Stabbing Set with Sapphires

by L. A. Nisula

  I decided it was safe enough to tell her, “I’m meeting someone who was at the pub that night. Maybe she’ll tell me something useful.”

  “I hope so.” She made a good effort at a smile. “I assume he'll want us all to stay and be questioned now that we're here, but I'll ask him if you can go.”

  But being here seemed like my best chance at finding out something useful. “That's all right. I don't want him any more annoyed with me than he is.”

  “Then I’d better let you get back to the lounge while there’s still some butter left.”

  I took that to mean she wanted to be alone, so I smiled and continued on.

  We all spent most of the morning clustered in the lounge drinking the tea I’d brought, which wasn’t bad, and finishing the scones and muffins. There were a few attempts at conversation, but they all fizzled out quickly. Miss Fairfield started to talk about the shop, which turned to speculation about when they would re-open and reschedule the clients, but as most of the appointments had been for custom jewelry, which was Mr. Morris’s department, that discussion ended quickly. So did the one about dinner (that was when Miss Crawford had been taken) and even Mr. Garver’s desperate attempt to tell us about the last boxing match he’d attended ended abruptly when he remembered it was Mr. Morris’s favorite sport.

  By the time Mr. Kleinman came in around noon with sandwiches from the pub, we were ready for any distraction. Mr. Garver rushed forward to help with the bags as Miss Henderson rambled on about how kind it was for him to have thought of us.

  “Not at all. Not at all. You do have to eat. I’ve got a bit of everything here. Who wants the toasted cheese before it gets cold? Miss Pengear?”

  “Thanks.” I took the sandwich he offered. Miss Fairfield took the other. Miss Henderson and Miss Peters took ham and Mr. Garver had roast beef. Miss Kleinman came in as we were discussing whether or not to bring the leftovers to the police.

  “Daniel, you remembered. Good.” She took one of the cooling cheese sandwiches. “We would have let you all go, but Inspector Wainwright wanted to talk to you again. I had the impression it would be soon. Did you think so, Daniel?”

  “It seemed so.” Mr. Kleinman took a large bite of his sandwich so he wouldn’t have to say anything else.

  Inspector Wainwright hadn’t arrived by the time we’d finished our sandwiches. “If he doesn’t come soon, I’ll―” Miss Kleinman paused to listen to the sound of a door closing and footsteps in the hall. I recognized them too and pretended to be very interested in my sandwich crusts.

  Inspector Wainwright ignored me when he came into the lounge. I took that as a good sign; at least he wasn’t going to continue glaring at me for suggesting he get some help. Most of the staff became very interested in their food, including Mr. Kleinman. Miss Kleinman looked at Inspector Wainwright with one eyebrow raised, as if he’d just been called on and she was waiting for him to provide the required answer.

  “We are still processing the crime scene; however, the vault itself should be available to you tomorrow. The actual area where the―event occurred will not, but it seems the vault can be accessed without passing directly through the crime scene if you follow the path that will be laid out for you.”

  I wondered if he had actually listened to my suggestion that he handle the people here carefully.

  Miss Kleinman got to the core of the issue. “Then it seems the shop will be able to re-open tomorrow morning?”

  Inspector Wainwright went on as if she hadn’t spoken. “We are verifying your alibis for the weekend and will no doubt have more questions for you once that has been accomplished.”

  I looked around the room for signs of nerves or tension, but I couldn’t tell what of the fidgeting was from the possibility of an alibi being broken and what was from being around Inspector Wainwright.

  “You will need to remain available for further questioning.”

  When Inspector Wainwright didn’t go on, Miss Kleinman asked, “Will there be more questioning today?”

  “Not at this moment.”

  “Then I don’t think we’ll get anything more done today. You may all go home, but there will be a half-day tomorrow. Unless the inspector objects?”

  All eyes turned to Inspector Wainwright. Anyone else would have immediately said to leave, but he considered the matter for a moment before saying, “I suppose it won’t do any good to ask you to stay.”

  Everyone started looking towards the cloakroom.

  Miss Kleinman nodded towards the door to the showroom. “Were you going to look at the front door?”

  Inspector Wainwright glared at her but said, “If that’s what you wish.” When he followed her out of the lounge, the tension lifted and everyone made for their coats and hats. I went to gather my typewriter. As I passed through the salesroom, I saw Inspector Wainwright giving the front door lock a cursory glance. Apparently he knew it had been an excuse to get him out of the room too.

  I had just gotten everything packed away in its case and was working on getting it to lock when Miss Peters came into the room. She leaned on the doorframe and began adjusting her gloves, trying to get each finger just so. I had the feeling she was building up to something, so I pretended to have trouble getting the latch to close until she said, “I don’t like to bother you again, after our last...um...well.”

  I knew she meant finding that Miss Crawford had been kidnapped. There didn’t seem to be much worse for us to find, so I said, “Just ask, it’ll be easier. I promise to say no if it’s an imposition.”

  She smiled a little. “Mr. Morris’s funeral is tomorrow. The Kleinmans are closing the shop early because of it, so a few of us thought we should go, as we don’t know how many others will. The others that are going are going to meet for lunch before, but I said I couldn’t. It seemed a bit too―festive. But I’d really rather not go alone either. You see the dilemma?”

  I did. And as little as the idea of a funeral for a man I barely knew appealed to me, I knew it was one place to look for answers that Inspector Wainwright couldn’t complain about if he found me there. “Would you like to go together? It might be a bit less awkward.”

  Miss Peters stopped fiddling with her gloves. “If you were planning on going anyway...”

