“I went into the kitchen,” said Gaunt. “The meal was almost ready. All I had to do was pour the soup into the bowls, and baste the meat one last time. I did that, and then I thought I’d better check that the table was ready. I walked out into the hall, and that was when I sensed the murder.”
Fisher leaned forward in her chair. “You sensed the murder ?”
“Oh, yes,” said Gaunt. “I didn’t know what it was at the time. I just felt a disturbance in the house, as though something terrible had happened. I ran upstairs to check that my guests were all right, and that’s when I found you preparing to cut down my door with an axe. You know the rest.”
“Yes,” said Hawk thoughtfully. “Tell me, sir Gaunt, could anyone use a teleport spell in this house without you knowing?”
“A teleport? Certainly not. Such spells take a great deal of power and skill to bring off correctly. One small mistake in the arrival coordinates, and you’d have a very nasty accident. I can see what you’re getting at, Captain Hawk, but there’s no way the assassin could have teleported into William’s room and out again. I have wards set up all over the house to prevent just such a thing. I have my enemies too, you know. Even I couldn’t teleport in this house, without first dismantling the wards.”
“I see,” said Hawk. “Perhaps we should discuss Councillor Blackstone’s enemies. It’s common knowledge he was unpopular in some quarters, but can you suggest any names? Especially anyone who would profit by his death.”
“There’s no one in particular,” said Gaunt, frowning. “There are any number of people in Haven who’ll breathe easier, knowing that William is dead, but I can’t think of anyone insane enough to murder William in my house. They must have known that I would take this as a personal insult.”
“I see your point,” said Hawk dryly.
“There is one thing,” said Gaunt, and then he hesitated. Hawk waited patiently. Gaunt looked at him steadily. “I really don’t know if this is at all relevant. I feel rather foolish even mentioning it, but ... William had an argument recently, with Adam Stalker. I don’t know what it was about, but it must have been serious. They’ve hardly spoken to each other for weeks.”
“You did the right thing in telling us,” said Hawk. “I shouldn’t think it means anything, but we’ll check it out, just in case. I think that’s all for the moment, sir Gaunt. You can rejoin the others in the parlour now. And tell the witch Visage we’d like to see her next.”
“Of course,” said Gaunt. “I’ll send her in.” He got to his feet and crossed to the door. It swung open before him, and then he hesitated in the doorway and looked back at Hawk. “What should I do about dinner?”
“Serve it if you like,” said Fisher. “But I think you’ll find most people have lost their appetite.”
Gaunt nodded, and left. The door swung shut behind him. Hawk looked at Fisher.
“How am I doing?”
“Not bad,” said Fisher. “Just the right mix of authority and politeness. Do you believe him about the anti-teleport wards?”
“Makes sense to me,” said Hawk. “Every sorcerer has enemies. And again, it’s something we can check with Visage. If there are such wards in the house, she should be able to detect them.”
“Good point. Now, what about the keys? Gaunt said there were no duplicates, but he could be lying. If he did have a duplicate, he could easily have let himself in, killed Blackstone, and left again, locking the door after him.”
“No,” said Hawk firmly. “I don’t buy that. It’s too obvious.”
“So what? Look, there’s already one hole in his story. He said that during the time of the murder he left the parlour with the guests and went into the kitchen. He poured out the soup and basted the meat, and then had his premonition about Blackstone’s death. It doesn’t add up, Hawk. Between everyone leaving the parlour and us breaking the door down, there had to have been at least fifteen to twenty minutes. I remember looking at the clock in the parlour. Now, it doesn’t take that long to pour out some soup and baste a joint of meat. So what else was he doing?”
“Another good point,” said Hawk. “But I still can’t see Gaunt as the murderer. If he’d wanted to kill Blackstone, surely he would have found a more subtle way than to stab the man under his own roof. Remember the Hook? Two hundred and forty-seven dead, and nothing to connect any of them with Gaunt. The forensic magicians couldn’t find a single shred of evidence against him, and it wasn’t for want of trying. I think he injured their pride.”
