by Emily Organ
“I’ll have to let Inspector Rigby decide whether that’s a good idea or not.”
“Tell him to do it!” I demanded. “And then this whole mess will be sorted out for good!”
An hour later I was permitted to sit at a table with Mr Edwards. The dour police constable sat with us, as did Inspector Rigby: a large man with heavy jowls, black whiskers and unblinking eyes. He scribbled copious notes onto several sheets of paper.
James had also joined us, though there wasn’t a chair available for him to sit on. He paced the room and I tried to pretend that he didn’t look handsome in his smart grey suit. Our conversation on Blackfriars Bridge weighed heavily on my mind. I knew I had to accept that he had chosen Charlotte instead of me, but I felt a twinge of sadness whenever I looked at him.
“I have never been arrested before,” said Mr Edwards. “Do I need to find myself a lawyer?”
“There will be no need for that,” said James. “We’ll have the charges dropped and get you out of here as soon as possible.”
“We’ll see about that,” retorted Inspector Rigby.
“Mr Edwards was merely helping Miss Green,” said James. “That woman has been pestering her for a number of days now. When will you allow me to question her?”
“There is no need for you to do so.”
“I’m afraid there is, Inspector Rigby. There is a connection here with the murder of Richard Geller at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and I am currently investigating that case.”
“Doesn’t St Bartholomew’s fall under the jurisdiction of the City of London police?”
“It does, but the commissioner was personally asked by the victim’s father, an important Rabbi, to have the case investigated by the Yard.”
“You mention a connection between that murder and Mr Edwards’ attack on an innocent woman. What is the connection?”
“I shall be extremely happy to sit down with you later today to explain the situation to you, Inspector Rigby,” replied James. “But in the meantime, I must ask that you allow my good friends here to leave and grant me fifteen minutes with the woman in question.”
“I don’t wish to discuss this in detail with you here, Inspector Blakely. Please come into my office so we can continue the debate.”
The two inspectors left the room, leaving us alone with the dour police constable.
“How are you?” I asked Mr Edwards. “Did the stable lads hurt you?”
“Oh no,” he replied gently touching a painful-looking bruise on his cheekbone. “Not much, anyway.”
“I had no idea you could run so fast,” I said. “It was quite astonishing to witness.”
He blushed. “I was the hundred-yard flat race champion at university. I like to keep it up where possible, and I’m glad I did as it meant that we finally caught her.”
“Yes, you did. Thank you, Mr Edwards. We’ll be able to find out who she is now and put a stop to all this unpleasantness.”
“Her name is Miss Maria Forsyth and she denies ever having followed you,” said James when he and Inspector Rigby returned to the room a short while later. “She says she has no idea who you are.”
“What nonsense!” I leapt up from my seat. “You saw her following me, didn’t you, Mr Edwards?”
“I saw her pass us in Russell Square,” he replied.
“Exactly! She was following me!”
“Well, she was walking towards us if we’re to be precise,” corrected Mr Edwards.
“But she looked at me. You saw the look she gave me, didn’t you?”
“Actually, the first thing that drew my attention was that you began chasing after her, Miss Green. Are you sure she’s the woman who has been following you?”
“Of course she is!”
I felt my stomach flip with anger as I noticed a sceptical glance pass between Mr Edwards and James.
“If she’s innocent, why did she run away?” I snapped. “You saw how quickly she scarpered and the way she vaulted over that fence! She was acting suspiciously and she didn’t want to be caught!”
“That’s a good point,” said Mr Edwards. “She didn’t half move. Have you encountered Miss Forsyth before, Inspector Blakely?”
“No, though Penny has mentioned her to me a few times.”
“Can I speak with her?” I appealed to Inspector Rigby.
He sucked the air in through his teeth as he gave this some thought.
“Please?” I asked. “I only wish to know who she is.”
“We know who she is,” replied the Inspector. “She’s Miss Maria Forsyth, and she appears to have done nothing wrong.”
I snorted. “I disagree with that!”
“This gentleman, however,” Inspector Rigby gestured toward Mr Edwards, “chased after the poor woman and manhandled her in Woburn Mews.”
“Only because I asked him to, Inspector,” I said. “I take full responsibility for his actions.”
“It’s a shame the chap can’t take responsibility for himself,” the inspector replied. “Do you do everything Miss Green asks of you Mr Edwards?”
“I think I probably do,” he replied.
James rubbed his brow, seemingly bemused by this remark.
“However, Miss Green did not ask me to chase after Miss Forsyth,” continued Mr Edwards. “I merely did so because I could see that Miss Green wished for her to be apprehended.”
“If you let me speak to Miss Forsyth,” I continued, “perhaps I can explain to her why Mr Edwards and I pursued her.”
“Very well,” replied Inspector Rigby. “But the woman is keen to leave the station and I have found no reason to hold her here any longer. You may have five minutes with her, and I shall be present throughout.”
Inspector Rigby escorted me into the room where Miss Forsyth was waiting.
