He would undoubtedly ask to see it. There was even the possibility that it could be used against her because of what it contained. I was not willing to risk that.
She had been caught up in a situation not of her own making, and her life endangered. If certain things were made known, her life might be in even greater danger because of it. Still, she had come to me in spite of the risk.
18 April was obviously not the date for the launch of B-10.
What else then could be so important about that date that it had been spoken of in secret? Who were those men who had met secretly? And what was the secret that was worth killing over?
“Sir Avery will be quite surprised at what you’ve managed to uncover,” Alex said then as he closed his file. “And naturally you will provide any additional information that you learn.”
“Naturally,” I replied, aware that we had in fact learned far more about the situation than the Agency. If Alex had provided all the information they had.
I was inclined to think not. It was not a criticism of Alex. He was merely doing as he’d been instructed. It was from experience.
“Perhaps not,” Brodie commented after Alex left. “We need to learn more about Steiner.”
It was near midday when Mr. Conner returned to the office. It did appear as if he’d had little sleep, and almost certain when he shared that he’d remained at Mr. Brown’s establishment for the previous night.
“Adele?” I inquired.
“Well and good, under the protection of himself.”
Which obviously referred to Mr. Brown.
“I’ll not ask about the favor ye did the man, and now himself in return,” he told Brodie then waited.
“Bah!” he exclaimed when Brodie did not respond.
“And ye’ll not share a word. It must be a considerable favor ye granted the man. Though he was forthcoming about something that could be important.”
“Wot?” Brodie asked.
“About the man, Steiner. He may be secretive about certain things, but less so when it comes to others.”
“Wot might that be?”
“It seems that the man has a certain preference for things in women.” He hesitated and looked over at me. “It might be best to discuss it between the two of us,” he told Brodie. “Man to man.”
Oh, for heaven’s sake, I thought.
It wasn’t as if I hadn’t heard of certain things. It did come up from time to time with our inquiry cases. Still, Mr. Conner refused to explain. I caught the bemused expression on Brodie’s face.
“How did Mr. Brown come by the information?” he asked Mr. Conner.
“It seems that Steiner encountered one of Brown’s ‘ladies’ and struck an arrangement. Then, afterward, even though the ‘accommodation’ was apparently most satisfactory, Steiner refused to pay.”
That, of course, did not explain what the ‘accommodation’ entailed.
“And the woman is one of Brown’s favorites, a real high earner. She’s been with him for some time, and he swears that she’s trustworthy.”
I bit back a comment.
A business transaction, a buyer and seller—the oldest profession known to man.
“You might want to speak with her yerself,” Mr. Conner added with a cautious look in my direction. “Could be there’s more she could tell us. She has a flat near Covent Garden.”
Twelve
Covent Garden,I thought, as Brodie and Mr. Conner departed.
