The Mermaid in the Basement

by Gilbert, Morris

  “My family has no influence in these matters, but it occurred to me that your husband might be able to help.”

  “My husband? But—he’s the one who arrested your brother.”

  “I know, but I could tell that he’s a kind man. It seems such a difficult thing for me to put into words, but do you suppose you could ask your husband to have my brother transferred into more comfortable quarters?”

  Mrs.Winters’ eyes instantly narrowed, and her usually full lips drew into a thin line. “I make it a policy never to interfere with my husband’s work. He tells me things, but, of course, he must make all the decisions.”

  “I’m sure that’s very wise, Mrs.Winters, but would it be possible for you just to ask him if there’s anything that can be done?”

  “I would not care to do that, Viscountess.” Mrs. Winters had stiffened, and somehow a wall had been erected between the two women. “I would suggest that if you have a request, you go to the prison and speak to whoever’s in charge.”

  “You don’t think I should see your husband?”

  “It would be pointless, my dear viscountess. Believe me, my husband cannot be influenced in matters like this.”Mrs.Winters hesitated slightly, then added, “I trust that you have retained good counsel for your brother. I understand he’s guilty, but a clever defense will, perhaps, be able to make some kind of an arrangement with the crown. Perhaps a prison term where there might be hope of parole.”

  Serafina knew that her errand was fruitless. She got to her feet and said, “Thank you, Mrs.Winters, for your advice and for your time.”

  “I’m sorry I could be of no help. Please tell your mother that our prayers are with her and that I will call soon.”

  “I will certainly tell her, and thank you again.” Serafina left, and as the door closed behind her, it was clear that Mrs. Jewel Winters would be of no help. She had sensed a coldness in the woman, a steely quality that would permit no circumstances to interfere with her life.

  Givins helped her into the carriage, and she said, “We’ll go to Scotland Yard, Givins.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  The carriage moved out, and Serafina was thinking rapidly. She didn’t want me to talk to her husband, that much is obvious. She’s a cold woman beneath all of that charming manner of hers, but her husband seemed to have at least some civility to him. The least he can do is tell me no.

  Inspector Grant lifted one eyebrow and said, “You wish to see the superintendent, Viscountess?”

  “Yes, if that’s possible.”

  “Perhaps it’s something I could help you with.”

  “I would much rather talk to Superintendent Winters, if you don’t mind.”

  Grant obviously was displeased. There was a hardness about the man that Serafina could not like, and she was glad when he shrugged and took her into an inner office.“Superintendent,Viscountess Trent is here to see you.”

  “Thank you, Grant. Please come in, Viscountess.”

  Serafina entered, and Superintendent Winters came forward at once.

  He bowed and said, “I’m surprised to see you. Please sit down.”

  “Thank you, Superintendent.” She took the seat he offered and said, “I’m quite inexperienced in matters like this.”

  “Of course you are.”

  “And the family is very distraught.”

  “I quite understand, but why have you come to see me?”

  Serafina felt almost helpless before his intent gaze.He was an imposing man, a man of strength and strength of will, but he had shown more concern for her brother’s well-being than had Inspector Grant.

  “I’ve come to ask you a favour. It may be wrong of me to ask you, even unethical in some way. I’m not aware of how the system works, so please forgive me if I make a mistake.”

  “You may ask me anything. I may have to say no, but perhaps not.” There was a gentleness in Winters’s manner, and he came over and sat down opposite her. “What is it, Viscountess?”

  “I’m very concerned about the awful cell my brother’s in. A friend of mine visited him, and it’s a terrible, terrible place! I understand it’s a prison, not designed for comfort—but from the description my friend gave me, it’s absolutely inhuman.”

  “Prisons often are.”Winters shrugged wryly. “One of the unfortunate aspects of crime. But what would you like for me to do?”

  “Could you tell me if there is any way I could get him put in a more comfortable setting? I’m not asking for luxurious quarters—just bare comforts.”

  “Well, I have a little influence with the jailer there, and I’m on good terms with the warden. Perhaps I could be of some help.”

  Serafina looked up, and her face showed the gratitude that she felt. “That would be so kind of you, sir!”

  “Why, it’s little enough I can do.”

  “I—I went to see your wife to ask her to intercede, but she tells me that she never does that.”

  “You should have come to see me first, but there was nothing improper in your seeing her. Let me take care of it, Viscountess. I think I can guarantee that your brother will be cared for in a much better fashion.”

  “How very kind of you! My family will be grateful when I tell them of your kindness.”

  “Have you retained legal help, Viscountess?”

  “Yes, Sir Leo Roth will be defending my brother. Do you think he’s the right man?”

  Winters suddenly smiled, and his eyes twinkled. “You’re asking me to recommend a man that I will be, in effect, competing against?”

  “Oh, that would be wrong, wouldn’t it?”

  “My dear Lady Trent, I’m in the business of putting men in jail—or worse. But you know, I have a rather strange feeling about this case. I don’t go on sentiment as a rule, and I doubt if you do either, but I will tell you what I could not admit to anyone else. It would please me to discover that your brother is innocent.”

