Part 9 (1/2)
I said as much to Coroner Fenn, and he agreed.
”That's so,” he said. ”It'll be an awful errand. In the middle of the night, too. If you're acquainted, suppose you go there with the boys, Mr. Calhoun.”
”I'm not personally acquainted, but Mr. Schuyler is my partner's client, though there's been little business of his with our firm of late. But, as a matter of humanity, I'll go, if you say so, and be of any help I can.”
”Go, by all means. Probably they'll be glad of your advice and a.s.sistance in many ways.”
I dreaded the errand, yet I thought if the police had had to go and tell Winnie and Aunt Lucy any such awful news, how glad they'd be to have somebody present of their own world, even of their own neighborhood. So I went.
As we had been told, the Schuyler house was only a few doors below the Avenue corner. Even as Mason rang the bell, I was thinking how strange that a man should go to a house where he desired to conceal his own name, when it was so near his own dwelling.
And yet, I knew, too, that the houses on Fifth Avenue are as far removed from houses just off the Avenue, as if they were in a different town.
Mason's ring was answered by a keen-eyed man of imperturbable countenance.
”What's wanted?” he said, gazing calmly at the policemen.
”Where is Mr. Schuyler?” asked the inspector, in a matter-of-fact way.
”He's out,” said the man, respectfully enough, but of no mind to be loquacious.
”Where?”
”I don't know. He went to his club after dinner, and has not yet returned.”
”Are you his valet?”
”Yes, I wait up for him. He comes in with his key. I've no idea when he will return.”
”Is his wife at home?”
”Yes, Mrs. Schuyler is at home.” Clearly, this man was answering questions only because he recognized the authority that asked them.
But he volunteered no information.
”Who else is in the family? Children?”
”No, Mr. Schuyler has no children. His two sisters are here, and Mrs.
Schuyler. That is all.”
”They are all in bed?”
”Yes, sir. Has anything happened to Mr. Schuyler?”
”Yes, there has. Mr. Schuyler is dead.”
”Dead!” The imperturbable calm gave way, and the valet became nervously excited. ”What do you mean? Where is he? Shall I go to him?”
”We will come in,” said Lowney, for until now, we had stood outside.
”Then we will tell you. Are any of the other servants about?”