Page 32 of Murder in Disguise (Mary and Bright #5)

“Because you remained cold and aloof. You never once laughed with us, shared stories, or acted as if you were interested in anything we did. You never let us in.” Tears glittered in her eyes.

“Those women had hopes and dreams. None of them will be realized now, and you’ve caused three families grief, just because you are desperate and jealous.

” She shook her head. “Do you truly think any man will have you once they discover what kind of person you are deep down in your shriveled soul? When they discover what you’ve done? ”

“I had every right to do what I did!” The fingers of one hand wrapped around the wooden handle of the clock worker’s hammer.

“With them around, none of the men looked twice at me. And you with your noble talk of not wishing to marry immediately, when clearly, I needed to do exactly that to save my family.”

“Yes, but you had no right to destroy three families merely to save yours.” In this, Adelaide was apparently adamant that she make the point.

“Papa is all I have. When my mother died a few years ago, he started to decline. Having a daughter around wasn’t enough to keep him strong and healthy.”

“That is still not an excuse to turn to murder!” Adelaide yelled back. Clearly, her dander was up. “You’ve destroyed everything.”

“Why didn’t you ask the girls for help?” Mary wanted to know in an effort to diffuse the situation. This conversation was gaining them nothing except making a madwoman even more angry. Then her head felt all too fuzzy and her eyelids drooped with the need to sleep.

A shrug only lifted one of Miss Madison’s shoulders. “They wouldn’t have cared.”

“You don’t know that,” Adelaide added, and there was a determined set to her mouth Mary recognized as something that Bright did…

before he became impulsive. “We could have matched you with someone, talked you through this valley of grief, but instead, you decided to do horrible things. You’re a murderer, Theresa!

How can you square that with your soul?”

“Believe it or not, it gets easier with each kill.” There was so much truth in the statement that both Mary and Adelaide gasped.

“Good heavens, you’ve gone ‘round the bend.” Perhaps there wasn’t hope for her after all.

With a cry of horror, Mary collapsed to the floor, for her legs would no longer support her weight.

She landed painfully on her side facing the girls, and as she watched them, the sound of their voices seemed to come from a long distance away while she struggled to remain conscious.

“Aunt Mary!” Panic propelled the word from Adelaide’s throat.

“You’re next, Miss Swanson. Once you’re gone, I’m going to flirt with Mr. Hollis just like you and your shallow friends do.

It might be lovely to possibly marry into a viscount’s family.

Or perhaps I’ll offer comfort to the inspector.

He is every woman’s dream, isn’t he?” Her voice had taken on a sing-song quality, as if she were living in her own fantasy world.

“Such choices I finally have!” She drifted to the worktable again and this time grabbed up a couple of the clock pins as well as the hammer.

“Don’t worry. After the initial prick of pain, you won’t feel anything…

or if you do, you won’t remember it.” A bit of madness sounded in her laugh.

“The other girls convulsed a bit, but then it was over in a few moments. Such quick deaths.”

“How…?” Mary couldn’t remember how to speak. “Where did you learn…?”

Miss Madison snorted. “From that young man studying to be a physician. It’s amazing what you can gleam when you encourage people to talk about themselves.” Her laughter held a sinister edge. “He had no idea where answering my questions would lead.”

Dear God, Adelaide was in the killer’s sights, and there was nothing Mary could do, for she could barely stay awake. But she needn’t have worried. Bright had taught Adelaide well, and the girl had righteous indignation as well and anger on her side.

With a sound that was reminiscent of a war cry, Adelaide lowered her head and charged at Miss Madison.

The second she connected with the other woman’s form, they both tumbled to the floor in a tangle of skirts and limbs.

The hammer flew out of Miss Madison’s hand to skitter over the dusty wood.

Of course, Adelaide was at a disadvantage due to having her wrists tied behind her, but she was a fighter, and she did her level best to climb on top of Miss Madison.

Theresa, on the other hand, had madness and desperation in her corner.

