“You know the man as well as any,” Dooley replied. “There’s to be two other constables present at all times as well.”
“In case I might lift any evidence from the docket?”
Mr. Dooley relaxed with a shrug of his shoulders. “He would like to see this new case solved. He sees it as his ticket to the Commissioner’s office. It’s a sore subject, and best watch yer back while ye’re there, sir. Just a word of caution. As I said, ye know the man better than most.”
Brodie nodded.
It wasn’t the first time that he had been thwarted in an investigation— my sister’s case came to mind.
He looked over at me. “It might be best that ye not go, if any difficulty should arise,” he suggested.
I went to the coat rack and retrieved my long coat against the usual morning rain this time of year.
“You will need someone to take notes, of course,” I pointed out.
I made certain that I had my notebook and pen for any information we might find that could be useful to our case.
“I thought that might be your answer. Ye’re to behave yerself,” he added. “Given yer dislike for Abberline.”
“And you as well, Mr. Brodie,” I reminded him.
* * *
The chief inspector did not disappoint.
He appeared from his office as we arrived at Whitehall Station of the Great Scotland Yard, pompous with that air of superiority toward Brodie.
In consideration of their past association and what I now knew about the difficulties between the two men, I was not surprised.
Amelia Mainwaring’s body had been discovered by two constables on the watch. Catherine Thorpe’s body had been discovered by the driver of her coach when he returned to his rig after waiting for her to arrive.
Brodie had asked for the driver’s name so that he might be questioned. In the meantime, he wanted to speak with the two constables who had found Amelia Mainwaring’s body at Hyde Park.
“My office has provided the pertinent information in the matter,” Abberline snapped.
“Nevertheless, yer assistance now for the requested information is most appreciated,” Brodie commented quite formally. “As ye well know from experience, there might be some small detail that could be of importance from the constables who were on the watch and discovered the body.”
Flattery, and this from a man who detested Abberline, however put the interest of the client and the solution of the crime above that. It seemed to have the desired effect.
“Of course, and Lady Forsythe if I’m not mistaken,” Abberline acknowledged me with that supercilious demeanor that I remembered so well. “Still pursuing adventures in crime solving?” he added.
The moment was simply too good to pass up. “Someone has to.” I replied.
Abberline’s face went from his usual pasty disapproval to white, then flushed red.
“You must be careful, interfering in matters that do not concern you,” he finally managed to say.
How was it that in the space of a few hours in the same day, I felt the need to wash.
“A client’s need does concern me.”
“As I said, Lady Forsythe, you must be careful. You wouldn’t want to find yourself in a dangerous situation with no one to assist you.”
I have learned several things about Brodie in our association. There are occasions when there is no way of knowing how he might react or what he might say. And most assuredly, the present situation was not where one might want to rock the boat.
As I say, no way of knowing.
“A threat, Mr. Abberline?” he asked in a quiet voice so that only the chief inspector and I heard, Mr. Dooley and the constable at the desk some distance apart.