“All right, I see what you mean.” Fisher stirred uneasily in her chair. “But it could just be misdirection, so that we wouldn’t suspect him. Remember how Gaunt used his magic to move that chair without touching it? Perhaps he could use a knife the same way. Or open a lock, just as he opened and shut that door, just by looking at it. If by some chance we find proof that Gaunt is the murderer, we’d better watch ourselves. If we start getting too close to the truth, he might decide to do something subtle about us.”
“Great,” said Hawk. “Just great. This case is getting more fun by the minute.”
There was a hesitant knock at the door, and then the witch Visage came in. She shut the door quietly behind her and looked uncertainly from Hawk to Fisher. Hawk nodded at the empty chair, and Visage sank into it. Her face was still deathly pale, and she kept her eyes modestly downcast. Fisher looked at Hawk, who nodded slightly.
“We need to ask you some questions,” said Fisher.
“Yes,” said Visage. Her voice was little more than a whisper.
“Where were you when Blackstone was killed?” said Fisher bluntly.
“In my room, I suppose. I don’t know exactly when William died.”
“Gaunt said he sensed the killing,” said Hawk. “Are you saying you didn’t feel anything?”
“Yes,” said Visage. She raised her head and met his gaze for the first time. “Gaunt is much more powerful than I’ll ever be. He’s a sorcerer.”
“All right, so you were in your room,” said Fisher. “Did anyone see you there?”
“No. I was alone.”
“So you can’t prove you were in your room.”
“No.”
“Earlier this evening you said you knew why Katherine Blackstone was acting strangely,” said Hawk. “But you didn’t get around to telling us then. Tell us now.”
“Why don’t you ask Bowman?” said Visage.
Hawk and Fisher glanced quickly at each other.
“Why Bowman?” said Hawk.
Visage smiled slightly. Her green eyes were very cold. “You must have seen him and Katherine together. They’re not exactly subtle about it.”
“They do seem very friendly,” said Fisher.
“They’ve been lovers for at least six months,” said Visage flatly. “That’s why she’s always laughing and smiling. She’s found another fool.”
“Did Blackstone know?” asked Hawk.
“I don’t think so. William could be very good at not seeing things he didn’t want to.”
Hawk frowned thoughtfully. “How long have you been working for Blackstone?”
“Four, five years. Since his first campaign in the Heights area. I protected him from magical threats. He’s always had enemies. Good men always do.”
“You gave him the amulet he wore?”
“Yes. As long as he wore it, no magic could harm him.”
“You mentioned enemies,” said Fisher. “Can you give us any names?”
Visage shook her head firmly. “William wasn’t killed by an assassin. The only people in this house are Gaunt, his guests, and you. There is no one else. I’d have known.”
“Are you sure?” said Hawk.
“Yes. At least...” Visage frowned slightly. “There is a part of this house that is closed to me. I can’t see into it.”
“Where?” said Fisher, leaning forward.
Visage looked at the left-hand door. “Gaunt’s laboratory. It’s surrounded by a very powerful shield. He’s always been ver
y jealous of his secrets.”
“Could someone be hiding in there?” asked Hawk.
Visage shook her head. “No one could have left that room without my knowing about it.”
“Then why mention the room?” said Fisher.
“Because it disturbs me,” said Visage.
For a while no one said anything. Visage’s words seemed to hang on the air. Hawk cleared his throat.
“Gaunt said this house was warded against teleport spells. Is that true?”
Visage nodded soberly. “Of course. It was one of the first things I checked for when I entered the house. It’s not unusual; all sorcerers have such protections. Why are you wasting time with all these questions? Edward Bowman killed William. Isn’t it obvious? Bowman wanted Katherine, and they both knew William would never agree to a divorce. It would have destroyed his political career.”
“That’s an interesting theory,” said Hawk, “but we can’t arrest a man without some kind of proof. For the time being, everyone is equally suspect.”
“Including me?”
“Yes.”
“I could never have harmed William,” said Visage flatly.
