William Monk 04 - A Sudden Fearful Death

Hospital in the Gray’s Inn Road. We have just discovered the corpse of one of our young nurses in the laundry chute. She appears to have been strangled.”
    “Oh dear. How very unpleasant. When you say ‘we,’ma’am, whom precisely do you mean?” Jeavis asked. In spite of his obsequious manner his look was penetrating and highly intelligent. She had the sense of being very thoroughly weighed and that the judgment would have none of the social deference he suggested outwardly.
    “Myself and Dr. Kristian Beck, who is one of the physicians at the hospital,” she replied. “And in a sense the women in the laundry room, and a child who is employed as a skivvy.”
    “Indeed. What caused you to be examining the laundry chute, ma’am?” His head cocked curiously to one side. “Surely that is not part of the duties of a lady such as yourself?”
    She explained to him how it had come about and he listened without taking his eyes from her face.
    Runcorn fidgeted from one foot to the other, uncertain whether to interrupt or not, and at a loss for something to say to keep his place in the proceedings.
    There was a knock on the door, and on Runcorn’s command John Evan came in. His lean young face lit up when he saw Callandra, but in spite of past circumstances and commitments shared he had enough aplomb to affect merely recognition and no more.
    “Good morning, Sergeant,” she said formally.
    “Good morning, ma’am,” he replied, then looked inquiringly at Runcorn.
    “A murder in the Royal Free Hospital,” Runcorn said, seizing the chance to regain control. “You will go with Inspector Jeavis and investigate. Keep me informed of all your findings.”
    “Yes sir.”
    “Oh, Jeavis,” Runcorn added as Jeavis opened the door for Callandra.
    “Yes sir.”
    “Don’t forget to report to Sir Herbert Stanhope at the hospital. Don’t go blundering in as if it were a manhunt down the Whitechapel Road. Remember who he is!”
    “Naturally sir,” Jeavis said soothingly, but his face tightenedwith a quick flick of temper. He did not like to be reminded of social niceties.
    Evan shot a rapid glance at Callandra, amusement glinting in his hazel eyes, and a wealth of memory and silent humor passed between them.
    Back in the hospital it was entirely different. By the time they came in, in spite of Mrs. Flaherty’s best efforts, the news was everywhere. The chaplain hurried up to them, coattails flapping, his round eyes startled. Then when he realized just who Jeavis was, he recovered again hastily, muttered something no one could distinguish, offered a hurried imprecation, and disappeared clutching his prayer book in both hands.
    A young nurse stared inquisitively before going away about her duty. The treasurer shook his head with foreboding and directed them to Sir Herbert’s rooms.
    Sir Herbert met them at the door, opening it wide to show the gracious interior, carpeted in Prussian blue, gleaming with polished wood, and a bar of sunlight across the floor from the southern window.
    “Good day, Inspector,” he said gravely. “Please come in and I shall give you all the information I have in this affair. Thank you, Lady Callandra. You have discharged your duty excellently. Indeed, more than your duty, and we are all most obliged.” As he ushered Jeavis and Evan inside, at the same time he stood so that he blocked the way for Callandra. There was nothing she could do but accept the dismissal and go back down to the laundry room to see if Kristian was still there.
    The huge basement was full of steam again; copper pipes gurgled and clanked, the vast boiler hissed when the lid was lifted off and the laundrywomen poked in wooden poles to lever out the linen and carried it, arms straining, over to the sinks that lined the far wall. The sinks were mounted with giant mangles through which the linen was pressed to remove as much of the water as possible. Work had resumed, time and taskmasters waited for no one, and the corpse had lost their immediate interest. Most of thewomen had seen plenty of corpses before. Death came often enough.
    Kristian was still standing near the laundry basket, his back to it, leaning a little on its rim to take his weight. As soon as he saw Callandra his head lifted and his eyes met her questioningly.
    “The police are in with Sir Herbert,” she said in answer to his unspoken question. “A man called Jeavis; I suppose he’s quite good.”
    He looked at her more closely. “You sound