Shouting with rage, she flipped them both over and then shoved Adelaide slightly away from her with a foot.

“This ends now. I’m sorry I ever met you.

” With a grunt, she flipped Mary’s niece over onto her belly and then straddled her back, effectively rending her immobile. “Goodbye, Adelaide.”

As Mary watched in horror, the madwoman put the pointed end of a clock pin to the base of Adelaide’s skull. “No!” But her cry came out as a barely audible whisper.

Her niece fought like a cornered tigress. She bucked her body, which dislodged Miss Madison enough that she dropped the pin. It made a slight ping as it hit the floor. “I refuse to die for your insane excuses.”

“Then you can die from your uncle’s incompetence.

God, I hope the papers eviscerate him over this.

He’ll have no choice but to take notice of me then.

” Burying the fingers of one hand in Adelaide’s hair, she held her head steady, and with the other hand, she put the pointed end of the second clock pin to the girl’s nape.

“I’ll dump your arse in the gutter, for I’m done with both of you.

I can’t be bothered to drag your bodies to a dump site.

I’ll be the one to summon a constable, cry crocodile tears that my friend died at the hand of a serial killer.

” Another trill of warped laughter came from her.

“People will certainly notice me after that.”

“You are insane, and I’m sorry I ever felt any sort of affection for you.” Adelaide whispered, yet the words were drenched in fear.

Tears slipped down Mary’s cheeks as darkness gathered at the edges of her vision.

Cries emanated from Adelaide, but not once did the dear girl plead for her life.

That was admirable. Just as Miss Madison applied pressure to the clock pin and a scream came from her niece, the sound of a pistol discharging echoed through the room.

Bang!

At the same time, the door to the alley behind the building burst open so violently that it slammed against the wall.

As if in slow motion, through her darkening vision, Mary saw Miss Madison tumble off Adelaide’s body and to the floor. A dark stain of blood wet her gown at her left shoulder. Had the shot gone through the fleshy part? And for that matter, who the devil fired?

Apparently, that was what Major Kourier wanted to know as he dashed into the room ahead of a few other men. “Sir, give me the pistol. No one else needs to get hurt this night.”

“I had to do it,” an older man said from somewhere behind Mary. “I had to stop her.” Despair went through his voice thin, raspy voice. “I only wanted my girl to be happy, live a good life, not to sacrifice herself like this, for me…”

Shock went through Mary as she realized what had happened. Theresa’s father had been aware of her actions this whole time. Had it been guilt that motivated this end?

“I understand that, Mr. Madison,” the major said in soothing tones. “Why don’t you come outside to answer some questions…”

Then a couple of men streamed into the room she didn’t recognize. As Mary’s cheek pressed into the floor, one of them took Miss Madison into custody while the other helped Adelaide to her feet and untied her bonds.

“Mary!” Seconds later, Gabriel was in the room, kneeling at Mary’s side.

The comforting feel of his hands on hers as he yanked at her ties went through her.

Warmth soon followed, for everything would be right as rain, even if she died.

He would take care of Adelaide… and the children.

A wave of sadness filled her chest. What she wouldn’t give to hold all of them one last time.

“Mary? Mary? Talk to me, sweeting.” So much concern threaded through his voice that another tear slipped to her cheek.

“That woman drugged her, Inspector!” Adelaide ripped from the man’s hold to join Bright. “Please say she hasn’t overdosed.”

He gently tapped Mary’s cheek with his gloved hand. “We won’t know for certain, but I’ll have a physician in straightaway.” The deep rumble of her husband’s voice washed over her, and with a sigh, Mary finally allowed her eyes to close.

“Good show, Bright…” Then she drifted away into the darkness where all sound and sight were absent. Where she didn’t need to think about anything. The sensation of flying went through her veins, for he’d picked her up into his arms, carrying her to somewhere else…

But at least she would no longer be here in the same room as a demented young woman bent on murder.