Hawk studied her thoughtfully. “Earlier on, I saw Gaunt bring a chair into this room by magic. He just looked at it, and it moved. Could he have manipulated a knife in the same way?”
“Through a locked door, you mean?” Visage shook her head. “That kind of magic is simple enough, but it needs eye contact with the object to be moved.”
“All right,” said Hawk, “could he have used that magic to pick the lock?”
“No. There are wards in this house to prevent such tamperings.”
“Of course,” said Hawk. “There would be. Damn.”
“I think that’s all, for the moment,” said Fisher. “Please wait in the parlour, and ask Bowman to come in next.”
Visage sat where she was, and looked hotly at Hawk and Fisher. “You’re not going to do anything, are you? Bowman’s too important. He has influence. I’m warning you; I won’t let him get away with this. I’ll kill him first!”
She jumped to her feet and hurried out of the library, slamming the door behind her. Fisher raised an eyebrow.
“If she’s prepared to kill one man, she might have killed another.”
“Right,” said Hawk. “There’s a fire burning under that cool and quiet surface. She was obviously very fond of Blackstone.... Maybe she was having an affair with him. It went sour—perhaps she wanted him to divorce his wife and marry her and he refused—so she killed him for revenge. Or maybe she wanted an affair and he didn’t, so she killed him out of injured pride.”
“That’s reaching a bit, isn’t it?” said Fisher.
Hawk shrugged. “This early in the game, how can we tell?”
“No,” said Fisher. “It still doesn’t feel right. If there were hard feelings between Blackstone and Visage, he’d hardly have kept her on as his bodyguard, would he? I mean, that’s what her job amounted to. And anyway, Visage is a witch; if she wanted to kill someone, she wouldn’t need a knife to do it.... Unless she was trying to be misleading....”
“I think we’ve had this conversation before,” said Hawk dryly.
The door opened, and Bowman came in. He smiled briefly, and sat down in the empty chair without waiting to be asked. Hawk frowned slightly. For a man whose friend and employer had just been murdered, Bowman looked very composed. But then, he always did.
“You were Blackstone’s right-hand man,” said Fisher.
“That’s right,” said Bowman pleasantly.
“Would you mind telling us where you were at the time of the murder?”
“I was in my room. Changing for dinner.”
“Can anyone verify that?” asked Hawk. Bowman looked at him steadily.
“No.”
“So you don’t really have an alibi?”
Bowman smiled. “Do I need one?”
“How long have you known William Blackstone?” asked Fisher.
“Seven, eight years.”
“How long have you known Katherine Blackstone?” asked Hawk.
“About the same,” said Bowman.
Hawk and Fisher looked at him silently, but his pleasant smile didn’t waver. The silence dragged on.
“Who do you think killed Blackstone?” said Hawk finally.
“He had a great many enemies,” said Bowman.
“Are you aware of the penalties for refusing to cooperate with the Guard during an investigation?” asked Fisher.
“Of course,” said Bowman. “I am doing my best to cooperate, Captain Fisher. I’ve answered every question you’ve asked me.”
“All right,” said Hawk. “That’s all for now. Wait in the parlour with the others, and send in Dorimant.”
Bowman nodded briefly to them both, rose unhurriedly to his feet and left the library, closing the door quietly behind him.
“Politicians,” said Hawk disgustedly. “Getting answers to questions is like pulling teeth. The trouble is, technically he’s in the right. He did answer all our questions; we just didn’t know the right questions to ask him. We can’t come flat out and accuse him of bedding his employer’s wife. Firstly, he’d deny it anyway, and secondly, if by some chance we were wrong, he’d have us thrown out of the Guard.”
“Yeah,” said Fisher. “But there’s no doubt in my mind. You saw them together—the way they were reacting to each other. It’s as clear as the nose on his face. I can’t believe Blackstone didn’t know. Or at least suspect ...”
Hawk shrugged. “You heard Visage; perhaps he chose not to know. He couldn’t risk a divorce, and Bowman was useful to him....”
