Borrower of the Night - Elizabeth Peters [51]
‘I will remain here,’ Blankenhagen said. ‘When you return with the Gräfin, bring a sheet or blanket.’
‘I’ll stay,’ George offered. ‘Why don’t you interview the old lady, Doctor? Tony ought to be in bed – he’s probably strained that arm. And frankly, I’d rather face a whole cemetery of dead bodies than Elfrida.’
‘I am not on good terms with the Gräfin,’ Blankenhagen said. ‘Perhaps you can think of an acceptable excuse for your breach of hospitality and good taste here; I certainly cannot, and I see no reason why I should face her indignation when she hears what you have done. But I agree Lawrence should go to bed. I will look at his injury later.’
We left him standing over the bones with bowed head. He could have been praying, but I didn’t think so.
‘It wasn’t there,’ I said to Tony, who was leaning pathetically on my arm.
‘It isn’t there now, anyhow.’
‘That was a bright idea, though,’ I said generously. ‘Where do we look next?’
Tony shook his head.
‘I’ve used up my hunches. Without a plan of the Schloss, I’m lost. I wish we could find those missing maps.’
His voice rose a little on the last sentence, and George turned around.
‘Maps? Blankenhagen has some.’
‘What kind of maps?’
‘Old ones, on parchment, in a big roll. He was looking at them when I knocked on his door. He told me to wait outside, and when he came out the maps were gone.’
‘Blankenhagen.’ Tony smacked himself on the forehead. ‘He must be involved in this thing somehow . . . Nolan, I’ve got to have those maps. Did he lock his door?’
‘Yes, he did. But I think your key will open it. The locks in this place are simple, cheap deals.’
‘Okay. Then you go – ’
‘No,’ I said. ‘Tony is going to beddy-by. George, you get the Gräfin and take her straight down to the crypt. Make sure she and Blankenhagen stay there for a while. I’ll get the maps.’
‘I’ll get the maps if you interview the Gräfin,’ George offered.
‘What are you so nervous about? I thought you were accustomed to breaking laws with devil-may-care insouciance. I admit what we did was outrageous – ’
‘Unbelievable,’ George agreed heartily. ‘Why did we do it?’
We both looked at Tony.
‘I was mad,’ said Tony simply. ‘Not crazy mad – angry. I hate being stabbed.’
‘I’ll tell the old lady that,’ said George. ‘I am sure she’ll understand. Damn it, I don’t like this partnership. I get all the dirty jobs.’
‘Then we’ll dissolve the partnership,’ Tony said. He looked a little ashamed as George gave him a reproachful look, but he continued, ‘I didn’t say we were going to share all our clues. You worked like a Trojan today, and I appreciate it; but without me you wouldn’t have found Nicolas. So far, I think we’re quits.’
‘Big deal. I didn’t want Nicolas anyhow. What am I supposed to do with him?’
He left, grumbling, and I went on my errand. George was right about the keys. Tony’s key fitted Blanken-hagen’s door. All the keys probably fit all the doors, which was not a comforting thought.
Blankenhagen hadn’t bothered to hide the maps very well. They were on top of his wardrobe, quite visible to anyone with my inches. I grabbed them and left.
Tony sat up when I came in.
‘Got them? Good work.’
‘Lie down.’ I slid the roll of parchment under his bed. ‘Blankenhagen is on his way up. I just got out in time.’
There was a knock at the door. Tony flopped back onto his pillow.
‘All settled,’ George announced briskly. He pushed Blankenhagen into the room and followed him, rubbing his hands together with the air of a man who has just finished a painful session at the dentist’s. ‘The Gräfin was quite reasonable. The minister will be up later, and they’ll probably have some kind of service, today or tomorrow. She won’t have the lad in the family vault, though. Says, with all due respect for Tony’s deductions, that she can’t accept the identification as certain, and anyhow, the crypt is reserved for Drachensteins. They’ll bury him in the town cemetery. Lord knows what they’ll put on the tombstone.’
‘Good,’ said Tony, closing his eyes as Blankenhagen started poking at his