“There are those who saw him in Munich as recently as six weeks ago, contrary to the fact that he would have everyone believe that he just returned from Egypt.”
I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t unusual to have a stop-over after being abroad for an extended period of time. I had done so with a short stay in Paris after returning from Budapest— a visit with an acquaintance of my aunt.
However, there was more.
“The man Mr. Conner was questioning is a middleman. He connects certain people, for a price. He arrived from Munich six weeks ago and secured a substantial space at a warehouse that yer friend at the gymnasium in German Town learned of, to store a large shipment he was expecting. And it seems that Sir James made inquiries at the warehouse.”
He referred to Herr Schmidt, a friend who had provided information in the past. And six weeks ago, once more. That seemed to be a common aspect, as far as it went.
“The shipment contained several explosive munitions and weapons.”
I knew from previous investigations that such shipments had been discovered in the past.
“There’s more.” He hesitated. “Mr. Brimley has determined the substance found at Dr. Bennett’s private surgery in Aldgate. It was a form of opium.”
Perhaps not unusual, I thought. A physician’s surgery, bottles of other medicines and tonics, a preventative for pain such as that for young Ethan.
“The residue was somewhat thick from the substance that contained the opium,” he went on to explain. “I had noticed something else and had Mr. Brimley return afterward and investigate.”
“And?” I asked the obvious question.
“It was a fingerprint.”
Again, not surprising in and of itself.
He took a long drink of coffee, thoughtful, then set the cup down.
“Perhaps a valuable piece of information,” I commented. “If it can be matched to someone…”
Although we both knew that the results of such things could be disappointing as there was only the most rudimentary of records with the MET. Perhaps the Agency had additional information.
“It matched the print that Mr. Brimley was able to take from Sir James’ cup at the Grosvenor after ye met with him.”
I couldn’t say anything for a moment. Then, “You had me followed? Of all the…!”
“There’s more ye should know,” he continued. “Redstone was not a guest of the hotel. It appears that he’s been staying some other place, some place he didna want others to know about.”
“His family home is in London,” I informed him. “He has returned to settle the estate. You are not well informed.”
I stood abruptly as several other things then came to mind. Telling him to “stuff it” seemed mild by comparison.
He stood as well and reached out, his hand closing around my wrist when I would have simply left him there.
“Ye’re smarter than to be angry about this! Think what I’ve told ye and remember that people are dead because of what is goin’ to happen, including Dr. Bennett! And perhaps a good many more if we canna stop this.”
Never let it be said that I didn’t see what he was talking about, startling as it was. And yet the thought that Sir James was part of something like this… Still…
It wasn’t as if I hadn’t sensed things and then simply dismissed them. I slowly sat back down.
“You could have told me you were having him followed.”
“There was no time, and ye seemed quite taken with the man.”
“How did you know that I was meeting Redstone at the Grosvenor?” I then asked, but the answer was there— “Mrs. Ryan.”
“Ye told her yerself that ye were going to the Grosvenor. It seems that ye left in a hurry. She found the note on the floor that he sent ye.”
And just happened to see his name, I thought.
