March 1890
Corrections Officer Rebecca Carter pushed her way through the swinging iron doors and into the crowded courtyard of Newgate Prison. She was an experienced officer, so the quick look of disgust and disappointment on her face was not noticeable to those around her. The yard was filled with prisoners’ families, all waiting for visiting hours to begin. The loud shrieks and stories all made it difficult to quiet her mind and gave her a slight headache.
Jacob Munroe was quietly waiting for her in the far corner of the yard. He stood out as the only one wearing such fine clothes. She hurried toward him, circled by the crowds of dirty men and their wives. When she reached him, he put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.
“Rebecca, can you spare a few minutes of your time?” he asked in his quiet voice.
“I was just about to go in,” Rebecca answered, a bit confused.
“I know, my dear, but there is something you should know before you see him,” he cautioned.
“What’s wrong?” Rebecca asked. “His trial is due to start in a few days, and things are looking good. He’ll be out in no time.”
Her husband, Jacob Munroe, was standing trial for the murder of one of the tenants on their estate. She believed his innocence, but the evidence against him was damning and she feared that the jury might take the easy way out and find him guilty. Therefore, she was trying her best to help the defense prepare its case.
“Rebecca, I know you don’t want to hear this, but he’s not going to make it.”
“We will see about that.”
“Don’t make a big deal of this. I’m not one to believe in give-away signs. He will be found innocent, I promise you.”
She had not expected to hear that kind of news from her husband in a bar in London. The people around them laughed and asked about the trials. Rebecca did not share any of that. She had just received word that the trial would take place at Newgate Prison on the 16th.
“I had a talk with Mr. Reymond about it. He saw David and said he was not acting like himself. He kept mumbling and saying his name over and over again. The man seemed completely out of it.”
Rebecca suddenly remembered the night of the murder. She had just walked down the stairs to join the group that was passing around the drink. It was not until she took her first sip that she became aware of the surroundings.
A man sat at the end of the table with his back to her as she made her way down through the house. She had walked a few steps and then stopped when she saw the man lying on the floor. His head was bald and he had numerous scars on his body. She reached down to check for pulse and gasped when she saw the knife. There was blood on the edge of the blade and dripping down from his glasses.
“Rebecca, please show a little bit of sympathy,” Jacob pleaded.
“There was a man stabbed in our dining room. It was the same man. Since then, David has convinced himself that he is the one that did it.”
“Does this have something to do with the dead man that was found in your neighbor’s house?” he asked.
“I guess so. But why did he say his name so often?”
She finished thinking about the strange behavior of the suspect. He would pick up the knife, put it back down, and then walk around the table again. He seemed to be talking to himself as he moved from side to side. Although he looked directly at the knife, there was no anger in his face.
“Okay, I want to help you out,” she relented. “But I must get back to work. As soon as my shift is finished, I’ll go back to the house and we can talk about it leisurely.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
Rebecca spent the next hour surrounded by prisoners’ wives, mothers, and children. Some of them tried to have a pleasant conversation, but many of them couldn’t help themselves and talked about what they would do when their husband got out. Rebecca noticed the distressed faces on many of the women and tried to be as kind and comforting as possible to them, but there was no more time to talk. She left the stench of the prison and headed home.
“Hello?” she called from the door.
“Matthew, get your things and come downstairs when you’re ready.”
She heard a door open upstairs followed by curious footsteps. The sound of Matthew’s footsteps told her that he had changed from his shoes to his boots.
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