by Beth Byers
Jack pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and then tilted her face to his and kissed her breathless and stupid. They waited for Ham to come out but found Rita coming around the side of the building instead.
“Ham yelled at me.”
Vi snapped her mouth shut.
“I believe that Poncy is at the top of the suspect list,” Rita snarled. “Ham completely set aside what I tried to tell him about Oscar Watts.”
“What about Oscar Watts?” Jack asked.
“He seemed to know that Brother Samuel was up to something.” Vi tucked her hair behind her ear when Jack’s eyes flashed with irritation.
“Where were you when you found this out?”
“Together,” Rita snapped.
That wasn’t the comfort Jack wanted.
“In a pub and in a tobacco shop.”
“Is Jack your keeper? Are we prisoners now? Children?” Rita sneered, and Violet’s head tilted as she shot daggers with her eyes at Rita. “Oh!”
Rita turned and stormed away, and Vi placed her head back against Jack’s chest. “I am afraid Ham made a misstep.”
“Do you know what I did when you got hurt?”
Vi shook her head.
“Lost years off of my life, Vi. Ham is starting to realize that loving an independent woman is terrifying. There’s a reason I bought you a gun and taught you how to shoot.”
Violet didn’t point out that she wasn’t carrying it, but Jack knew.
“I’ve learned with you, Vi. I’ve learned to trust you and trust fate. Trust your wits, your strength, and your ability to look after yourself. Ham already feels like he’s losing Rita. Better to lose her and have her be alive than to lose her from existence.”
Violet nodded, understanding. She’d do just about anything to keep Jack alive. If she truly thought he were in danger? She’d tackle him, give him a guard like Henry. She’d break all the rules and probably do whatever was necessary to keep him safe, regardless of his feelings on the subject. She pressed up on her toes to kiss his face, and said, “I’m not going to stay home with a guard while you are off risking yourself.”
His gaze narrowed on hers and Vi pressed another kiss on his chin before she added, “If I am doing anything with a murder again, I will at least think about bringing a gun or Denny to hide behind.”
Jack didn’t appreciate her joke, but he said, “I need to find out what Bidlake intended, we need to discover what Vernon Atkinson intended, and I will ensure we follow up with Oscar.”
“He’s coming to dinner,” Vi told Jack, winking at the look on his face and then hurried after Rita.
Chapter 17
Violet hurried towards the house they’d taken. She felt as though she were being chased by that sick and worried look on Jack’s face, and she wanted nothing more than to catch Rita up and make her understand that Ham’s worry was coming out of love. As she moved towards the house, her gaze was caught by those huge men again.
They were so big, it seemed they could be giants in a carnival sideshow. She’d guess that they’d even tower over Jack. They were walking towards The Cliff House, and Vi frowned. She wasn’t a person without friends across income lines, but there was something about men who looked like carnies making their way into a hotel that screamed an excessive amount of money.
Vi considered and then followed. She watched them go inside through the staff entrance. She followed more slowly and saw them heading down a hall and then up a set of staff lifts.
Vi got look after look as she followed. The staff would probably be referring their superiors to the odd bright young thing wandering the non-guest areas of the hotel before long. Vi ignored their looks and walked slowly but confidently after the giants. They took the staff lift to the third floor, and Violet decided to walk past the lift and find her way to the front desk.
She wanted, desperately, to follow the men, but she remembered that agonized look on Jack’s face from not even a half-hour ago. She would not purposefully ignore her instincts. Instead she crossed to the manager’s desk and said, “Hello.”
The concierge examined her with a snotty expression.
Violet dropped the cheeriness on her face, glanced down, noted the dust and cobwebs from the warehouse, the certainly smudged lipstick from Jack, and the general shabbiness of her appearance.
“I have never been so appalled in my life!” Vi squawked. “To think that my father recommended this…this…this…flea trap.”
“Lady Vi?” Oscar Watts asked, crossing to her. “Whatever happened to you?”
