“But the story, your speech.”
As much as she wanted this story on the BBC, she wanted the murderer caught far more. “Hugh is an eyewitness in the Zielinski case, but his theory about Hastings and Jouveau is speculation. You—you’re the witness who can verify Ridley’s lack of alibi. And Miss Granville—her father is an MP. It’s crucial to Ridley’s motive in the Hastings murder. Hugh will understand. You must tell him. You must tell the police.”
Gil blinked in a dazed way. “Yes. Yes, I’ll go straightaway.”
Aleida reached out and squeezed Gil’s hand. “Thank you.”
Gil glanced down at her hand, then raised eyes full of regret. “Collie—he also said to tell you how very much he wanted to be here tonight for you.”
Everything melted inside. She’d been more than satisfied with the excuse that he’d gone to the police to solve three murders. But Hugh had taken the time to send a message to her. And how thoughtful of Gil to relay the message, especially since he had a crush on her.
She squeezed the man’s hand once more. “You’re a good friend, Gil. Please tell Hugh I’m fine and I’m proud of him.”
“I will.” Gil took his leave, stopping to send Tom and Gerald home.
Once again, Aleida stood alone in a crowd, but now elation danced in time to the music. Tonight justice would be served.
And Hugh cared.
41
Slightly out of breath, Hugh followed the constable to the detective inspector’s office. Thank goodness DI Clyde was working late.
The inspector raised fatigued eyes and smirked. “Good evening, Mr. Collingwood. I’m afraid the gentlemen’s club is on the next street.”
Hugh smiled at the joke, and he hung his top hat, overcoat, and white scarf on the coatrack. “I have information on the murder of Filip Zielinski, and I believe we can connect it to the murders of Elliott Hastings and François Jouveau.”
DI Clyde closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “Not every murder in London is related to the death of your uncle.”
“I regret that you must suffer yet more foolishness from this amateur sleuth.” Hugh took a seat in front of the inspector’s desk. “However, on Sunday last I witnessed an attack on Mr. Zielinski at Speakers’ Corner. The man who attacked him was Albert Ridley of the Ministry of Information. His family and mine are long acquainted.”
Slowly, DI Clyde’s light eyes opened. “An attack, you say?” He grabbed a pencil and a notepad.
In detail, Hugh described what he’d seen and what Ridley had said.
“‘Those who oppose the war effort deserve the severest punishment’—he said that?” Clyde puffed his cheeks with air. “That makes him a person of interest. We’ll question him, but we’ll need to be careful with a man of his prominence.”
Hugh rocked forward in his chair. “Please humor me a moment as I make my case.”
Clyde circled one hand in the air, as if flourishing a top hat, mocking Hugh’s highbrow attire. Nevertheless, he’d granted permission to proceed.
Hugh folded his hands on top of the desk. “Ridley and my uncle were political opponents. They almost came to blows in July.”
“Hastings had many political opponents.”
“Quite right, but he had information on Ridley and planned to use it against him. My cousin, William Hastings, said my uncle had discovered a man was having an affair.”
The inspector set down his pencil. “I read about the affair in William Hastings’s statement, but he didn’t mention Ridley.”
“No, but I believe Ridley was the man. This evening, I talked to my colleague Guy Gilbert. On the evening of 19 September, Gilbert saw Ridley in Braughing, kissing a woman who was not his wife. Gilbert also saw the couple around noon on 20 September, only a few hours after my uncle was murdered—and only a few miles from the Hastings estate.”
Clyde’s gaze locked on Hugh and flickered in thought. “Ridley was in the area at the time, with motive to kill Hastings—not only for political reasons, but to conceal his affair.”
Clyde sprang from his desk and leaned out the door. “Constable Bright—fetch me the evidence for the Hastings-Jouveau case. At once.”
Hugh waited until Clyde returned to his desk. “Mr. Gilbert can testify as to what he saw, as can his companion, NormanFletcher. Mr. Fletcher was questioned earlier in the investigation.”
“Fletcher, yes.” Clyde scribbled notes. “He didn’t mention seeing Ridley.”