“When can I leave this place, Inspector?” she asked as we entered the room.
Then she saw me and curled her lip. There was no doubt in my mind that she was the woman in grey.
“Miss Green would like to speak to you for a few minutes, Miss Forsyth,” said the inspector. “And then you can be on your way.”
“What do you want?” she asked me coldly.
Her expression was haughty for someone so young. Her grey cotton dress, buttoned up to her throat, was trimmed with dark lace. Her black hat lay on the table in front of her and my eyes were drawn to the pair of earrings which glittered in her ears.
I immediately thought of the earring I had found inside the medical school museum.
“I want to know why you’re following me,” I said.
“Why would I follow you?” she replied with a seemingly confused expression.
“I saw you in the reading room and after that at the theatre. You were watching me on both occasions. And then you waited for me outside my home and chalked the words Stay Away on my landlady’s front door. After that you followed me to Berkeley Square and I chased after you, but you escaped.”
A smile slowly spread across Miss Forsyth’s face as I spoke. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t even know who you are.”
“You’re lying!” I retorted.
“Now, now, Miss Green,” said Inspector Rigby. “There is no need for anyone to lose their temper.”
“Someone asked you to follow me,” I said to Miss Forsyth, ignoring the inspector’s admonition. “Who was it?”
The smile remained on her face. “It’s clear to me and to the police that you have mistaken me for someone else.”
“No, I haven’t. I recognise you. And it is no coincidence that you were in Russell Square today.”
“I was walking to my sister’s house in Gordon Square when your uncouth friend decided to chase me.”
“So why did you run away?”
“I was frightened! I didn’t know what he was planning to do to me!”
Inspector Rigby glared at me as if to ascertain why I wasn’t satisfied with this explanation.
“Where’s my cat?” I asked.
“You took her!” I snarled.
Her laughter rang in my ears and I felt my fist clench as I fought the urge to strike her.
“Inspector, this woman is deluded!” chuckled Miss Forsyth. “I hope you intend to commit her to Bedlam.”
I lunged towards her with no idea what I would do if I got close enough. Inspector Rigby grabbed my arm and pushed me back.
“That’s quite enough, ladies. Miss Green, leave this room immediately.”
Anger boiled in my chest as he led me away.
“She’s lying!” I said to him. “Everything she has said is a lie!”
“That may be so,” he replied. “But we have no evidence to support your claims.”
“So in the meantime you intend to arrest my friend, Mr Edwards, who has done nothing wrong!”
“No, he won’t be arrested,” replied Inspector Rigby as we walked back toward the others. “Miss Forsyth has graciously said that she does not wish to press charges.”
“Miss Forsyth doesn’t wish to press charges because she was up to no good in the first place!” I fumed as I walked back across Russell Square towards the British Museum with James and Mr Edwards. “Did you ask her about the earring we found at the museum, James?”
“Not on this occasion, but we have a record of her name and address now, so we can ask her about it later if necessary.”
“If necessary? I think it rather essential.”
“Penny, there’s nothing to suggest that she has any connection at all to Richard Geller’s murder.”
“Not yet, but it’s worth asking, don’t you think?”
“I suppose it is.”
I sighed. “I feel as though we have missed an opportunity to challenge her properly.”
“Inspector Rigby was rather protective of her,” said James. “He seemed to view her as the victim of that whole business today.”
“I shouldn’t have grappled with her in that manner,” added Mr Edwards with deep shame.
“What else could you have done?” I asked. “You did the right thing, Mr Edwards. Sadly, I cannot prove that she’s the same woman who has been following me, and it seems that no one believes me, anyway.”
“I believe you, Miss Green,” said Mr Edwards.
“As do I, Penny,” added James.
“Well it didn’t seem that way at the police station!” I retorted. “I saw the look you gave each other.”
“What look?” asked James.
“A look of exasperation.”
“We did no such thing!” said Mr Edwards.
“You did so!” I replied. “You both say you believe me to keep me happy, but I don’t think either of you actually does.”
“That’s not true,” said James. “I understand you’re upset about Tiger, but it’s not fair to suggest that we don’t believe you. We both wish to help as much as we possibly can.”
“You cannot help me any further, James. The future Mrs Blakely has decreed it.”
“Now come on, Penny. That’s unfair.” James stopped.
“Decreed what?” Mr Edwards asked, also drawing to a halt. “What’s unfair? And what does it have to do with the future Mrs Blakely?”
“Ask James,” I replied, walking on without them.
Chapter 47
“Miss Green! What brings you here at this hour?”
Mr Sherman’s housekeeper had shown me into his study, which had crimson wallpaper and was as untidy as his office at the Morning Express. It was the first time I had visited my editor’s home in Holborn and I could see that he was surprised and uneasy about my being there. A pipe was lodged in his mouth and he wore a velvet paisley smoking jacket.
“Is everything all right?” he asked, standing and gesturing for me to sit in an easy chair by the fireplace. Then he sat back at his desk.
