Read Online Dark Nantucket Noon by Jane Langton - Free Book Online Page B

was growing dark. And there were some others, I think. Fishing boat from New Bedford, way out, although it was pretty early in the year for that.”
    â€œHow could I find out what boats went out from Nantucket that day?”
    â€œWhy don’t you ask Charley Piper? Shellfish warden. He’s out there every day at Straight Wharf. Sees everything. Never forgets anything. He’d know. At least he’d know who went in and out of the harbor. He might not know about boats from the mainland that were just cruising by the island to see the eclipse.”
    â€œCharley Piper.” Homer took a small notebook out of his coat pocket and scribbled in it. Then he asked another question, looking once again at the portrait of the ship on the wall. It was a cautious question, and Homer felt as if he were putting the tip of his toe very delicately below the surface of the painted waves. “As far as you could see, Joe and Helen Green were happy together? They seemed to get along all right?”
    â€œOh, well, sure. Of course. That goes without saying. Joe worshiped her, anybody could see that. How could he help it? Ye gods, she was so splendid. Oh, he didn’t say much, or make a fuss over her in public. He isn’t that sort. He was quiet. She always did most of the talking. But—well, I tell you, this death of hers, it’s a tragedy. That young woman Katharine Clark ought to be—well, she’s your client, but I must tell you there’s a good deal of feeling about her being let out on bail. She was obviously insane. People are worried about her, walking around among their wives and children on the streets of Nantucket. Afraid of what she might do.”
    Homer’s response was serene but savage. “You had a knife of your own, I understand, Mr. Roper?”
    â€œOh, that.” Richard Roper’s cheerfulness was unshaken, and he laughed, showing a perfect set of teeth. “My fish knife? Chief Pike took that. Exhibit B. I’ve bought myself another one just like it. Can’t get along without it. Comes from Finland.” He took a slender silver object out of his coat pocket and showed it to Homer. “See? Good and sharp. So was the other one. But good God, man, why in blazes would I want to kill Helen Green? Known her all my life. And we were all together, I tell you, and when we came down Helen was dead, and that girl was standing over her, covered with blood. Besides, if any of us had wanted to kill Helen Green, there was a much easier way. Just a little nudge on that crazy iron staircase and she’d have gone down. Why should we have bothered with a weapon at all?”

9
    â€¦ all that stirs up the lees of things; all truth with malice in it; all that cracks the sinews and cakes the brain …
    Moby Dick
    The old Portuguese bell in the tower of the Unitarian church was striking its traditional fifty-two hollow strokes when Homer came out of the Pacific National Bank. The bell was rung three times a day, and since it wasn’t dawn and it wasn’t curfew, it must be noon, and that meant that he was late for his appointment with Arthur Bird.
    Arthur had a corner bedroom in a seedy big house on India Street.
    â€œI’m sorry we can’t meet in pleasanter surroundings,” he said. “I’m a person who is physically upset by ugliness, I mean physically. This sort of thing almost makes me sick to my stomach.” He waved his hand around the room at the furniture, a bijou bedroom suite dating from the 1890s.
    â€œWhassamatter with it?” said Homer. “Lookit the carving.”
    â€œOh, well, if you like that sort of thing. Actually, I’m about to move out of here. I’ve found a charming place. Melville Estates at Monomoy. Lovely cottages. Belongs to Mrs. Magee, a woman of perfect taste. Of course it’s much more expensive, but I’ll be delighted to pay anything to get out of this revolting atmosphere.”
    Pay