Murder on Marble Row Read Online Free PDF Page A

bystander and didn’t deserve any of this!” the daughter exclaimed, her homely face mottling with color. “But I most certainly am not more upset about him than about Father!”
    Mrs. Van Dyke glared at her, but when she turned back to Frank, she was all feminine charm and vulnerability. “You mustn’t pay my stepdaughter any mind. She’s understandably distraught, and she’s been ill.”
    Miss Van Dyke returned the glare, but her stepmother ignored her.
    Frank had now identified two of the three women. The older one was still watching him, as if he interested her more than was normal under the circumstances. He once again acknowledged her with a small nod. “Are you also a member of the family?”
    Before she could reply, Mrs. Van Dyke said, “Oh, no. Elizabeth is a friend. She was gracious enough to come the moment she heard what happened.”
    â€œThat was very kind of you, Mrs. . . .?” Frank said, giving her a chance to identify herself.
    â€œDecker,” she replied, watching closely for his reaction. “Mrs. Felix Decker.”

2
    F RANK STARED BACK AT HER, USING EVERY SKILL HE POSSESSED to keep his true emotions from showing on his face. No wonder she looked familiar. Her resemblance to her daughter, Sarah Brandt, was striking. She knew who he was, too. He could tell by the way she was watching him, judging his every word and deed. She couldn’t know everything about him, of course, because even Sarah didn’t know that he was in love with her. But Mrs. Decker knew enough.
    And Felix Decker had asked for him by name.
    Had his selection for this case been an honor or a trap? Did they want to see the murder solved or to see him fail? Unfortunately, he wouldn’t learn the answers until the case was over, and by then it would be too late.
    â€œPerhaps you’ll want to excuse yourself while I speak with Mrs. Van Dyke and her stepdaughter, Mrs. Decker,” he said, relieved to hear his voice sounded perfectly normal.
    â€œOh, no!” Mrs. Van Dyke exclaimed in alarm. “Please stay, Elizabeth!” She turned to Frank in appeal. “I’m sure we can tell you nothing Mrs. Decker wouldn’t already know.”
    â€œDon’t be a fool, Lilly,” her stepdaughter said acidly. “The detective is going to want to know all our family secrets, and he’s trying to spare you from embarrassment.”
    â€œRegrettably, we no longer have any family secrets, Alberta,” her stepmother replied just as acidly, “thanks to your brother, who has taken up with the lowest creatures in the city and made us a laughingstock.”
    â€œAre you speaking of Mr. Van Dyke’s older son?” Frank asked, reaching for his notebook and pencil.
    â€œYes, Creighton,” Mrs. Van Dyke reported with satisfaction.
    â€œCreighton had nothing to do with this,” Alberta insisted somewhat shrilly. What little color had been in her face now fled. “You just want to see him disinherited!”
    â€œIf he killed his father, he most certainly will be!” Mrs. Van Dyke replied smugly.
    Alberta sprang from her chair, probably intent on doing her stepmother bodily harm, but she stopped instantly and swayed a bit, clapping her hands to the sides of her head as if trying to hold it in place. Frank instinctively rushed to her, grabbing her arm in case she fainted. He was only one step behind Mrs. Decker, who had followed the same instinct and caught her from the other side.
    â€œYou’ve had a terrible shock, Alberta,” Mrs. Decker was saying to the young woman. “Perhaps you should rest a bit. Mr. Malloy can speak with you later.” She looked at Frank, silently willing him to agree.
    He was only too happy to do so. Besides the possibility of this one fainting, he wasn’t going to learn very much if the two women were going to quarrel with everything the other said. “I’d actually prefer to speak to