“Of course he did.”Peter planned to have a very frank conversation with his superior later.Allowing his daughter to help with investigations was one thing.Supporting her wish to involve herself in all aspects was quite another.Boundaries had to be set if she was to stop from heading straight into danger.And they had to be provided by an authoritarian figure to whom she would actually listen.
Peter knew he wasn’t that person but he suspected her father was.
“Stay here,” he told her bluntly.“If you hear shots fired, you flee.Is that understood?You do not come to our rescue.You return upstairs and fetch help.The pistol should be used only as a last resort.Yes?”
“All right.”
Finally, a bit of common sense to appease him.All he could do now was pray she’d keep her word as he jerked his chin toward the end of the tunnel and told his Runners, “Let’s go.”
They recommenced their forward progress with careful footfalls.As they drew closer to the chamber, the murmurs grew louder, but remained too muffled for Peter to understand what was being said.
When they were but twenty paces away or less, he sent a glance over his shoulder.The faint glow in the distance assured him Miss Hastings was keeping her word.So far so good.He swung his lantern behind him to shield the light from view and to keep it from giving away his arrival to whoever was in the chamber.
Several more steps brought him ever closer, until he was finally able to catch a glimpse of the space beyond the tunnel and the people who stood there.
24
Adrian could scarcely believe what Fellowes had told him.The surgeon had held nothing back.Indeed, he’d been surprisingly open and frank regarding a subject Adrian would have guarded more closely, had it been him.Then again, he supposed Fellowes made a good argument for sharing the information.Apparently, the secret organization he’d once been a part of had striven to do good.If this had since changed, Fellowes wanted the members to face the consequences of their actions.
To this end, Adrian needed to let Kendrick know what he had discovered.
“Why are you no longer part of this group?”he’d asked of Fellowes.
The surgeon’s response had been swift.“Only those who strive to save lives are welcome.When I began working down here, my membership was revoked.”
“That sounds both harsh and unreasonable considering you investigate the causes of death.I see no better way of advancing medical procedures than through your findings.”
“Rules are rules,” Fellowes had said.“Had I wished to contest them I could have.I’m sure everyone would have listened, but the truth is I didn’t mind walking away from all of those secret meetings and various rituals.It was a spectacle that took up more time than I was willing to give when I’ve more important things to do.”
Adrian had thanked Fellowes and, to save time, had gone to find Kendrick.The chief constable was presently searching the premises, but instead of locating him as he’d hoped, Adrian ran into one of his Runners instead.
The same one who’d accompanied Kendrick on his hunt for Adrian and Samantha when they’d been on the run.The young man – Jackson, was his name – had struck him as a decent fellow.Still slightly green behind the ears, he’d deferred to Kendrick even though he’d technically been his superior at the time.
Facing Jackson now for the first time since Jackson had helped Kendrick transport a group of kidnapped children back to London, Adrian asked, “Where’s Chief Constable Kendrick?”
“Not here, Mr.Croft.”The room behind Jackson had been brightly lit by several lanterns.Two other Runners appeared to be studying the space with meticulous care.Jackson crossed his arms and tilted his head back to better meet Adrian’s gaze.“Why do you ask?”
“I’ve learned something of value and wanted to share it with him.As per our agreement.”
Jackson seemed to consider this for a second before revealing, “He’s gone to inspect the subterranean tunnel and chamber you mentioned.”
Of course that would be his goal.Adrian thanked Jackson and turned on his heel, determined to find Kendrick fast so they could get to the bottom of this debacle.As such, he strode forward with purpose, descended the stone steps leading down to the tunnel, and made his way through it.
He passed the gate, which hung open just as he and Samantha had left it.A light flickered.Beyond that came a brighter glow from the chamber itself.Realizing one of the Runners must be just up ahead with a lantern and that Kendrick had probably lit the candelabras in the chamber, he kept moving without making much of an effort to hide his presence.
“Stop right there,” someone said, a feminine hiss that made him stop short.“Name yourself.”
The voice sounded slightly familiar though he couldn’t quite place it.He halted and spoke his name.“Mr.Croft.”
A sigh was the woman’s first response.It was followed by the tread of her feet as she came toward him with her lantern.“You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you.”
Only then did he spot the pistol she held.When she raised the lantern, he was finally able to make out her features.“Miss Hastings.Why are you armed, ready to fire, and why isn’t Kendrick by your side?”
He found the whole thing odd.At the very least she should have believed him to be one of Kendrick’s Runners, like Jackson for instance.In which case, she’d have had no reason to aim a pistol at him.Instead, it was clear that something had spooked her enough to make sure she knew the person coming her way meant no harm.
And then she explained, “He’s through there.Together with Lewis and Anderson.I was told to wait here.”
“Any particular reason?”
