“No.” MacQuarrie looked at Tavis, who nodded and then turned back to Niall. “Miss Ferguson is free to go.”
Annie stared at him and Niall frowned. “Please repeat that to be sure we heard correctly.”
“I said Miss Ferguson is free to go.” The magistrate shuffled the papers again and withdrew another one. “After the second set of books was discovered, Mr. Haines confessed to the smuggling operation and said the only reason he’d hired awoman was because he did not think she would ever suspect a thing. Apparently, he was right.”
Annie opened her mouth and then closed it. Niall bit back a smile. He could almost see her hair turning brighter as her temper simmered. But at least, she was holding her tongue in front of the magistrate.
The man looked down at the paper he was holding. “After a bit more investigating, we were able to track where Mr. Haines’ profits had gone. It seems the gold was invested by a Gordon Monroe, who had been keeping the books for Henderson Shipping as well.”
“Henderson Shipping?” Niall asked and glanced at Aidan before looking back at the magistrate. “If the line was being used to smuggle opium, none of us had knowledge of it. I will swear to that. In fact, that bookkeeper was gone by the time I got to Glasgow.”
MacQuarrie nodded. “It seems that Munroe was keeping a second set of books as well as a percentage of the profit from other dealings through Henderson Shipping too.” He turned to one of the men Niall didn’t recognize. “This is Mr. Graham, the original bookkeeper.”
“I can nae tell ye how sorry I am that this happened,” Mr. Graham said. “I’ve been ill with consumption and asked my nephew to fill in for me. I had nae idea he was so dishonest until I returned last week and started checking the books.” He dabbed at his eyes with a wadded linen handkerchief. “I did nae want to believe it. I even held my peace until yesterday.”
Aidan spoke from his corner. “From what Mr. Graham says, it looks like Henderson Shipping has lost several thousand pounds.”
“So where is Munroe?” Niall asked.
“He ran off—actually, disappeared would be more accurate—several months ago.”
Niall frowned. “Are ye searching for him?”
“We are,” MacQuarrie answered, “although he may have changed his name again.”
“Again?”
“Aye,” Mr. Graham spoke up. “My nephew’s name is Gordon Graham, nae Monroe. That was his mother’s name.”
Owen, who had been sitting quietly on Annie’s other side, suddenly looked alert. “Gordon Graham? Did he work for a London investor about a year ago?”
“Aye, he did,” Mr. Graham replied. “Did ye ken him?”
Owen nodded. “I clerked for Nathan Rothschild and Gordon worked for another investor just down the street. He disappeared from London when his vowels were being called in by men he’d lost to in the gambling hells.”
“I had nae idea,” Mr. Graham said, his voice cracking. “I would nae have let him jeopardize the shipping line if I had kenned. I hope ye believe me.”
Aidan exchanged a look with Niall. “That will be up to Robert Henderson and his father to decide, but ye seem an honest man.”
The man’s eyes grew suspiciously bright. “Thank ye.”
Niall nodded. “If we are through here, I would like to escort Miss Ferguson home.”
“Of course,” the magistrate said and gestured to the other man Niall didn’t know. “There is just one more thing.”
“I am Oliver Nolan, Archibald Haines’ business partner.Formerpartner,” the man corrected. “And I, too, had no idea in what he was involved. However, just before this whole sordid mess came to light, Archibald asked me if I wanted to buy his half of the warehouse business. He indicated he had a proposition for another venture and needed capital. I accepted the offer since there had been several disagreements between usover the past months.” He looked at Niall. “You submitted an offer to purchase the property two days ago?”
“I did.” In his peripheral vision, Niall could see Annie’s mouth had dropped and she was staring at him. He kept his attention focused on Nolan.
“Well, the price you offered is a good one,” Nolan said. “If you will come to my office this afternoon, we can take care of the paperwork.”
“I will be there by thirty past three o’clock,” Niall answered, and Nolan nodded.
As they rose to leave, Niall glanced at Annie. She had closed her mouth, but there were a dozen questions in her eyes. He just hoped she’d wait to ask them until they were alone and he was ready to answer.
Chapter Twenty-Six
As soon as they were outside the magistrate’s office, Niall made the surprising move to allow Owen to escort Annie home, saying he needed to have a word with Aidan before going to Mr. Nolan’s office. Annie suspected Niall was simply not wanting to answer the barrage of questions swirling in her mind.