“These fools!” Violet snarled. “I was going to—well, never mind. You can be assured that the Carlyle family will never, EVER, recommend this hotel. In fact,” Violet warned, “in fact—I will do what I can to ensure this business is destroyed.”
She spun, shaking her dress off at Oscar. “Oh! Mr. Watts. I—do you have a room here?”
“Overlooking the cliff, with a view of the sea. It’s quite nice, I assure you. What happened?”
Vi scoffed, glanced around, and sneered, having to channel her stepmother to truly let the disdain appear. “Top floor?”
Oscar shook his head, “Third floor, I’m afraid. Bidlake insisted on the last top floor. Used his title.”
Violet’s sneer increased, and then she said, “Good day, Mr. Watts. I’ll see you at dinner when I scrub this…this…idiocy off of me.”
“Ma’am!” the concierge said, chasing after her as she left. He tried to apologize, but Violet held up a hand and demanded, “Begone with you!”
Violet stormed out the hotel with the concierge chasing after her. Violet waved him off and then paused as Jack and Ham were walking up the steps. Violet was almost certain that Jack had broken into internal curses. Ham, on the other hand, demanded, “Where is Rita?”
“She stormed off on me,” Violet said. “You’re going to need to beg.”
Violet bypassed Jack and started towards the house they’d taken, but he called something to Ham and followed after. They walked in silence for a long stretch before Jack asked, “I assume you weren’t searching rooms?”
“I saw those huge men that Brother Samuel was talking to come into the pub where Rita and I had lunch with Oscar. He noticed them but didn’t give any sign of knowing them. But I saw them walking towards The Cliff House and decided to follow at a distance.”
Violet had to give Jack credit—he didn’t groan or shout. He just waited as he walked with her.
“Third floor,” she told him. “I thought doing more than seeing what floor the lift stopped on would be unwise.”
There was a long, fraught silence until Jack said, “I’m sure you’re right about that. Ian Fyfe was in the jail cells on the night of the murder, sleeping off a rather prodigious overindulgence. Oscar Watts and Parkington Bidlake both say they left the other with Brother Samuel and went inside.”
“What did they say when you confronted them about their lie?”
“We haven’t yet,” Jack said. “Vernon doesn’t have an alibi, but he also is so quiet and average-looking, not one member of the staff remembers him coming or going, at all. Both Vernon and Oscar are on the third floor, as is Ian Fyfe. Bidlake is on the fourth floor.”
“What did he say about breaking into Richard’s crate?” Vi asked. “He said that Richards was shipping something for him, and it occurred to Bidlake that a gentleman’s agreement would not get his rather valuable item back.”
“What was in the crate?”
“Small glass bottles, identified as salt.”
“What was it really?”
“Cocaine,” Jack said. He rubbed his jaw. “The thing is—Bidlake does seem to be the last fellow with Richards, only he was upset when he saw the contents. I am almost convinced he had no idea he was looking at cocaine instead of salt.”
“What does Ham think?”
Jack frowned and admitted, “I’m not sure Ham is himself at the moment.”
Violet paused at the end of the lane where their house
was situated. “He needs to clear his mind and focus.”
“Now that it’s cocaine, Vi, the killer could be anyone. It goes from being a missionary who was murdered over a disagreement to something far more insidious and difficult to track. The local fellows had no idea that cocaine was coming through here. They’re shocked, dismayed, and a little disbelieving.”
Violet shook her head. “Jack, darling, you aren’t thinking either. We went to a traveling carnival the night that Richards died.”
Jack stared at Violet and then muttered a curse. “Where he was meeting with a couple of carnies.”
Violet patted his cheek. “The carnies would have taken Richards’s money and been noted. The ledgers are complex. Someone else is involved with this.”
“Likely Vernon,” Jack said rubbing the back of his neck. “An invisible man like that? What better way to distribute your illegalities than with people who haven’t left the country, a man that no one notices like Vernon, and a man that no one would suspect?”
