Bentley shook his head. “I’m afraid not, although it seems rather curious that a developer would just happen to have a boating position available. I wouldn’t think builders in general have much need to have many boats around.”
“Unless you’re Loughlin MacSherry,” Elena said slowly.
Drusilla blinked. “The criminal underboss?”
“Ah, so you’ve heard of him.”
“He’s another developer who’d like to secure my property.”
“Interesting,” Elena murmured.
“How so?”
“Because even though MacSherry promotes himself as a developer and builder, he uses that as a front to conceal how he really makes his money—that being smuggling.”
“Smuggling?” Drusilla repeated.
Elena nodded. “He has an entire fleet of ships that he claims to use to bring in building supplies, but everyone knows that the majority of items MacSherry brings into Chicago aren’t building supplies at all but stolen goods or opium.”
Umberto’s brows drew together. “I was unaware that you knew about MacSherry’s true business endeavors.”
“Just because we’ve decided to leave Chicago’s underworld behind doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned all of the friends I have who still remain in that world,” Elena said. “Frankly, if I’d done that, I wouldn’t have any lady friends at all since it’s not as if Mrs. Palmer is beating down my door, asking me to join her for tea at the Palmer House.”
“I don’t recall you ever having tea with Mrs. MacSherry or any of the MacSherry family,” Umberto pointed out.
“No one has tea with the MacSherrys as that could put your very life in danger, which brings me around to Sneaky Pete again.” Elena worried her lip for a moment. “I’m sure, as there’s a chance he’s been working for MacSherry for over a year, that Pete is well-aware of how ruthless the man is. That means it’s doubtful that Sneaky Pete, when he was caught in the act tonight, would have fessed up to working for MacSherry.” She nodded to Umberto. “Instead, he blamed you, my darling, a ready stooge if there ever was once since you were responsible for Sneaky Pete seemingly coming up with the haunted castle scenario as a way to collect those fees you offered him.”
Drusilla gave her forehead a rub as she tried to keep up with the conversation. “I can certainly understand why Sneaky Pete wouldn’t want to tell us he was working for MacSherry, but why would MacSherry want to acquire my land if his most profitable business doesn’t revolve around building contracts?”
“I’m sure that’s somehow connected to your castle once belonging to another smuggler—Captain Harvey,” Elena said. “Since MacSherry’s a smuggler as well, I’m sure he realized that the captain chose the castle’s location for a specific reason, that being that you can sail a boat close to shore, load and unload questionable cargo, and then store that cargo in a remote castle that’s surrounded by undeveloped land.”
Drusilla’s lips began to curve. “But that’s absolutely brilliant, and now has me questioning what other secrets the castle has yet to reveal.”
“I would hazard a guess and say that Sneaky Pete is probably familiar with a lot of those secrets,” Elena said. “But before you head out to question that man again, know that I was being perfectly sincere when I offered to handle your developer problem for you. I can guarantee that Umberto will no longer be plaguing you with offers, and I would guess it’ll take me no longer than a week to get all the other developers interested in the castle to lose that interest.”
“Even Loughlin MacSherry?”
“I can take care of MacSherry.”
Drusilla tilted her head. “What would you expect in return for your assistance?”
“While I would love to claim I’m only offering my assistance as a way to make amends for Umberto stealing your aunt’s staff,” Elena began, “I’m afraid I’m not that altruistic. I, again, have five daughters who have yet to reach their majority, and I’ve been told they’re somewhat unmanageable.”
“Ah. You’d like my assurances that I’ll agree to admit your daughters into my academy in exchange for your assistance.”
“I believe that would be a fair exchange.”
“Should I ask exactly how you intend to intervene on my behalf with MacSherry?” Drusilla couldn’t resist asking.
Elena smiled. “It would be best if you aren’t privy to any details, especially when that will allow you to claim complete ignorance if anything unexpected were to happen and the authorities feel compelled to pay you a visit.”
Thirty-Five
“While I understand that it’s after midnight,” Drusilla began as the carriage careened wildly down the road, which wasn’t exactly a surprise with Seraphina driving again, “one would have thought, when we stopped at the police station, that they would have at least sent a single officer to accompany us back to the castle, as we do have a criminal stashed in the dungeon.”
“Agreed,” Rhenick said. “However, I suppose they figured, since itisafter midnight, and since you happen to have said criminal tucked safely away in an honest-to-goodness dungeon, that there was no reason to send anyone tonight, as Sneaky Pete will still be in that dungeon come morning.”
Drusilla opened her mouth, but not a word came out, because the carriage took that moment to make a sharp turn to the right, which left Drusilla sliding across the carriage seat and bouncing off the carriage wall. She pushed herself upright, but then went sliding to the left a second later when the carriage made another abrupt turn.
