“What has he told ye about it?”
I repeated what little I knew about that old case—that there was a witness to a murder. Brodie refused to hand over the witness because of threats that were made. Abberline thenthreatened to have charges brought against him. Rather than reveal the woman’s name, Brodie resigned, and left the MET.
From my own experience with Abberline, it wasn’t difficult to understand the reason he had made that decision.
Munro nodded. “Afterward, he was able to send the woman away where she wouldna be found, and with a different name.”
“But she recently returned,” I pointed out.
“Aye. He found her a place to live, someplace where no one would ask questions.”
“At Charing Cross,” I commented.
He nodded. “He also found her work to support herself.” He hesitated, then added, “Brodie was never one to speak of the cases he worked when he was with the MET, and most particularly not this one, after he left the service.”
All well and good, still Brodie needed to know about the warrant.
“We have to find him and warn him. Then figure out what is to be done.” I refused to believe that he had any part in the woman’s death.
Munro’s sharp gaze met mine as he stood and retrieved his jacket from the coat rack.
“It’s best that I try to find him. If he heard of it on the street, there are places he might go…”
I stood as well. “I’m going with you.”
“No,” he replied.
What was it about men, Scots in particular, who had a way of using one word with such irritating effect. I wondered if it was something they were born with.
He shook his head when I would have argued the matter with him.
“When the man needs to disappear, he’s like a ghost. Ye learn that when ye live on the street. And he would not want ye togo about London searchin’ for him. And knowin’ him as I do, I would not want to explain the reason I let ye.”
Let me?
Munro promised to let me know if he was able to find Brodie. Waiting was not something I was good at.
Three
I returnedto the town house in Mayfair, much to Rupert’s approval. He immediately headed for the kitchen, where Mrs. Ryan had just taken a fresh-baked cake from the oven, while I went into the parlor where I kept a desk.
“There was a telephone call a short while ago,” Mrs. Ryan informed me. “A young man by the name of Alex. He said it was most urgent.”
Was it possible that he knew about the reason for Abberline’s visit to the Tower? Was it also possible that he had heard from Brodie?
“Did he say anything else?”
“He said that he would try to reach you again later.”
Instead of waiting, I put a call into Alex at the Tower. I was most anxious to learn if he knew where Brodie might be, not to mention finding out about that visit by Chief Inspector Abberline.
There was the usual wait as operators made the necessary connections, and I thought of Brodie’s warning that it could be possible for others to listen to conversations.
Alex was quite anxious when he picked up my call. He insisted that he needed to see me as soon as possible. Instead of asking about Brodie in case anyone might be listening, I asked if he could join me for supper.
The town house was far more private for the questions I had, whereas a tavern or restaurant might draw attention.
He was to have had supper with Lucy Penworth that evening.