Violet and Jack started towards the house.
“I need to talk to Ham,” Jack told her. “Are you going home this time?”
“Of course,” Vi agreed. “I wasn’t foolish before.”
“I could wish you were less witty and brave,” Jack told her, cupping her cheeks. He pressed a kiss on her forehead and then each eyebrow. “You wouldn’t be you, but I would worry less.”
Violet pushed up on her toes and kissed him. “I could wish the same of you, you know. But then I would never have fallen in love with you. Instead, we both need to promise to be careful.”
“I can do that.”
“You were in my thoughts when I decided not to investigate further.”
“I love you, Mrs. Wakefield.”
It wasn’t her lack of interference that made him say it. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d followed those men up and tried to see which room they’d entered. It was that she chose him first when she’d decided to be careful.
“I love you, Mr. Wakefield,” she replied merrily. “I had better get inside before the neighbors call Ham and tell him there’s a couple being indecent outside.”
Violet stepped away, looked back and found him watching her, and winked at him. She hurried inside, bypassing everyone in the parlor to find Rita upstairs.
“You’re a mouthy, opinionated, loud woman.”
Rita stared at Violet. “I know. I—”
Violet held up her hand. “I am the same. Rita, we’re good. We’re fine. All is well here. Eat, drink, and be merry with me, darling. But, you need to apologize to Ham.”
“He yelled at me.”
“You terrified him.”
“Jack didn’t yell at you.”
“Jack has wanted to wring my neck and put himself out of his misery more than once. He’s used to it. You, however, are dealing with a very raw love in Ham. He already is certain he’s lost you. He’s already certain he’s not good enough for you. He’s already certain that you will never forgive him, and—”
“I scared him.”
Violet nodded.
“He reacted like that because he loves me.”
Violet nodded.
“He doesn’t get to yell at me like that.”
Violet nodded at that as well.
Rita frowned, looking Vi up and down. “You look like you’ve taken up chimney sweeping.”
Instead of answering, Violet took Rita downstairs and they stared at the chalkboards as the others stared at her. It said something of Vi’s commitment to the case that she didn’t bother with changing clothes first.
Vi took the chalk and started writing.
SAMUEL RICHARDS—dead, not a missionary, had an accomplice.
MARTHA LANCASTER— now that cocaine is involved and smuggling, she’s no longer the suspect.
PARKINGTON BIDLAKE—not on the 4th floor, confused by cocaine. May just be a money-grubbing fool, lying about his title.
IAN FYFE—locked up drunk.
OSCAR WATTS—Did he know the carnies? Was seen with Bidlake before he died, but Jack thinks he really did leave Bidlake and Richards together. If so, where did he go? Could he be innocent? Why is he lying about being a banker? Why was he chummy with Richards on the boat?
VERNON ATKINSON—Did he know the carnies? Easily overlooked. Why was he at the shipping place if he wasn’t part of the scheme?
THOSE TWO BIG BLOKES FROM THE FAIR—Cocaine distributors.
Violet explained what she’d learned as she filled in the details. After long moments, Vi crossed out every name except for Oscar Watts and Vernon Atkinson.
“I don’t like either of them,” Denny said. “The one knew where the cocaine was but didn’t get into the crate. Could he just be stealing from the dead man? We don’t know anything about him. The other one? He’s been lying from the beginning, he knew Richards, he knew who Rita was. He’s a snake.”
“But,” Lila inserted lazily, “he’s a snake that might only be after her money.”
“Or, he’s a murderous snake.”
“Only one of them could have done it,” Victor said. “And you’ve invited them to the house this evening. It occurs to me that I’ll be taking the nannies, the babies, and Kate and leaving. Violet, darling, maybe you should cancel dinner?”
Vi shook her head. “Take them and go. They come before any of the rest of this.”
Victor pressed a kiss to her forehead and suggested, “You should slip that derringer into your dress, Vi. Or strap it to your leg. Be careful.”
