In the Still of the Night

topple forward, Bud and Robert caught him and lowered him to the floor.
    The door to the hall burst open and Dr. Polhemus rushed in. “What’s happening here!“ He saw the other men bending over West and rushed to push them away.
    “He’s having a heart attack,“ Polhemus said. “Get back. Don’t crowd him. You!“ he said, pointing at Raymond, “get my medical bag from Prinney’s office. Give the man air. Lift him to the sofa and bring me a light. Then everybody but Walker get out of here.”
    Stunned, everybody but one did as they were told.
    Robert pushed Lily, Cecil and Phoebe through the outside door and followed them onto the lawn. Lily and Phoebe, still arm in arm and trembling violently, sat down on a bench. Robert stood staring back at the doorway. Cecil lowered himself to the grass and sat cross-legged, head down, pale and shaken.
    “I’m not leaving the Captain,“ they heard Bud saying loudly. “It’s my duty to be with him.“ Polhemus replied, “Just stay out of my way. Where’s the idiot with my bag?”

    Eventually those not directly involved reassembled silently in the entry hall, waiting, unable to speak or look at one another.
    Rachel was weeping from sheer nerves. Lily wanted to slap her silly. But Mimi stepped in and with Raymond’s help gently took her upstairs to her room. Cecil asked Robert quietly where the nearest bathroom was, looking downright ill himself.
    Phoebe, in a trembling voice, said, “I’m going for a walk,“ and walked unsteadily out the front door, adding, “I want to pray for him.”
    Robert and Lily stood staring at each other. Lily finally said, “Where are Mr. and Mrs. Prinney?“
    “Mrs. Prinney’s in the kitchen, crashing around dishes. Can’t you hear her? She knows nothing of this. And Mr. Prinney went to get gas for his car right after lunch.“
    “Wait here. I’ll tell Mrs. Prinney,“ Lily said.
    She was back in a moment with Mrs. Prinney fussing over her. “This is just terrible!“ she exclaimed.
    There was no way to respond, and no one had to, because just then Dr. Polhemus came out of the yellow parlor at the same time. “I’m sorry,“ he said. “The man has expired. I did all I could. Walker and West’s manservant will take care of the arrangements. The manservant is taking it very badly. I didn’t have any sleeping powders along, but he needs to be sedated. I’ll go to my office and get some and return. I just need to call about having the body taken away first. There will have to be an autopsy. Sudden death, you know. Even though there’s no question it was a heart attack.”
    Robert took a quick look in the yellow parlor from the doorway. All he could see of West was his feet hanging over the end of the sofa. Walker was sitting on the sofa opposite. Bud Carpenter was standing at the outside door, back to the room, leaning against the jamb. His shoulders were shaking.
    Robert quietly closed the door and turned to speak to Lily, but she was gone. The entry hall was empty and silent as a tomb.

    Lily had taken Agatha and her dog brush out on the lawn and was sitting watching the river flow past and absentmindedly brushing the dog. She had to do something normal. Something ordinary and boring that had nothing to do with people and their passions.
    But her mind was in a whirl—comments she’d heard, impressions she’d had, looks she’d seen exchanged were jostling in her mind. Two deaths. One near-death attack. It couldn’t be coincidence. There had to be a pattern. A reason.
    And suddenly, one thing stood out. Something Phoebe had said the day before that meant absolutely nothing at the time. And a comment Cecil had made the first night. The two thoughts crashed together with a mental clang.
    Lily stood up so suddenly that she startled Agatha, who yelped an objection.
    Everything fit. If one thing she didn’t know was true. How would she find out? If that one fact was wrong, she had nothing. But if it were right, it would explain everything else.
    Cecil! Where was Cecil? He and Dr. Polhemus had the keys to it all.
    She came in the house as calmly as possible, though her heart was thumping. Mrs. Prinney was drying the last of the luncheon dishes. “Where’s Professor Hoornart?“ Lily asked her.
    “He came through here looking sick as a dog and said he was going to his room. Lily, what’s wrong? You look feverish.”
    Lily took off without answering and ran up the steps. She was breathless by the time she reached