“Not especially,” I replied.
“Then you must have a sherry,” he replied, picking up the decanter on his desk. “There is another glass somewhere about the place. It’s East India sherry, Miss Green. Your favourite.”
He found the spare glass, filled it and passed it to me. I took a sip and enjoyed the comforting warmth of it in my throat.
“What was the unpleasant incident?” I asked.
“Oh, you don’t need to worry yourself about that.”
“But I should like to know! Was it anything to do with Mr Maynell or Mr Copeland from Repton, Borthwick and Company?”
“I don’t know who it was to do with, Miss Green, but there is no need to concern yourself about the incident.”
“But how long do you wish me to stay away from the office?”
“For as long as it takes for matters to calm down. Sadly, I think you need to stop pursuing your current line of inquiry.”
“But I can’t stop!” I replied. “Jeffrey Maynell and Jack Copeland are writing poisonous letters about me, and a woman called Maria Forsyth has been following me. They all deny it, of course, but I have to continue with the investigation. I cannot allow them to get away with what they’re doing. And there is also Richard Geller’s murder to consider. Somehow these people are behind it, but we need to prove how exactly.”
Mr Sherman blew out a puff of pipe smoke. “Leave it to the police, Miss Green. The very best course of action now is to distance yourself from it all.”
“I can’t leave it up to the police.”
“Of course you can. It’s their job to solve these crimes. Stop the work you’re doing on this and I have every confidence that the malicious letters, the bricks through the windows and the other unfortunate incidents will come to an end.”
“You still haven’t told me what has happened at the office.”
“Nor have I any need to, for the time being.”
I felt sure that Edgar or Frederick would tell me if I were to ask them.
“If I were to stop my work on this case I would be giving up,” I said.
“Is that such a bad thing?” he replied. “Sometimes perseverance tips over into sheer stubbornness. Now and again a little skilled judgement is required. You can’t win every battle.”
“Maybe I can’t. But I know that I cannot leave this matter to the police.”
“Why ever not?”
“Because you told me yourself that there are certain people who refuse to speak to the police.”
“Well, that’s the detectives’ problem to manage, not yours.”
“Do you think they might speak to me?”
“Miss Green, do not get involved! You will only make matters worse for yourself!”
“You didn’t answer my question, sir. Would the men who refuse to speak to the police speak to me?”
“I don’t know,” he replied irritably. “But even if there’s a chance they will, what of it? They can’t help the case progress because there isn’t the slightest chance they would agree to appear in court.”
“I’m quite sure they wouldn’t have to. Please will you help me try? Two men have lost their lives. Two innocent men. And I have been to the museum at the medical school and seen where it all happened.” I shivered. “It was such a terrible thing to happen to Richard Geller.”
“I heard that Rabbi Geller asked the Yard to investigate. They will get to the bottom of this very quickly now, you’ll see.”
“Not if people refuse to speak to them.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Inspector Blakely has been asked to work on it.”
“As a matter of fact, he has.”
“Well there you go then, Miss Green. You have every confidence in the man, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. But I’m not prepared to stop pleading with you, Mr Sherman. I need to speak to someone who knew Richard Geller well. And someone who knew Simon Borthwick. I would be discreet; you know that I would. I would never put anybody in danger and I won’t tell the police who I’ve spoken to. Not even James.
“Please, Mr Sherman, will you ask th
e people you know and find out if there is someone who could speak to me about Mr Geller and Mr Borthwick? Even if they have nothing helpful to impart I shall at least know that I have tried. I cannot miss an opportunity to find out something more. I’ve tried speaking to the people who I feel sure are behind it, but I have made no progress. I need to understand more about Richard Geller and Simon Borthwick, and I feel sure that someone knows something which can be of some use to me.”
“I must say that you’re extremely persistent.”
“That’s why I’m a news reporter.”
“I would much prefer you to devote your energies to the stories we print in the paper.”
“I am more than happy to, but I need to see this one through as well. Please, Mr Sherman.”
He stared into the middle distance and sucked on his pipe thoughtfully.
“I’m going to have to think about it, Miss Green,” he replied after a long pause. “I can’t promise you anything at all.”
An envelope was waiting for me when I arrived home. Inside it was an invitation to dine with Edgar and Georgina Fish. Initially, my heart sank at the thought of having to make polite conversation for a whole evening, but then I realised that Edgar could perhaps tell me what had been happening at the office in my absence.
Chapter 48
“I can’t help thinking that my behaviour toward Inspector Blakely has been rather petulant,” I said to Eliza as we had lunch together at The Holborn Restaurant. Another day away from work had provided me with a little extra time to meet with my sister.
“What have you done now, Penelope?” she asked as she dipped her spoon into her bowl of chicken consommé.
“I think I may have become rather sulky when he mentioned that his fiancée would prefer it if we no longer spent time together alone.”
“Sulky? Oh dear, that’s rather immature. It sounds as though his fiancée has finally realised that she has something to be concerned about.”