The Doctor Makes a Dollhouse Call by Robin Hathaway Read Free Book Online Page A

of them is missing. I hate to bother you with this, and under ordinary circum—”
    â€œWhich one?”
    â€œTom’s.”
    â€œCould you have mislaid it?”
    â€œOh, I don’t think so. When we’re here alone we always keep them in the same place—a shoe box on a shelf in the hall closet. It’s so convenient to the dollhouse. I packed them up very carefully after all the … er … unpleasantness at Thanksgiving and put the box back on the shelf.”
    â€œAnd his doll’s not in the dollhouse?”
    â€œNo. And all the rooms are in apple-pie order.”
    â€œWhere is Tom now?”
    â€œWell, that’s what worries us. His wife, Mildred, called just a few minutes ago to say she was expecting him for lunch at twelve and he hadn’t arrived yet. She wondered if he was here.”

    Fenimore checked his watch. After two.
    â€œShe said he was going to stop off here first to pick up his car. He stores it in our carriage house in bad weather and only uses it occasionally. In winter he uses their Jeep.”
    â€œDid you check the dollhouse carriage house?”
    â€œOh no,” she said. “I didn’t do that.”
    â€œWould you do it now? I’ll hold.”
    The receiver clattered as she set it down.
    â€œWhat was that all about?” Mrs. Doyle had come in to announce his next patient and caught the tail end of the conversation.
    While he waited for Judith, Fenimore encapsulated the events at the Pancoast house for Mrs. Doyle.
    â€œDoctor!” Judith was back.
    â€œHere.”
    â€œYou were right. Tom’s doll was in the carriage house.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œIt was sitting in the little red sports car. I can’t imagine who put it there. Emily swears she didn’t. But I’m so relieved.”
    Mrs. Doyle was alarmed by the doctor’s sudden pallor. “Is Edgar around?” he asked sharply.
    â€œNo. He’s working on a site today.”
    â€œWhat about Marie?”
    â€œShe’s up in her studio sculpting. She uses our attic as a studio, you know.”
    â€œGo get her and ask her to go out and check the carriage house. Your carriage house, not the dollhouse one.” The Pancoasts had too damned many houses, he decided. “And, when you’ve done that, call me right back.”

    â€œI hate to interrupt Marie … .”
    â€œTell her it’s an emergency. And, Judith—don’t let Emily go with Marie.” He had her heart condition in mind. “Call me as soon as Marie comes back.”
    â€œYes, Doctor.”
    Fenimore found it hard to keep his mind on his patients—a rare situation. Fortunately, there were only a simple chest cold, a pair of swollen ankles, and a skin rash. He finished sooner than he expected. He had removed his white coat and was washing his hands when the phone rang. With a soapy hand, he snatched up the receiver.
    â€œIs this Dr. Fenimore’s office?” Not Judith. Not Emily. An official-sounding male voice.
    â€œSpeaking.”
    â€œOfficer Baker here. Seacrest Police. I was told to call and give you this report.”
    Fenimore could have given him the report. “Go ahead,” he said wearily.
    â€œFriday, December second, re: Thomas Pancoast, age thirty-four. Caucasian male. Found deceased at two-thirty P.M. in his car, by his mother, Marie Pancoast, and his aunt, Judith Pancoast, the motor running.” The officer’s voice droned on with the details of his report. “Cause of death …”
    â€œAsphyxiation by carbon monoxide,” Fenimore interjected.
    â€œThat’s right, sir.”
    Fenimore allowed the policeman to finish without further interruption.

CHAPTER 11
    B ecause of Fenimore’s previous track record for crime solving, the Seacrest Police agreed to give him a complete briefing of Tom’s death.
    Fenimore’s next stop was the inn. The coroner had told him that there was an