“Oiy.”
“Can you show me exactly where this was?” the earl demanded.
“I ain’t—I’m not—telling a faradiddle, sir,” answered Hawk, a note of hurt shading his tone.
“I’m not suggesting you are, lad.”
“Poison,” said Tyler, quickly making the connection. “You suspect the killer used poison?”
The boy straightened from his slouch, his eyes instantly coming alert. “Are we investigating another murder?”
“We,”replied Wrexford, “are doing no such thing.”
Charlotte shifted, throwing her face into shadow.
“I’m merely collecting any pertinent objects that may help us ascertain why one of the guests collapsed,” he finished.
“What doespertinentmean?” asked Hawk.
For a moment, the question hovered in the air, a tiny ripple of ice in the velvety warmth.
Wrexford bit back an oath. He had no doubt that the little imp of Satan knewexactlywhat he had meant, despite his attempt to hide it within a fancy sentence.
“It meansrelevant,” explained Charlotte. “Something that may relate to the subject in question.”
“In other words—” began Hawk.
“In other words, take me to the glass, Weasel,” snapped Wrexford.“Now.”
The boy slipped down from his stool—a littletooenthusiastically, he observed. Like moths drawn inexorably toward a flame, both Hawk and Raven had no fear of flying straight into the maw of danger. He would have to have a talk with them about tempering their devil-may-care actions.
Especially as they would soon be an official family, not merely individuals linked together by love.
Love.A word that had never come easily to his tongue.
Funny how it no longer stuck in his craw . . .
The brush of Charlotte’s shoulder drew him back from his musings. He fell into step behind her, and it took only a few minutes for their little band to weave its way to the spot in question. Hawk disappeared into the dark foliage and quickly emerged triumphantly with the cut crystal champagne coupe.
Such a deceptively delicate object to serve as a messenger of Death,mused Wrexford as he took it and held it up to the moonlight.
From the look on her face, Charlotte’s thoughts seemed to be marching to the same drumbeat as his own. She stared at the glass, but said nothing.
After wrapping it carefully in his handkerchief, he tucked the evidence into his coat pocket. “Did you perchance get a glimpse of the gentleman who tossed the coupe?”
Hawk hesitated.
“Just remember, sweeting, it does more harm than good to allow wishful thinking to color your answer,” counseled Charlotte. “I know you’re very observant. But it was dark and you were intent on remaining hidden. If you saw nothing, you must say so.”
The boy squeezed his eyes shut.
Wrexford clasped his hand behind his back, willing himself to remain patient.
“I peeked up as I heard the steps coming closer, but only for an instant,” said Hawk. “He was moving quickly, so I didn’t see his face, though I could tell he was tall—nearly as tall as you, sir.”
“Excellent,” murmured Charlotte. “But more important, you did very well to keep yourself hidden.”
The earl nodded, but after allowing a sliver of silence, he couldn’t help adding, “Nothing else?”
