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Jasper stayed at her side, his Webley lowered. “Mrs. Pierce, I’m Inspector Reid from Scotland Yard, and this is Miss Spencer. I received your message. You asked me to stop looking for you, but I could not, not when I know you to be in danger.”

“We know Cillian Carter was murdered,” Leo said. “And we know there are dangerous men looking for you. Men who believe you are responsible or at least involved.”

The scuffing of shoe soles came again. Then, a timid voice emanated from the dark. “I’m not. I swear, I never would’ve hurt Cillian.”

Leo pinpointed the woman’s location in the crypt, though she could not see her. “Then, why are you hiding?”

“Because I saw it happen,” Tabitha answered, sounding frazzled. “I saw him killed.”

It was just as Leo had thought possible. Unfortunately, hiding also made her appear guilty.

The shadows ahead shifted, and from the direction in which Tabitha had been speaking, two figures took shape. One figure was the tall, berobed reverend to whom Leo and Jasper had spoken the day before. The other was a slender, short woman. Tabitha Pierce appeared as frazzled as she’d sounded as she and the reverend came forward.

“Please,” the reverend said, his hands pressed together as if in prayer. “You don’t understand the danger Mrs. Pierce is in. I am arranging for her to be taken from the city to somewhere much safer.”

“You needn’t leave London, Mrs. Pierce. Cillian’s father and uncles only want to find the person who murdered him,” Leo said. “If you know who that is, and you tell Inspector Reid, he will assure the Carters you weren’t involved.”

Tabitha shook her head, her brows pulled taut. “Assure them? But they already know it wasn’t me. They’re looking for me because it was them. They killed him. I saw it.”

An electric jolt fired up Leo’s spine, and her startled eyes clashed with Jasper’s.

“Are you certain?” he asked.

“I know what I saw,” Tabitha said. “Cillian and me, we were on our way to the Golden Harp when two men came up to us. I’d seen them before with his uncle, Brian, and Cillian didn’t seem worried. But then...”

Tabitha’s voice cracked, and she paused to take a breath.

“They just…they attacked him. Cillian shouted for me to run. I didn’t want to leave him, but I knew I couldn’t do a thing to help. So, I did. I ran, and I’ll never forgive myself for it.”

“You did what you had to,” the reverend said to her, resting his hand on her shoulder. “For yourself and your baby.”

“Were these men alone?” Jasper asked.

Tabitha shook her head. “I didn’t get far before I heard Cillian shout again. This time, he said a name. It was Brian.”

“Brian Carter was there?” he asked.

“I looked back and saw him. His uncle. I’d seen him at the Golden Harp a few times. Cillian introduced us.” Her voice broke again.

“What did Brian do?” Leo asked.

A thin wail rose from Tabitha’s throat. “He drew a knife…across his throat. He killed him. He murdered my Cillian.”

As Tabitha wept softly, Leo touched Jasper’s arm. “Andrew doesn’t know, does he?”

“He never would have asked me to find Cillian if he did.” Jasper swore under his breath and swept off his hat. “Why would Brian kill his own nephew?”

“I don’t know, but if he finds Tabitha now, he will certainly kill her.” Leo turned to the woman. “You must come with us.”

She shook her head. “No. Reverend Thorpe says I’m safe here.”

“The arrangements are made,” the reverend said. “She is leaving before dawn. There is a parish near Birmingham that will give her sanctuary. They will care for her and her child when the babe is born.”

Dawn was still several hours away. Leo couldn’t shake the urgency for Tabitha to leave, and quickly.

“If we figured out where you’ve been hiding,” Jasper said, “so could Brian before the night is over.”

“Yes, he certainly could.”