the death of Margaret
Washington or your wife and her infant will suffer the same.”
Threatening Katrina. Someone threatening his wife and the
child she carried. His child.
He recalled now the dream he
had of the head of the murdered woman, placed on Katrina’s
body. He
should have seen then. He should have warned her.
Any
resulting rage rapidly chilled to a demeanor reflecting only calm and
reason.
“Do not be frightened, love. This sort of thing is
always the work of a coward.” He kept his arm round her
shoulders.
Katrina had regained her color. “I am sorry I cried out,
Ichabod. I do not frighten easily. But reading the note, all I could
think of was the child I am carrying. I lost my senses.”
“Does
the note being with the bird, have any special meaning?”
“No.
Some believe it is a portent of death if a bird, particularly a robin
flies into your house; or is found dead in your house. But
this…this...poor thing lay well outside the door.”
“Hmmmm.
Well, I would have to say…..”
They both startled at the
sound of ferocious knocking at their front door. Crane took Katrina
by the hand and walked her toward the entrance. The note, he folded
carefully and pocketed.
“Who is it?” he called out.
“Crane! Crane! Open this blasted door.” The voice
of
Mailer was instantly recognizable even through the thick wood.
Ichabod quickly moved forward and undid the locks. He stepped back
revealing not only Magistrate Mailer, but also the figure of Janelle
Washington, who Mailer held tightly by the hand.
“I nearly
broke my damed fist on that door. Good god, man, how is it that you
did not hear.”
“Mailer, I am glad to see you. Come in.
Welcome to you also Miss Janelle. I believe you are already
acquainted with my wife, Katrina?”
Janelle nodded. No words
were needed. Katrina came forward and kissed the young woman on both
cheeks. She managed to replace Mailer’s hand with her own and
silently she led Janelle into the dining room.
“Sit here. I
will bring you some coffee. If you are cold, I will fetch you a
warmer shawl.”
At the kitchen step she carefully pushed the
dead bird aside with her broom, until it was fairly hidden under the
bushes. She locked the back door and surveyed the room.
She
brought coffee out to the dining room. Neither spoke at first.
Then
slowly Janelle said, “John has been very worried about
me.”
“First he sent a police cab to watch over the house all
night. Mrs. Van Ernst complained the sight of such a vehicle in front
of their house all night would make people uneasy. Remind them of my
sister’s murder. After that he would come himself every day
just to
check on me. Finally, Mrs. Van Ernst said she wasn’t too
happy
about having a Magistrate sitting in her front parlor half the day.
That was this morning. John, I mean, Magistrate Mailer, reacted
rather strongly; grabbed me up and here we are.”
Katrina
leaned over and said. “I do confess I am a bit curious. Is it
‘Magistrate Mailer’ or ‘John
Mailer’ that watches over you
with such care?”
“It is John. Yes, John” Janelle smiled
slightly. “He has been very supportive and a great comfort to
me.”
She touched the fringe on her shawl. Then looked up at Katrina.
“Even
the Van Ernst’s seemed anxious to put my poor
sister’s murder
behind them. I have come to trust and respect John. And yes, to have
a great measure of affection for him. I believe he will find who is
guilty of this dreadful act. An act which I believed had left me
quite alone.”
“Not entirely alone, dear Janelle.”
Katrina placed her hand over the girls.
Quite unexpectedly,
Janelle, put her hand up to Katrina’s cheek. Just for a
moment. “I
beginning to be believe that is true.” she said.
To change
the subject, Katrina ventured, “May I study your
palm?”
Janelle
flipped over her hand to reveal her palm to Katrina. “If the
signs
you see are good, then read away. But please do not tell me anything
of the bad.”
Katrina smiled. “Well then, I can tell you
that your sadness’s are behind you. I see great love between
yourself and some type of authority figure. Perhaps a magistrate. You
will live a long and happy life.” Katrina turned the hand
slightly
to its side. “And have one, no three, hearty sons all as
handsome
as their father.” Katrina gave the girl’s hand a
squeeze.
Janelle’s cheek blushed a soft rose. And her eyes gave her
up. They
were those of a young girl very much in love.
Katrina hugged
Janelle and said, “I am guessing, but I would venture that
Ichabod
and John may yet have an appetite. It is Cook’s day off, so
come
with me into the kitchen where I shall try not to burn the breakfast
too badly.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile in
the front room, Mailer paced anxiously in front of Ichabod.
“I
supposed I have ruined any chance of her continued employment at the
Van Ernst’s. But, I am fully prepared to care for her.
Entirely in
a proper manner, of course.” However, the distressed look
that
suddenly appeared on Mailer’s face, made it clear that he had
not
thought much about what a “proper manner” might
entail.
“Crane,
I could not abide seeing her so alone, surrounded only by those who
pretend to want to ease her pain, and in fact are making it
worse.”
Mailer casually picked a delicate china statuette from the table and
tossed it lightly in his hand. “Whatever is there about these
things that women collect them so?”
Ichabod moved quickly
to remove the figurine from Mailer’s hands.
“Then again,
I am not sure I would understand if they explained it.”
Mailer
continued. “Being around Miss Washington this week has
allowed me a
real understanding of the fairer sex.”
“Yes, I am sure.”
Ichabod nodded. He began to glance desperately in the direction of
the dining room. At this moment, the last thing Ichabod wanted to do
was hear Mailer’s views on about the idiosyncrasies of women.
Katrina came to the rescue. She appeared at the door and
said, “Gentlemen, food and coffee have been prepared for
you.”
She made a sly curtsy.
“We will be in directly. I just need
another moment of Mailer’s time.” Quickly, Ichabod
showed Mailer
the note and related to him how it had been found at the rear door
along with the dead bird.
“Hmmm. That is bad business,
Crane. Of course it is usually the work of a person who would never
dare to confront you with any actual harm.”
“Yes, I
explained that to Katrina. She was upset nonetheless.”
“However,”
Mailer stared hard at the note. “By sending this silly
letter; the
sender, in fact, takes the chance of revealing further information to
us”
Crane nodded, “The sender has access to information
very personal about me, is not acting alone, and is someone who has
received positive results from threats in the past.”
Mailer
mused, “The use of the word infant. Very
interesting.”
“Yes”
Crane said. “It caught my eye also. As soon as we are done
here, we
should return to the office. I think we need to compare our
thoughts.”
Together they entered the dining room to a plain
meal of buttered biscuits and coffee.
While they ate in
silence, Ichabod looked at Katrina, discreetly inclining his head in
the direction of Janelle and raised his eyebrows. Katrina did the
same, only inclining her head toward Mailer. Neither Ichabod or
Katrina made further gesture. For a moment they stared defiantly at
each other. Then Crane coughed and nodded his head ever so slightly.
Katrina broke into a smile and slowly nodded back.
He wanted
so much at that moment to kiss that cheek or just to touch her hair.
But he had only to remember the night before. He had that memory and
he would have it with him always, and it followed therefore that he
would have Katrina with him. Always.