* * *
Kendrick went straight to Sir Nigel’s office after returning from Clearview.“Harlowe doesn’t think Newton hung himself from the top of that church tower.”
“Oh?”
“At the very least, he believes he was encouraged to take his own life.”Kendrick dropped into the vacant chair that stood across from Sir Nigel’s.“Croft had him within his grasp last night, but something went wrong and Newton escaped.Or so Croft claims.”
“But Harlowe doesn’t believe that?”
“No, and neither do I.Croft would never have let that happen.”
Sir Nigel steepled his fingers, his expression pensive.“So he got Newton to write that letter somehow, then killed him and made it look like self-murder?”
“There’s no way to prove it.”
“Of course not.”Sir Nigel grunted.“One has to admit it’s rather clever.”
“Providing he got the right man.”If Croft had indeed been involved, he’d played both judge and executioner.Viscount Stanton had lost a son.It was no small matter.
“Time will tell, I suppose.For now, we’ll consider the case closed and pray no other murders occur.”
“And Croft?”The deadline he’d given Samantha was in two days.If she didn’t deliver, he’d need Sir Nigel’s approval to follow through on the threats he’d made her.
“You’re to leave him be until further notice.”
Kendrick stared at his superior in disbelief.He couldn’t be serious.“Our agent is finally in the perfect position to take him down.She’s going to marry him for that exact purpose.”
“And she’ll be informed if she is to move ahead later.For now, a request has been made for her to desist.”
This couldn’t be happening.Not when they were so close.“By whom?”
Stern-faced, Sir Nigel told him crisply, “The highest authority.”
Kendrick sank against his seat in a state of deflated stupor.The Prince Regent would not have given this order without someone else advising him to.The question was who.
It had to be someone who stood to gain from Croft’s freedom.
The problem was no such person within the Prince Regent’s circle came to mind.But Kendrick vowed in that moment that he would figure it out.He’d worked too damn hard on backing Croft into a corner.There was no way in hell he’d give up when victory was so close at hand he could practically taste it.
To Sir Nigel however, he simply said, “Duly noted.”
* * *
“How are you feeling?”Adrian asked Samantha as the two of them strolled along one of the paths behind Clearview.
“The wound still aches.From what I gather that will be true for several more days.Besides that, I am well.”
“I’m pleased to hear it.”
She sent him a smile.It finally felt as though the events of the last two days were beginning to settle.His coming here as promised reassured her of his intentions.He’d not changed his mind as she’d continuously feared he might.The special license had been obtained.At six o’clock this evening, she would become his wife.
Before then, she had one pressing question.
“Last night, you told Harlowe the killer had gotten away.Why?”
His expression was grave, his words more so when he answered.“Because anything else would complicate matters tremendously.Why didn’t you correct me?”
“Because that would have been disloyal.”An honest response.
