Page 8 of His Improper Lady

“Yes. Though she didn’t fight like one. We wrestled a bit, and she stamped on my foot and punched me in the stomach. Then she went out the window and walked across the ledge like a cat.”

“What ledge?” Alex asked.

“Exactly.” Tom nodded toward him. “The stone that’s below the windowsill runs all the way across. Couldn’t be wider than six inches. Then she swung across to the awning next door and slid down it and was off like a rabbit.”

The other three stared at him. Con said, “I don’t know whether I’m more surprised that someone broke into our office or that she exited like that. Did she take anything?”

“Not that I could tell. You’d have to come down and look to make sure she didn’t get something from your desk, but there was nothing gone from mine, and I couldn’t see that any files were missing. I’m positive she wasn’t carrying anything when she left.”

“Why would anyone break into our office?” Con mused. “Something about a case, you think?”

“I don’t know what else. It’s not like we have any cash or valuables there. She didn’t break into the safe, but I don’t know if that’s because she wasn’t interested in it or she just hadn’t reached it yet.”

“Do we have a case that would warrant that? I haven’t been paying much attention lately, I know, but nothing I can think of would make anyone want to steal anything from us, even information.”

“I wouldn’t think there would be too many thieves who can move like that,” Alex pointed out.

“No, she obviously has acrobatic skills. I’m going to ask some people I know.” He didn’t need to finish the thought. Everyone knew that Tom kept in contact with people in the criminal world. “But I have another clue.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the gambling chip. “This came off in the struggle.”

The other three leaned closer. “The Farrington Club,” Lilah read. “What’s that?”

“It’s a fashionable gambling parlor,” Alex explained. “A casino. It’s very exclusive. You must be a member or come with someone who is. Or have an invitation.”

“I don’t know what I can learn from this place, but obviously this gambling chip has special meaning to our thief. She wore it on a chain around her neck, and the chain broke.”

“My guess is it’s a good luck charm,” Con said. “Gamblers are notorious for believing certain rituals or objects can bring them luck at the tables.”

“Want me to see if I can get anything from it?” Alex offered.

His words didn’t surprise Tom. He was well used to Alex’s unusual ability to draw information from inanimate objects. They’d used it many times at the detective agency to help them find a lost object or missing person.

He handed Alex the charm, and the other man closed his hand around it. He shut his eyes as well, as it was easier to focus on the object that way. After a moment, Alex said, “Lilah?” She reached out to lay her hand atop his. For reasons none of them understood, Lilah was able to increase the Moreland twins’ odd abilities, though it worked better with Con than with Alex.

“Yes, that’s better. But I still can’t get much that would help you find her. It belongs to a woman, but I get no picture of her. There’s a sense of happiness with it, but there’s more—triumph, perhaps? I’d guess she’s had it for years, and there’s a great deal of affection for some other person attached to it, as well.” Alex sighed and handed the charm back to Tom. “I can see a large indoor room, ornate, smoky and full of people and tables. It looks like an expensive casino, but it could be that I’m seeing it because I already know what sort of location it is. No faces. That sort of thing is always more difficult to discern. I’m sorry.”

“Yes, I’ll have to go there to find out anything,” Tom responded.

“But would a thief belong to an expensive club?” Lilah questioned. “And do women frequent such places?”

“A few women, but not many. And I think she’d stand out.”

“But how are you going to get inside if one has to be a member or hold an invitation?” Lilah asked.

“I have an invitation,” Con said. He glanced at his wife. “I’ve never used it, you understand. But they’ve sent me one more than once.”

“And you’ve never offered to take me there?” Lilah said indignantly.

“Well, um, I presumed you wouldn’t care to be seen in such a place.”

She laughed. “Darling, when I married you, I tossed aside all thought of adhering to society’s rules.” Lilah gave Con a playful push on the arm. “Go on. Get that invitation for Tom and go to the agency. I know you want to investigate.”

“Are you certain?” Con asked doubtfully. “You felt ill yesterday.”

“Feeling ill is a solitary occupation, my love. And since I just ate a trencherman’s breakfast, you can see that I am not ill today. If I have an emergency, I am surrounded by servants and a good number of your family. And if you stay here, asking me how I feel or if you can fetch my needlework for me, I shall wind up throwing something at you.”

“You know, there are a number of women who would appreciate their husband’s concern,” Con told her with an offended air.

“Perhaps you should have married one of them,” Lilah retorted sweetly.