“Did Fredricks come?”
“He took the ledgers and left,” Victor said. “Your man of business has rather a lot to keep him busy, but he looked them ledgers over enough to agree with Smith. This scheme—whatever it is—being an operation large enough to have more than one man.”
“Be careful,” Violet ordered Victor. He laughed at her as he hurried up the steps after his girls. She watched him hurry them out of the house and then faced Denny.
“Did you want to send Lila away?”
“If I did,” he said, “who would protect me?”
Chapter 18
Violet was wearing an aqua dress that reached to the floor with a long slit up her leg. It tucked closed around her chest and torso, dipping low between her breasts with a long flowing swathe of fabric from her waist to the ground. She layered her favorite diamond choker around her throat and added the long strand of turquoise beads that Victor had bought her what seemed like ages ago in Cuba.
The derringer was strapped to her thigh just above the slit, making for easy access but also leaving no reason to believe that it was there. She kohled her eyes, rouged her cheeks and lips, carefully powdered her nose, and applied layer after layer of mascara.
For a random dinner by the sea with two murder suspects, Violet admitted she was dressing carefully because she felt bad about sneaking out from Jack’s protection. If he appreciated her efforts, maybe they’d only bring it up every time it was convenient for whatever argument they were having for the rest of their lives?
She smirked and then glanced up as Lila stepped into the room. Her long, tight dress reflected the smallest of bumps where her normally flat stomach curved out.
“Look at you,” Vi gasped. “Look at that baby! She’s my second favorite! The twins are tied, of course. You should name this one Violet the Third!”
“Pass,” Lila said idly. “Though perhaps we’ll call her Ruby.”
“For a woman more valuable than rubies?”
“Indeed,” Lila said. “It’s the best of the stupid names Denny keeps begging for. Are you in a good mood?”
“Sure, we’re having dinner with likely murderers, liars, and general cheats. What’s not to enjoy?”
“Ah, yes. Well. Jack and Ham have taken in Bidlake on a suspicion of murder and send their regrets.”
Violet’s gaze narrowed. “What about Oscar and Vernon? They’re far more obvious.”
“Denny asked them that when Jack telephoned.
He was told to keep out of it.”
Violet groaned. “They think that having lied about his name and status, and having been with Richards the night of his death, broken into the supply crate, and generally being irritating is reason enough?”
“I am guessing that might be it,” Lila said. “I would suggest we should cancel dinner, but it seems rude after just inviting Vernon along as well.”
“What does Rita say?”
“She needs her mouth washed out with soap.”
Violet leaned back and sighed. “Someone had a servant wash the chalkboards and remove them from the parlor, right?”
“Denny said he would tell the servants to take care of it,” Lila said.
Before Violet could reply, Rita came into the room. “Did you hear they arrested Poncy?”
Violet nodded, glancing Rita over. Her dress was fringed, sapphire, and made her look like a precious jewel. “You are unfairly beautiful.”
Rita rolled her eyes. She looked Lila over. “Do I see the beginning of a baby there?”
Lila started to answer, but the doorbell rang. “Dinner.”
“With murderers,” Rita said darkly.
“Jack and Ham wouldn’t have not come if they were worried for our safety,” Vi said as she stepped out of her room.
“Henry is in the kitchens,” Lila said helpfully and with an underlying sarcasm. “He’s got a steak and potatoes in front of him with a look of pure glee on his face. Should something happen, I believe he’s already too stuffed to be able to help.”
“Nothing is going to happen,” Rita reassured her. “There’s too many of us and there’s no hiding who did it.”
Violet didn’t disagree. As she passed a mirror in the hallway, she glanced at her reflection, felt beautiful, and wished Jack were there. Maybe after he finished whatever he was doing, they could go for a walk by the sea. She didn’t care if her dress wasn’t ideal for walking on a pebble shore. She loved it and wanted to wear it.