Page 35
“You must,” Kerrigan said, his voice rising. “You must find the villain who did this to her, Inspector.”
“I am confident that we will.” Gideon bent his head, as if studying his notes, but Electra suspected he was giving Kerrigan a moment to collect himself.
“Do you…” Kerrigan paused and scrubbed a hand across his mouth. “Do you believe the same fate has befallen Miss Delacourt?”
“If I said yes, do you have any suspicions about who wished to harm the both of them?”
Kerrigan shook his head again. “Other than Nicholas Frye? No, not at all. I assume you have spoken to Mr. Frye.”
“No, but I intend to.”
“But Miss Delacourt might still be found.” Kerrigan blinked and added, “Or has she been?”
“No.” Gideon flicked a look at Electra. “But we are determined to find her. Did she ever mention a place she wished to visit? Someone she planned to see?”
“No, never. Iris spoke only of her family to me. Though I cannot say what she discussed with Miss Collier. They were forever whispering to each other.”
“You never overheard any of that?” Electra asked. Something in the way he spoke of it, as if the gossiping irritated him, made her suspect that he had at least attempted to.
“Snippets here and there.”
“Regarding?” Gideon pressed.
Exasperation lit the man’s eyes behind his spectacles. “Men.” He let out a huff as if he found it maddening. “Clever young ladies, and yet they spoke mostly of Miss Collier’s many admirers.”
“And did Miss Delacourt ever mention her own admirers?” Gideon asked.
“No,” Kerrigan replied, then darted his gaze away as if trying to recall whatever he’d heard the young women discussing. “My impression was that Miss Delacourt had no suitors.”
Electra tipped her head. “You sound very certain of that, Mr. Kerrigan.”
He smiled in her direction. “Well, if she did, Miss Poole, she never mentioned them in my hearing.”
Sighing, he dipped his chin and pressed two fingers to his forehead, then sat straighter and faced them again.
“Miss Collier was friendly, vivacious. She talked too much. Iris was the opposite. Studious, focused. Left to her own devices, I think she would have preferred art to conversation.” The expression on his face was so different than the irritation he’d expressed moments ago. Almost affectionate.
“May I have some refreshment, Mr. Kerrigan?” Electra found the man a contradiction after a few minutes in his company. His expressions did not always match his words. His emotions peaked and faded quickly, and she still did not entirely understand the rage she’d felt from him regarding Mr. Frye. Perhaps he felt guilt, or he felt that he could have prevented Miss Collier’s death if he’d taken firmer measures with the young man.
Kerrigan looked surprised by her request, then reached over to lay two fingers against the silver teapot. “The pot is cold, but I could have Mrs. Crawley bring more. Or I can offer something stronger.”
“Something stronger, I think.”
Kerrigan rose from his chair and approached a brass drink cart to pour a scant amount of liquor from a crystal decanter into a tiny, stemmed glass.
Electra quickly removed her gloves. Gideon watched her with a wary look in his eyes.
“Will claret suit?” Kerrigan asked as he turned back to her.
“Yes, thank you.” She took the glass, preparing herself for any images that might come.
“And you, Inspector? May I offer you some port or claret?”
Gideon hesitated, and Electra suspected he was giving her time. “I think I shall hold off, Mr. Kerrigan.”
Electra closed her eyes for a moment when Kerrigan turned back to replace the stopper on the claret decanter.
Nothing came. No images, and none of the prickling sensation beneath her skin that she often felt before visions or the flash of someone’s memories rose in her mind.
