An Acquaintance with Darkness - Ann Rinaldi [31]
"Mrs. Lincoln was there?"
"Yes. And many others. Doctors, all over the place. Members of the cabinet ... The room was small. They sent for Robert, his oldest son. And Mrs. Keckley. No one could do anything. He had one more strike coming to him. I always said it. And now it's happened. He died this morning."
"Did they catch the man who did it?"
He looked up at me. "No. And that's why you must come home with me now, Emily. That's what I've been trying to tell you."
"What have you been trying to tell me?" I felt something coming, something awful. And it seemed, when it came, that I always knew it would.
"They are saying John Wilkes Booth shot him. And the police are looking for Booth. And for Johnny Surratt. I know one of the detectives. McDevitt, his name is. I saw him this morning. He said they searched the Surratt house in the middle of the night. They are looking for Johnny Surratt. And Booth."
I ran.
That's all I remember. I ran through the hall, into the kitchen. In my bare feet and robe I ran out the kitchen door and down the back steps and out into the rain. It was raining hard now, but I didn't care. All I knew was that I must run from Uncle Valentine's words.
They are looking for Johnny Surratt. And Booth.
I ran through the next-door yard, through the damp grass and flowers and stones. I felt a sharp pain in my right foot and kept on running. Uncle Valentine was calling after me. "Emily, come back! No, don't go there, please! Come back!"
I ran into the yard of the Surratts' house. My nightdress and thin robe were wet through already, but I didn't care. I ran up the back steps and then pounded on their door. Behind me Uncle Valentine was following.
Mrs. Mary answered the door. Annie stood right behind her. They were still in their nightdresses. They did not invite me in.
"Yes, we know, child," Mrs. Mary said when I told her the president had been shot. "We know. They came here last night, the police, asking entrance, searching, demanding answers. They said I was hiding culprits. My boarders were in a terror. None of us got any sleep." She was more annoyed than upset.
"Are they looking for Johnny?"
"Yes. But I was able to tell them he's in Canada. And that I just had a letter from him Friday. I read it to my boarders at the table Friday night."
"It's Booth," Annie said from behind her mother. "It's Booth, Mama—I told you he's trouble. And yesterday afternoon you went on that errand for him to Surrattsville."
"Hush, Annie."
"And he was here last evening." Annie would not hush. "He came about eight o'clock."
"He stayed only five minutes," Mrs. Mary said. "He didn't bother anyone, Annie."
"Didn't bother anyone!" Annie was aghast. "He came here, Mama. Right before he killed the president. What does that say about him? He implicated us."
"I am not implicated," Mrs. Mary told her daughter sadly. "Nor are you, nor anyone in this house. Even though my boarders are fleeing as if this house is a sinking ship."
"Emily!" Uncle Valentine was calling to me in a hoarse whisper from the far edges of the Surratts' garden. "Emily, come away, now."
"Who is that?" Mrs. Mary asked.
"My uncle. Don't pay mind to him."
"Your uncle, the doctor? Is that Mary Louise's brother, Valentine? What does he want? Why is he here? Has he come to gawk at us?"
"No, Mrs. Mary. He wants me to come and live with him."
"Well, you should go with him, then, child."
"No!" I said sharply. "I'm coming to live with you. And Annie. As we planned."
"But you can't do that now, child. Don't you see? Everything's changed. This house is a sad place. Terrible suspicion has fallen on us. The detectives are even now watching us. I strongly advise against your coming here."
"Emily!" Uncle Valentine called again.
I felt ready to cry. I felt a great heaving in my chest. "Annie?" I said. "Is that true? I can't come here