The Cases of Hildegarde Withers (4 page)

Inspector
Piper
obviously
intended
to
say
more,
but
there
was
an
interruption.
Corinne
Lapham
silently
crumpled
and
slid
out
of
sight
under
the
table.
“So
she
does
love
the
scalawag,”
Miss
Wi
thers
murmured.
“God
help
her.”

That
broke
up
the
gathering
in
the
dining
room.
Corinne
was
borne
upstairs
to
her
room
in
the
strong
arms
of
her
first
beau,
while
the
women
gasped
and
fussed
around
her.

In
the
hall
Miss
Withers
cornered
the
Inspector.

“Oscar,
if
you
ask
me—”

“I
don’t
ask
you.
This
is
one
time
it’s
really
cut
and
dried
and
laid
on
the
line.”
All
the
same,
the
Inspector
looked
a
little
worried,
remembering
past
conflicts.
“Look,
Hildegarde.
The
girl
came
down
to
Severance’s
office
and
threatened
him,
so
he
grabbed
the
gun
away
from
her
and
plunked
her
through
the
pump.
There’s
no
other
answer.”

“I
can
think
of
half
a
dozen,”
Miss
Withers
told
him.
“How
about
suicide?”

He
smiled
a
superior
smile.
“We
looked
into
that.
Especially
since
there
was
a
suicide
note
beside
the
body.”

“Aha!”

“Aha
yourself.
The
note
was
written
in
pretty
flowery
language
for
the
Pender
girl
to
use.
Moreover,
it
was
written
on
the
office
typewriter
—
and
signed
on
the
typewriter!”

Miss
Withers
said
nothing.

“Severance
didn’t
dare
try
to
forge
her
handwriting,
see?
Besides
—
”

“How
about
the
girl’s
hands?
Any
powder
burns?”

He
shook
his
head.
“Nitrate
test
drew
a
blank.
Yes
—
we
tested
her
gloves,
too.
They
were
brand
new,
and
unsullied.”
Piper
then
delivered
the
knockout
blow.
“But
what
really
kills
the
suicide
theory
is
the
fact
that
the
girl
was
shot
twice!”

Miss
Withers
started
to
say
something,
then
subsided
as
the
Inspector
nudged
her.
Dr.
Parkhill
was
approaching.
Piper
beckoned
to
him.
“You
work
for
Severance,
don’t
you?”

“With
him,
please.
I
have
a
one-fourth
interest
in
the
clinic.
But
Inspector,
the
idea
of
Severance
having
anything
to
do
with
—
”

“You
knew
this
Pender
girl?”

“She
worked
for
us
last
summer,
for
about
four
months.
Severance
did
a
skin
transplantation
job
on
her
face
and
neck
a
year
ago.
Acid
burns,
nasty
job.
She
didn’t
have
any
money,
so
she
worked
it
off
as
receptionist.
I
always
thought
her
a
stiff,
hands-off
sort.
But
with
a
mug
like
mine,
all
women
seem
that
way.”
Dr.
Parkhill
smiled
philosophically.

“You
knew
of
the
affair
between
Severance
and
little
Elsie?”

Parkhill
hesitated.
“If
there
was
one,
they
certainly
kept
it
quiet.
I
thought
he
brushed
her
off
the
way
he
brushed
off
all
the
girls
who
fell
in
love
with
him.”

“The
wrong
way,
this
time,”
Piper
said
grimly.
“What
time
did
Severance
leave
the
clinic
this
afternoon?”

“About
two.
I
stayed
until
after
four,
developing
some
photographs.
We
take
before
and
after
shots
of
all
our
patients
—
”

“Then
Severance
came
back.
Maybe
he
had
an
appointment
with
the
girl
for
later.
Or
he
brought
her
there,
knowing
the
place
would
be
deserted.”
Piper
shrugged.
“That’s
all,
Doctor.
Leave
your
address
with
the
officer
at
the
door,
in
case
we
want
you.”

Miss
Withers
went
up
the
stairs,
intending
to
offer
her
help
in
the
resuscitation
of
the
lovely
Corinne.
But
she
came
to
the
bedroom
doorway
in
time
to
hear
Mrs.
Lapham’s
clear,
insistent
voice
—

“But
Vaughan
is
right,
dear.
Think
how
fortunate
you
are
that
it
happened
before
you
were
married
to
the
man!
I
should
have
realized
something
was
wrong
when
he
insisted
on
such
a
precipitate
marriage
.
…
”

“He
wanted
it
soon
because
—
because
he
expects
to
be
called
to
service
—
he’s
to
be
a
lieutenant-commander
in
the
Naval
Reserve
Medical
Corps!”
Corinne’s
voice
was
weak.
“That’s
what
he
says
plastic
surgery
is
for
—
they
practice
in
peacetime
so
they
can
develop
technique
to
use
on
wounded
men
—
”

“That’s
his
story,
anyway.”
Vaughan’s
voice
was
throbbing
with
earnestness.
“Look,
honey.
There’s
just
one
way
to
beat
the
publicity.
Elope
with
me,
tonight.
Greenwich,
or
North
Carolina.
You’ll
be
out
of
it
—
”