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Chapters (206)
  1. Praise for Maplecroft
  2. Title page
  3. Copyright page
  4. Contents
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. THESE ARE THE THINGS AN EARTHQUAKE BRINGS
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  12. A DOCTOR, A LAWYER, A MERCHANT, A CHIEF
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  20. Phillip Zollicoffer, Professor of Biology, Miskatonic University
  21. Lizzie Andrew Borden
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  26. BE SURE YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT
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  29. I CROSS THE MAGPIE, THE MAGPIE CROSSES ME
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  31. Nance O’Neil
  32. THIS KNOT I KNIT, THIS KNOT I TIE
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  37. AND IF YOU HAVE A HORSE WITH ONE WHITE LEG . . .
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  43. THE WORST IS TO BE JUDGED WITHOUT HOPE
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  46. Lizzie Andrew Borden
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  53. BUT NETTLE SHANT HAVE NOTHING
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  55. CUT THEM ON FRIDAY, YOU CUT THEM FOR SORROW
  56. Phillip Zollicoffer, Professor of Biology, Miskatonic University
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  62. HAPPY IS THE CORPSE THAT THE RAIN SHINES ON
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  67. A DWELLING PLACE OF JACKALS, THE DESOLATION FOREVER
  68. Lizzie Andrew Borden
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  71. Nance O’Neil
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  84. Emma L. Borden
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  88. Owen Seabury, M.D.
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  91. Lizzie Andrew Borden
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  93. RIGHT CHEEK, LEFT CHEEK—WHY DO YOU BURN?
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  101. Aaron B. Stewart, Fire Chief, Farthington, Mass.
  102. Emma L. Borden
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  104. Gerald Macintyre, Telegraph Clerk, Western Union
  105. Owen Seabury, M.D.
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  107. Physalia, Z. University I Was Not Now
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  109. DEPART, ALL ANIMALS WITHOUT BONES
  110. Emma L. Borden
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  115. Owen Seabury, M.D.
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  119. Lizzie Andrew Borden
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  130. Owen Seabury, M.D.
  131. Phillip Zollicoffer. Physalia Zollicoffris.
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  137. Christoff Dane, M.D., Ph.D., University of Rhode Island, Kingston
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  139. Emma L. Borden
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  144. Owen Seabury, M.D.
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  150. Emma L. Borden
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  153. FAMILY SLAIN IN MAYFIELD
  154. Owen Seabury, M.D.
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  165. Lizzie Andrew Borden
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  176. Emma L. Borden
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  186. Owen Seabury, M.D.
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  197. Lizzie Andrew Borden
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  205. Inspector Simon Wolf
  206. •   •   •

None but the warning sign, that is.

It dangled from the rope, reminding me that I was wrong, and that I could pretend all I wanted that it was a beautiful day, and all was right with the world. But I was completely wrong.

The funeral home was only a few blocks to the north, so we walked the distance together. I led the way at Wolf’s request, but I got the distinct impression that he knew the general location already. He was obviously a man who came to every situation prepared.

I wondered how prepared, and I frowned, but to parlay the act into something less vague I returned to his last comment. “You don’t think it’s strange at all?” I asked him. “You think it’s well and good that we should grow giddy over the corpses of friends?”

“They’re not my friends,” he noted. “And I said nothing about ‘giddy.’ But I have no doubt that the deceased Hamiltons were fine, upstanding citizens, so yes, I am all the more interested in their remains, that we might find the justice they so richly deserve.”

“But what justice is there, when a malady is at fault? One can hardly prosecute an infection.” I scoffed at the very idea. “Matthew was ill—desperately so, and I can’t speak as to the nature of his affliction. I did my best to treat him, but his condition was beyond my abilities.”

“Beyond anyone’s but God’s?” Wolf asked. He looked up at me with a tiny gleam in his eye.

“Beyond anyone’s,” I said carefully.

“Filthy atheist,” he replied.

It was meant to sound like a joke, so I laughed—but the laugh was awkward. “My beliefs have no part in this case. And you were the one who wished to abandon the topic of religion. If I recall.”

“But if I’m to understand correctly, you believe that Matthew was sick, and that Ebenezer acted in self-defense when his godson threatened his wife’s life. You have faith, is what you mean.”

“That’s . . . not the same thing.”

“It might be. Look—is this the place?”

“Yes,” I said, and I absolutely would not have described myself as “giddy.” But I was indeed glad we’d arrived. I didn’t want to talk about faith, because I don’t have any. That having been said, I did not detect any judgment from the inspector, only curiosity. You never know. If I’d let the chatter run its course, I might have discovered a kindred spirit.

“Shall we, then?”

“After you.”

I stood aside and he climbed the stairs first, and stepped inside before me—but held the door that I might join him.