“It went well. I told her everything I saw happen during the bazaar in exchange for her sticking her neck out for us. She seemed genuinely astonished that the head inspector had any idea there might be another murder or attack and did nothing to warn people. She also said she can’t guarantee if it’ll go to print until she speaks to her editor, but if it comes out, it’ll be within the next few days. I made it very clear to her that I want my name in the paper rather than being called an anonymous source. I don’t want the head inspector thinking it was you who spoke to her.”
Oliver nodded, pushing back the feeling that every move against the head inspector was a step closer to the gallows. Felipe had been braver than he would ever be, and he wasn’t going to diminish that with his fear.
As if sensing his trepidation, Felipe kissed him and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “I also asked Inspector Moskowitz if she can take a look at the remains of Enoch Whitley’s home and see if she can find any evidence of arson. She’s a firemancer and usually deals with those kinds of cases. She also agreed to be discrete since we aren’t supposed to be on the case.”
“Speaking of your case, I hear congratulations are in order,” Gwen said with a wide grin as she took the dome off Felipe’s meat-laden lunch and pushed it toward him. “Oliver told me you plan to retire once the case is done.”
“If all goes as planned, by the end of the month, I’ll be done.” Settling onto a stool, Felipe sighed. “Part of me still worries I’ll keep extending the deadline, but I think I’m ready.”
“What do you plan to do after?”
A small smile crossed his lips in time with a thrill passing through the tether. “I think I’m going to use my extra time to figure that out. The only good thing about being an investigator for so long is that I have a pension I can live off until I decide.”
“And my pay. Being destitute is not something you ever have to worry about, Felipe.”
Giving Oliver’s hand a squeeze, Felipe tugged him onto the stool beside him as Gwen took the seat on his other side. “So why are we questioning Mrs. Van Husen?”
“We want to find out more about being anchorites, especially Gwen.”
“You’re saying yes, then?” Felipe asked, looking to Oliver and Gwen.
“No.”
“I need more information to decide,” Gwen replied. “Oliver suggested talking to Mrs. Van Husen as she might be able to explain things better than Mr. Turpin.”
“Good, I think speaking to her should help you both reach the right decision.”
Felipe gave them both a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes, but when Oliver focused on the tether, there were no emotions to gauge. He wanted to ask Felipe what he meant, but by then, his partner had turned away to eat his lunch. Oliver exchanged a loaded glance with Gwen. So much for their earlier discussion.
“I’m going to ask Mr. Turpin to arrange something with Mrs. Van Husen when I go back upstairs. Hopefully, we can meet with her sooner than later, but I’ll let you know the second I have anything concrete,” Gwen said between bites of her sandwich. “Are you going to the meeting this afternoon?”
“What meeting?”
Gwen cocked her head at him. “The Mutual Aid Committee meeting. Holbrook sent out a note saying the committeemeetings had been moved from Saturdays to Thursdays at three.”
“I didn’t get anything. I’m sure of it. I went through all the mail yesterday. Felipe, did you see a note from Holbrook in any of the piles?”
Felipe shook his head in time with the sinking feeling in Oliver’s gut. Holbrook had purposefully excluded him. After the way Holbrook went after him last time, he should have been relieved he didn’t have to go. He had plenty of work to do and stepping away for an hour would only put him farther behind, but it stung. There had been plenty of times when he realized after the fact that he hadn’t been invited to a party or event. Even if that hurt, he understood that he wasn’t close enough with people to be included. This was different. This was a committee within the society, not Holbrook’s Christmas party. He wanted to brush it off by saying Holbrook erroneously thought he was only there to take notes for Gwen, but that was too charitable.
“You should still go, Ol. I’m sure it was just a mistake. Maybe Holbrook heard you were in the infirmary and didn’t think you would come,” Gwen replied, but even she sounded like she was convincing herself.
Oliver sincerely doubted it was a mistake. Holbrook made it perfectly clear that he didn’t like him, and this snubbing was deliberate. A thread of suspicion trailed from Felipe’s end of the tether, but Oliver gave anI love youtug to chase it away.
“I’ll go. If for no other reason than to show Holbrook that I am serious about helping.”
“I can come with you if you want.”
Oliver wanted to tell Felipe that he didn’t need a bodyguard, especially if he was already going with Gwen, but after what happened last time, it couldn’t hurt. Oliver longingly looked at the evidence still waiting in neat piles along the bench. They would have to wait a few hours more.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Empty Rooms
Felipe followed Oliver upstairs to the library’s meeting rooms, careful to avoid the halls that were too close for comfort to the head inspector’s domain. The last thing they needed was Gale or the head inspector remembering they hadn’t turned in their files or his retirement paperwork. The reporter fromThe Society Chroniclehad all the information he could give her, but it was still best to lay low until things sorted themselves out. As they turned down the hall that led to the meeting rooms, Oliver and Felipe slowed their steps. The room was locked tight, and the hall was clotted with milling society members waiting for Holbrook to arrive. Oliver tensed at Felipe’s side, looking like he might flee at the sudden din and crowd, but Felipe quickly found Gwen speaking to Theo Bisclavret and Bennett Reynard near the door and steered Oliver toward them. Gwen waved and the two men gave them a nod in greeting as they joined them. Bisclavret’s eyes immediately went to the gauze wrapped around Felipe’s hand.
“How are you two recovering? Miss Jones said you both ended up in the infirmary after theincidenton Sunday,” Theo Bisclavret said, keeping his voice low.
“We’re on the mend,” Felipe replied. “Did either of you get hurt in the chaos?”