  “How kind of you to say that!”

  “It’s a matter of justice, of course, but I have bad dreams sometimes.”

  “What sort of bad dreams?”

  “Sometimes I have dreams that I arrest a man and do all I can to get him convicted, and he’s executed. And then”—Winters rubbed his forehead in a vulnerable gesture—“evidence surfaces that he was an innocent man.”

  “Has—has that ever happened to you, Superintendent?”

  Winters gave her a look that Serafina would never forget, a haunted look, strangely incongruous on a face with such strength. “Once it did. I shall never forgive myself! The evidence given at the trial was circumstantial, but it got the man death on the gallows.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Wearily, Winters dropped his head, and they were both silent for a moment. Then he seemed to stir himself and said, “I would recommend Sir Leo Roth. He’s the best in London, and if I were you, I would hire a private investigator.”

  “I’ve already done that, Superintendent,” she said, thinking of Dylan.

  “Why, that’s good news. You’re moving right along, then. I must warn you that you’re going against the stream, and it’s going to be difficult. If you have, however, a good private investigator and a barrister such as Leo Roth on your side, that’s the very best you can do.”

  Serafina got to her feet to leave, and he came over and put his hand out. He held hers and said, “I may go this far, my dear viscountess: if you need any help that doesn’t conflict with my position here, I will freely give it. For instance, if you get any kind of line on that woman that your brother says is a witness, who could testify that he was with her, we have many resources here in the Yard. I’d be glad to put them at your disposal.

  We could probably find her more easily than your private investigator could.”

  “So good of you, Superintendent Winters! Thank you so much. I’ll leave you now.”

  She left the office and saw that Grant was watching her with a hard glint in his eyes, but her mood was lightened, for Winters’s kindness ha
d been far better than anything she had expected.

  Sir Leo Roth had listened intently while Serafina, who had come to his office accompanied by Dylan Tremayne, explained what she had done. She told him in great detail of her visit to Mrs.Winters, and when she did, he laughed aloud. “You went to see Mrs.Winters?”

  “Why, yes, she’s a friend of my mother’s—well, an acquaintance really.”

  “And you asked her to intercede with her husband on behalf of your brother?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “And I am certain that you got nowhere.”

  “How did you know that?”

  “You don’t know Superintendent Winters and his wife as well as you should. She’s a very wealthy woman. She has the money, and she’s determined that her husband is going to rise in politics. She’s also one of the most jealous women I’ve ever seen in my entire life. When a beautiful viscountess comes in and asks to form a union with her husband, she’s not likely to agree.”

  Dylan grinned and said, “If you are having my opinion, the woman must be worse than a rat with green teeth!”

  Sir Leo smiled at Dylan’s words. “I’d hate to have her angry at me. She has influence in high places. She’s going to give her husband a title, and then he’ll be in the House of Lords. I don’t know how much higher her ambition goes, but at least that high.”

  “Why did they put Clive in such a horrible place?”

  “It sounds like Inspector Grant’s doing. He’s a merciless man.”

  “I can see that! He hates me.”

  “No, he hates criminals.His father was hanged for murder.He seems to see every suspect as being somehow responsible for that. It makes no sense.” Sir Leo shrugged. “He has no wife and really no life apart from putting men in jail and seeing them hanged where it’s appropriate.”

  Serafina asked, “What can we do, Sir Leo?”

  Leo Roth leaned forward and began to speak. He had a mind as sharp as a razor, and he laid out the work that had to be done. Finally he leaned back and said, “We’ll fight this with all we have, but it’s going to be an extremely difficult matter.”

  “Thank you, Sir Leo. I know my brother’s in good hands with you.”

  The two left Sir Leo’s office, and as soon as they were outside, Serafina turned and said, “I want to meet the members of the cast. How can that be done?”

  “Easy enough, it is.” Dylan shrugged. “Come to the play tonight.We almost always go out and eat after the play. You’ll be my guest, and you’ll get to meet most of them.”

  “But—won’t they think it’s strange that I’m there, my brother in jail accused of murdering one of the cast?”

  “Actors aren’t particularly deep thinkers. I’ll simply tell the truth.

  That always confuses them. Most people can’t handle the truth very well—actors especially.” He smiled and winked at her. “We actors always say one thing and mean another—which is pleasing the devil, ay?”

  “But—what exactly will you tell them?”

  “I’ll tell them that you’re convinced that your brother is innocent and you’re hoping to find the real murderer.”

  “Won’t they refuse to speak to me after that?”

  “No, indeed! They’ll all want to convince you that it couldn’t be them. The fact is, Viscountess, we’re all guilty of something. So we have to be willing to confess to small things to cover up the big ones.”

  She smiled at him; there was an attractiveness about the man that Serafina could not deny. “And what is your big sin, Mr. Tremayne?”

  He grinned again, more broadly. “Call me by my first name, and I’ll tell you.”

  “All right.What is your big sin, Dylan?”

  “The sin of optimism.” He saw her look of surprise and said, “I always think that the good people win, and the bad people lose.”

  Serafina stared at him. “But—you know better than that!”

