The door opened with a low swoosh of the hinges. I looked up, hoping it was Ash or even Moran. A thin man carrying a leather satchel entered the office. He leaned on a silver cane as he glanced around the room, his rather bulging eyes wide at the sight of the destruction. “Oh my. Is this Mr. Moran’s office?”
“It is, and I am afraid he is not in.” I had no idea as to his identity, and even if I had been familiar with him, I didn’t have time for pleasantries. “I am sorry, sir. This isn’t a good time, as you can see. Someone broke into the office and caused mayhem.” What really happened was none of his business.
“I see. I see. Do you know where he is? I have something vital to speak with him about.” Switching the cane to his left hand, he tucked the satchel closer to his thin chest. While he appeared rather unassuming in his manners, the quality of his clothing spoke of wealth.
“If you leave your card, I will tell him you called.” I wanted to get rid of him to search Moran’s office for his solicitor’s address.
With a frown, the man pulled out a business card and handed it to me. “My name is Mr. Humphrey, and I am his solicitor. It is imperative that I speak with him. The matter is most urgent.”
I took the card and looked at the embossed writing. A rush of relief shot through me, and I nodded with eagerness. “Your timing is impeccable. Moran just asked that I fetch you. Come along then. We mustn’t waste any more time. Moran might be held in the worse conditions. I have heard horror stories about Newgate, and I couldn’t bear it if he had to spend a moment longer than necessary behind bars.”
His eyes opened wide, and he blanched. “Mr. Moran is in jail?”
“Yes, and we need to leave posthaste to see him. But first, we must stop to see if Inspector Ashton is home.” I moved to the door, determined to rescue Moran. With Ash’s help, I would get Moran the help he needed. To think of him spending the night in jail sent chills of dread along my spine. Since I’d begun to work for him, he had come to mean more to me than I wanted to acknowledge.
Mr. Humphrey stood rooted to the spot, clearly stunned by the turn of events.
I lifted a questioning brow, wishing to be patient with the elderly man, but we had to hurry. Who was to say what horrible situation Moran was in at this very moment. “Are you coming?”
“Yes, yes, of course.” Mr. Humphrey followed me out of the building, the steady thump of his cane a somewhat comforting cadence. Cool air touched my heated cheeks. Dirty and forlorn-looking snow littered the streets in random piles. When it had first fallen, it had been pristine and untouched by the messiness of life. Being snowed in with Moran and Ash was initially daunting, but what transpired once the blizzard hit was magical. Until Ash uncovered my secret.
“Inspector Ashton lives around the corner.” I strode quickly, my argument with Ash secondary to my new purpose, gaining Moran’s freedom. It was a bit of a relief that Ash knew my true identity because the lie weighed on me. He was one less personI needed to hide things from. As for Moran learning about my truth, I wasn’t sure how wise it was to tell him.
The solicitor wheezed behind me, doing his best to keep up. “I don’t think I caught your name, Miss.”
“It is Mrs.” Fear rode my shoulders, and I was torn between slowing down for him or lengthening my strides. I needed to speak to Ash but I was cognizant of Humphrey’s limitations. Pity for the elderly man won out and I reduced my pace for his benefit.
“Beg pardon, Your Grace. I wasn’t aware you were his wife.” He gripped the satchel tighter to his chest, his breath coming in pants. Cheeks a ruddied red, sweat poured down his brow.
Guilt and confusion warred with each other at his odd statement. Whatever was he prattling on about? “It is my turn to beg pardon. You just addressed me as Your Grace.”
“Birdie,” Ash called from the other side of the street. The blue greatcoat he favored blew against his legs, his smile of greeting speaking to his ignorance of Moran’s circumstances. I changed course, sidestepping a pile of manure in my haste to reach his side.
“Ash, thank God.” The words came out in a rush, relief overcoming me at the sight of him. In the short time I had known him, I had come to depend on him more than I should. We were friends and lovers thus my trust in him was understandable.
His smile fell, panic replacing the teasing light. “When?”
“Last night. Mrs. Paul told me that the police had been looking for evidence.” I worried my hands and realized I had forgotten to don my gloves. It was a testament to my upset that I had neglected to dress properly.
“What kind of evidence exactly?” Mr. Humphrey said. He’s lost the look of confusion, and shrewdness lit his rather pale blue eyes.
Ash looked from him to me, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Who is this man?”
“He is Moran’s solicitor, Mr. Humphrey. He came to call on Moran while I was inspecting the damage to the office.” I was never so grateful for anything in my life. Mr. Humphrey might be elderly, but I suspected he had a healthy grasp of the law.
“Moran never mentioned a solicitor named Humphrey.” Ash stared hard at the man, eyes narrowed.
Mr. Humphrey’s breathing remained heavy as he lowered the satchel to his side. “He doesn’t exactly know me yet. I need to give him some tragic news.”
“I think he has enough tragedy on his plate right now. I need to get to the station.” Ash glanced around the busy street, hands on his hips. “Where is a hack when you need one?”
“I have a carriage,” Mr. Humphrey volunteered, pointing back in the direction we’d come.
“Ash, please carry Mr. Humphrey’s satchel, it looks rather heavy.” I turned on my heel, anxious to seek out Moran. Ash retrieved the satchel from the man and fell into step beside me. The solicitor spryly pulled up the rear, moving at a faster clip than earlier. “I can’t believe this is happening,” I said.
“Neither can I. Stark had to be investigating him the entire time.” Ash clenched his hands into fists, echoing my anger and frustration.
A puddle of slush reflected the grey sky, the color matching my mood. I had been looking forward to seeing Moran this morning, despite my promise to tell him who I was. That all changed with Moran’s arrest. “I wonder what the charge is.”