“Only as long as Bowman was discreet about it, and in my experience, he’s not very subtle when it comes to approaching women.”
Hawk looked at her sharply. “Oh, yes? Do I take it he approached you somewhen this evening?”
“Yes. I took care of it. I explained that I wasn’t interested, and he went away.”
“Just like that?”
“Pretty much. Oh, I explained that you’d kill him slowly and painfully, and I did have my knife pressed against his gut, but ...”
“Yeah,” said Hawk, grinning. “You’ve always been ... persuasive, Isobel.”
“Thank you. To get back to the subject. If Bowman had been indiscreet about his affair with Katherine, and Blackstone got to hear of it ...”
“No man likes to believe the woman he loves doesn’t love him anymore,” said Hawk. “Older man, younger woman; it’s an old story. But even if Katherine and Bowman were having an affair, it doesn’t mean they committed the murder. It’s not proof.”
“No, but it is a motive. And Katherine was the one who came and told us that something must have happened to her husband....”
There was a knock on the door, and Dorimant came in. He hesitated in the doorway a moment, as though unsure of his reception, and then stepped quickly into the library and shut the door behind him. Hawk nodded curtly at the empty chair, and Dorimant came forward and sank into it. His face was pale and drawn, and his movements were clumsy, as though some of the strength had gone out of him. But when he finally raised his head to look at Hawk, his mouth was firm and his eyes didn’t waver.
“Did you have much luck with Bowman?” he asked quietly.
“Some,” said Hawk.
Dorimant smiled harshly. “I’d lay good odds he’s already told you one lie. You asked him where he was at the time of the murder, and he said alone in his room. Right? I thought so. He wasn’t alone. I saw Katherine go into his room, just after we all came upstairs to change. I was just leaving the bathroom. She didn’t see me.”
“Thank you for telling us,” said Fisher. “We’ll bear it in mind. Now, sir Dorimant, where were you at the time of the murder?”
“In my room.”
“Alone?”
“No. Visage was with me.”
Hawk raised an eyebrow. “Now, that’s strange,” he said slowly. “Sh
e told us she was in her room, alone. Why should she lie to us about that?”
“She wants to protect me,” said Dorimant, looking at his hands. “I’m currently separated from my wife, but not yet divorced. The separation is far from amicable, and my dear wife would just love to find some scandal she could use as ammunition against me.”
“So why are you telling us?” said Fisher.
“To prove I’ve nothing to hide.”
“You were Blackstone’s political adviser,” said Hawk. “I’ve heard a lot about Blackstone’s enemies, but so far nobody seems ready to actually name them. How about you?”
Dorimant shrugged. “It’s no secret, Captain Hawk. There’s Geoffrey Tobias; he used to represent the Heights in Council before William took his seat away from him at the last election. Then there’s the DeWitt brothers; they stand to lose a lot of money if William’s bill becomes law. They own property down in the docks. It’s in a foul state, and they’ve neither the money nor the inclination to make the repairs the bill will require. There’s Hugh Carnell, the leading conservative on the Council; old and mean and hates change in general and William’s changes in particular. I could go on, but why bother? You said yourself earlier on that no one could have got into the house to kill William. The murderer has to be one of us.”
“That’s true,” said Hawk. “But someone here could be in the pay of one of those enemies.”
“It’s possible, I suppose,” said Dorimant. He didn’t sound too convinced.
“Let’s talk about Katherine and Bowman,” said Fisher. “Do you think they’re capable of murder?”
“We’re all capable of murder,” said Dorimant. “Providing we’re pushed hard enough by something we want, or fear. Edward Bowman has had years of being second-in-command to William, and he’s always been ambitious. And he knew Katherine would never leave William. She liked the money and the prestige too much, and in her own way, she was always fond of William. Even though she was cheating on him.”
“Let us suppose for a moment,” said Hawk, “that Bowman did kill Blackstone. Would Katherine have supported him in that, or would he have to do it on his own, and hope she never found out he was responsible?”