  Dylan looked down on her and said gently, “I find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones—and good in everything. At least so says Shakespeare. My head may know better, but in my heart I always think that good will triumph over evil.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Serafina said at once. She bit her lower lip and looked up into his eyes. “But I’m glad you do, Dylan. I—I hope you always feel like that!”

  EIGHT

  I’ve never in my whole life been so confused, Daughter!”

  Septimus Newton had sought Serafina as she was preparing to leave her room. She had admitted him to her bedroom and saw instantly that his face was drawn and his eyes filled with fear. This disturbed Serafina greatly, for although her father was a man who was often absent-minded and didn’t always show affection for his family, Clive’s tragedy had shaken him greatly. “What are we going to do?” he asked in a plaintive voice.

  “We’ve all got to be strong, Father. Every one of us, but especially you and I.”

  Septimus shook his head. “I’ve never felt less able in my life, Daughter.

  This isn’t like an experiment in a laboratory, you know. If you fail with that, you can always start over again, but this is—” He passed a hand over his face unsteadily and said brokenly, “This is life-and-death for Clive.”

  At that instant Serafina was aware that her father was a broken reed. As able a man as he was in the fields of science, as broad as his intellect had always been, he was ill suited to handle the problem that loomed before them. Going over to him, she put her arm around him, saying, “I want you to conceal your fears.”

  “Conceal them? I’m—I’m not sure I can do that.”

  “You must, Father. Mother is distraught. She needs to lean on someone.”

  “She’s always leaned on you.”

  “Well, that must change. I want you to spend much time with her today. She’ll want to weep and cry and talk about Clive, but you must put her mind on other things.”

  “How can I do that? All I can think of is that Clive may be convicted and sentenced to death.”

  “That’s not going to happen, and you mustn’t let Mother see that you feel that way.”

  “But what would I talk with her about?”

  “Talk with her about Dora, about her chances for marriage. Talk about David and your plans for him. There are many things you can talk about. It would be good if you could get her out of the house, take her shopping.You and I are going to have to put the best face on this we can.”

  “I believe you’re right, Serafina.” Septimus pulled himself up and straightened his shoulders. “I’ll do the very best I can.”

  “And keep in mind that Dora is very fragile. I’m worried about her. Get her involved. Go to her and tell her she’s got to help keep Mother from grieving. Give her some responsibility.”

  “She’s just a child herself.”

  “She’s seventeen already, and this is the first real tragedy that she’s ever faced.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Well, Sir Leo is the best defense attorney in England.We’re going to lean on him.”

  “What about that actor fellow, Tremayne?”

  “He’s not like anyone I’ve ever met, but he knows the world of London that we don’t—the underworld, the criminal element.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “He was brought up in the middle of it. It’s a world that I know nothing about. And there’s another world that is totally foreign to me, and it may be connected with the murder.”

  “What world is that?”

  “The world of the theatre. It’s quite possible that a member of the cast murdered Kate Fairfield. I need to talk to those people and look into their eyes and hear what they have to say about the situation.”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “I’m going to the theatre tonight, and after the play is over, I’ll go backstage. Tremayne has said he can get me invited to the meal they usually have after a performance.”

  “You trust this acto
r?”

  “Yes, I do.” Serafina was surprised at how quickly she answered and at how strongly she felt. She was not a woman who leaned on anyone, but in the storm that surrounded her, she was searching desperately for anyone who would lend strength to her efforts. “He’s a different sort of man, but he’s honest, and he has an affection for Clive.”

  “But if he’s a member of the troupe, he himself might have killed the woman.”

  “That’s not possible,” Serafina said firmly. “He was the one who came to me and told me about Clive’s accomodations at the prison. Besides, he’s very religious.”

  Septimus reared his head back and stared at her. “Well, Serafina, that’s never been a recommendation to you.”

  “I know, Father. I don’t share his views, but he came to me and said that God had told him to help Clive. I don’t believe that, of course, but he could be useful. He knows the shady side of London and could help find that woman Clive was with.”

  “Perhaps I should go with you tonight.”

  “No, your place is here, Father. You need to shore up Mother and Dora and spend some time with David. He’s very sensitive. He knows something is going on. Be careful that you don’t say anything that would cause him to worry.”

  Septimus nodded. “I’ll do as you say, Daughter. I hope you have some success.”An odd look touched his eyes, and he chewed his lower lip thoughtfully. “At times like this, I envy those people who do have faith.”

  Serafina stared at him, for she had exactly the same thought. “We’ll have to do the best we can with our minds. It’s all we have, Father.”

  Superintendent Winters and Inspector Grant had arrived at the office of the prosecutor, Allen Greer. Greer was a tall, burly man with grey eyes and a mouth like a steel trap. He had the look of a rough longshoreman rather than an advocate.He was the man who would prosecute Clive Newton, and the three talked briefly of the situation.

  “Well then,” Greer said, “we’re agreed.We’re certain of a conviction.”

  “I believe so.” Superintendent Winters nodded. He hesitated, then asked tentatively, “Have you met the accused man’s sister?”