Read Online Move Your Blooming Corpse by D. E. Ireland - Free Book Online

sensitive than that young woman.”
    â€œI doubt the owners or their wives had anything to do with the murder.” Higgins frowned. “I think Hewitt is the logical choice.”
    â€œYou may be right, but we’ve only begun to sift through the evidence and question suspects. We did retrieve Hewitt’s diary. The answers may be somewhere in that book.”
    â€œWhat type of revolver was he waving around?”
    â€œA Webley .38 caliber.” Jack pulled out a chair and sat. “Fully loaded, too.”
    Eliza seemed puzzled. “If Hewitt did kill Diana, why not shoot her?”
    â€œA gunshot would attract attention,” Jack said. “Even a madman might think twice before doing that. But the murder does appear premeditated. The victim was killed in a stall used as a spare tack room, which explains the pitchfork. No one would leave such a thing in a stall where a horse was stabled, for fear the animal might injure himself. If Longhurst hadn’t been looking for his wife, it might have been hours before her body was found.”
    Higgins felt crushed again by guilt. Who else but a madman would murder Diana in the stables right in the middle of Royal Ascot? “I blame myself for this. I should have tracked down a policeman the moment I saw that gun in his bag.”
    â€œEven if you’d told me earlier, I doubt we’d have found Hewitt in this crowd.”
    Higgins appreciated his kindness, but he didn’t believe him.
    â€œCan we change the subject for a moment? I’ve had enough of murder for one day,” Eliza said. Both men looked at her in surprise. “I hope you and Sybil still plan to brunch with us on Saturday. Mrs. Pearce will be most upset if you cancel again. She’s cooking all your favorite foods. Besides, I’ve been waiting to meet your fiancée for weeks.”
    â€œI’ll try, Lizzie, but I’m in the middle of this new case. I barely sleep as it is. And once Miss Price’s murder hits the papers, I won’t have time to eat either.”
    â€œYou can spare an hour or two. I don’t see how you dare marry that poor girl if you’re going to leave her alone most of the time. You must find a way to mix murder and marriage.”
    Higgins and Jack laughed.
    â€œI’ve put away a few men who did just that, my girl,” Jack said.
    She ruffled his hair. “You’ll come, won’t you?”
    â€œI’ll be there, and with the lovely Sybil, too.”
    Eliza suddenly shivered.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Higgins asked.
    â€œWhat sort of person runs a defenseless woman through with a pitchfork?” She looked at her cousin. “If Hewitt isn’t guilty, you have to catch whoever did it, Jack. A monster like that is sure to kill again.”

 
    FOUR
    â€œDamnation, man! The correct pronunciation is ee-lab-or-ate, not a-lab-rat!”
    â€œI’m sorry, Professor.”
    â€œStart again from the beginning, Mr. Wallace.”
    Higgins scowled at his pupil, who was the recent heir to an uncle’s photographic supply company. Formerly a minor clerk, James Wallace needed to improve his speech and manners for his new elevated station in life. The young man once again pushed his wire-rimmed glasses farther up his nose. An annoying habit, Higgins thought. And the fellow was most unremarkable. Indeed, he was so average in height, features, and temperament, Wallace would make a fine plainclothes policeman. No one would notice him.
    He oughtn’t complain about teaching Wallace. But poor Eliza needed the patience of a saint as she struggled to correct his wife’s screeching tones. Higgins closed his eyes and counted to twenty, trying to blot out the sound of the woman’s voice coming from the next room.
    â€œâ€™ow many ’airs would a ’airbrush brush if a ’airbrush could brush ’ares.” Mrs. Wallace looked confused. “It don’t make sense to