Pushing through the crowd, Gabriel saw the outline of blood on the ground, but no body.
“Cor. Where’s the gal? Anyone know her name?”
He sent a silent thanks to the older woman hovering nearby for asking the questions he wanted answered.
“Moved to Coroner’s Court already. Heard she was broken and unrecognizable.”
“Like the others. They caught the wrong man!”
A murmur went through the crowd, and he saw the relief in Marietta’s stance. The Runner clapped his hands. “Actually, that is not entirely true.”
Marietta stiffened and Gabriel fought from doing the same.
“It looks like an internal maneuver, and we are bringing in the Middlesex murderer’s brother for questioning.” He looked directly at Marietta. “The whole family is suspect.”
Gabriel tamped his shock. Dresden was no fool. He knew that cutting off the pleas of innocence and giving the crowd an alternative that would make them feel as if the problem were under control would stave the tide. And if the savage look Dresden had leveled in their direction was anything to go by, now that he had an acknowledgment of who they were, he was taking their actions personally. Gabriel turned and gave Billy swift instructions. The boy darted through the crowd, and Gabriel pulled Marietta closer.
“Mark.”
“Shhh. Let’s get to Coroner’s Court.”
He didn’t look away from Dresden. The Runner’s dark smile across the crowd boded ill. “In fact, the sister of—”
Gabriel signaled abruptly to his driver, and the edges of the crowd screamed as the horses went wild and the carriage careened off. His driver would be receiving an increased wage soon.
He pulled Marietta through the back of the crowd as everyone was distracted and running about. She didn’t say anything as he pulled her around the corner. Her eyes were empty and unfocused. He reached down and gripped her hand as they rounded another corner, turning back and moving parallel to the scene they’d just left. His carriage was waiting at the end of the street in response to his clockwise signal.
He lifted her into the carriage and motioned to the driver. “Coroner’s Court. Quickly. We have about twenty minutes to keep ahead.”
He was barely seated when the carriage took off.
“Mark,” Marietta whispered.
“He will be fine. Billy will get him out of your house, if possible. Focus.” He snapped his fingers in front of her glazed eyes. “I am going to run into the court to see what I can find.”
A bit of spirit returned to her eyes. “I’m coming with you.”
“Fine.” Frankly, he would have been worried if she hadn’t argued. “We need to be quick, though. I have a contact in the building who has already been alerted. We can work from there.”
She was standing much taller when they entered the building. Not like a woman who might lose both brothers to mob madness.
They walked into the court. A crowd of people were positioned around a body in the corner.
“Sorry, sir, but you aren’t allowed in here.”
He flashed a smile at the guard. “Assistant to Nathaniel Upholt. Rory Carney.” He shook the bemused guard’s hand. “He sent me ahead to gather the initial information. I see that you are doing a fine job maintaining order.”
The guard puffed up a bit. “We try our best, sir.”
“Do you think we might have a look before the mob appears? It would be very helpful.” The man looked to be above a bribe, but there was a tattered edge to his trousers. Taking a chance, Gabriel palmed a note and shook the man’s hand again.
The guard’s hand closed around the note, and he looked undecided for a second.
“We will be out of the way. Five minutes is all.”
The guard looked around and nodded. “Five minutes.”
Gabriel flashed another smile. “Thank you, my good man.”