  “Like you said, who knows what kind of a turn-out there’ll be. It would probably be a comfort to his family to know he worked with people who liked him enough to attend.”

  Miss Peters walked with me to the front door. Inspector Wainwright had gone back to whatever he was here for by the time we got to the sales floor so the room was empty. We arranged to meet at a teashop near Mr. Morris’s home, then Miss Henderson hurried to catch the omnibus home while I walked to the Underground station and considered what I would ask the waitress when we met up.

  Chapter 12

  THE TEASHOP THAT HAD BEEN SUGGESTED for our meeting was crowded enough that there was a hum of voices when I entered, but not so crowded that my request for a table where I could hear my friend talk without shouting was difficult to accommodate. Effie, the barmaid, arrived at three minutes past four. She was pretty in a normal, friendly sort of way, and I suspected she made good tips from both male and female diners. She thanked the waitress for showing her to the table as I ordered us a pot of tea and some cake.

  As soon as the waitress was gone, Effie leaned in and got down to business. “Bob said you were helping that inspector.”

  “That’s right. Well not really helping him―he thinks my help is interference―more looking into matters myself.”

  She nodded. “He seems the type. But he’ll listen if it’s important and you tell him?”

  “He’s a good investigator. He’ll grumble and complain, but he’ll listen.”

  “All right, then.”

  Our tea and cake arrived at that moment, and we were both silent while the waitress arranged everything between us. Once we were settled, I leaned in.

  “You thought something was odd that night?”

  “
It was, but I didn’t like to say. I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble, you know?”

  “But a girl was kidnapped. Didn’t you want whoever did that to get in trouble?”

  “Oh, but they didn’t tell us that at all. Not one mention of kidnapping until you told Bob out on the stoop. He’s the one that told me she was snatched. But you see, it wasn’t him, so I didn’t want to bring it up.”

  This was getting me nowhere. I tried my best to smile. “Why don’t you tell me what you saw, and I’ll tell you if it’s something you should go to the inspector with.” I avoided saying Wainwright’s name. No point reminding her that that was who she would have to talk to if it was helpful information.

  “If you think...”

  “I do.”

  “All right then. Their table was in my section, so I saw them come in and I saw them leave. The one that went missing, well she had on the most incredible shoes. Purple silk with silver beads and the heels were all shiny. I was thinking if they would be something I could wear on the job you see, when I’m on my feet so much. The point is I noticed her, and when she came in, she was fit as a fiddle, talking and laughing with the other two. When she left, she looked like she was feeling poorly. Her friend had to help her to the door. One of the fellows even offered to find her a cab, they were that concerned, but they said no. Don’t blame them as they didn’t know him, but he’s been around, and he’s an all-right sort. I didn’t like to say in case it was the food and they shut us down, but you don’t suppose she was taken worse on her way home?”

  “It’s possible. They should be checking for that, though. Was anyone else taken ill?”

  “Not that I saw.”

  “Did she eat anything the others wouldn’t have?”

  “Fish and chips and a pint. That’s what half the place had. Then some pudding, but I had some of the same on my tea break.”

  “So it’s unlikely it was the food, or if it was food, it wasn’t something she ate there, not if everyone else who ate it is fine.”

  “Good point. You think the police’ll see that?”

  “I’m sure they will. You should tell them this. It will give something to look for in the hospitals.”

  “He’s not really the sort you like to tell, you know?”

  “I’d offer to tell him for you, but I think it would be worse coming from me. You could try asking for Constable Finchly instead. He was the one that came when we discovered she was missing. Or Constable Edwards. He’s on the case too. Maybe they can pass on the information.” At least it might get her to Scotland Yard.

  “I’ll try that, I suppose. I do want her to be found.”

  “The man you said offered to find her a cab, Bob said there was a man talking to her that he was watching.”

  “Different man. He came in just to look at the birds, I think. Ordered one drink and didn’t drink it, just stared around the room until he went to talk to her.”

  “Could he have slipped something into her food?”

  “I don’t think so, but I wasn’t really watching. You’d have to ask Bob.”

  “Did he approach anyone else?”

  “Just her. I figured she’d given him such a dressing-down he just left.”

  “Has he been back since?”

  “Not that I’ve seen. But now that we know what this is about, all of us are going to be on the lookout for him, and we’ll call for a constable if we see him.”

  I decided to leave the strange man to Scotland Yard. If he was involved, well, the last thing I wanted was to be rescued by Inspector Wainwright of all people.

  “Was there anything else strange?”

  She shook her head. “And hasn’t been since. You don’t suppose it’s a serial kidnapper, like Jack the Ripper, do you?”

  “I doubt it. It’s probably connected to the shop where she works, so if anyone else is taken, it will be someone from there.”

  She shuddered. “Don’t like to think of that happening to anyone. Well, thank you for the tea. I’ll go talk to that Finchly in the morning.”

  “That’s good. It might help find her quickly. They’ll want a description of the man who was talking to her as well.”

  She nodded. “I’ll do my best. I’d better get to work.”

  I finished my tea and left a generous tip. I’d have to tell Inspector Wainwright about this. I hated to get anyone in trouble for not telling him everything, but if it could get Miss Crawford back sooner, then I couldn’t delay. I decided sending a note to the Yard was the best way to do it. Maybe one of the constables would pick it up and track down the lead.

  On my way home, I stopped by the aviary and composed my letter to Inspector Wainwright on one of their shaky desks with a pen that had been attached to it with too little chain. As the note was too long for a bird, I hired a regular messenger boy to take it to Scotland Yard. After agonizing over how to word the letter, I rewarded myself with a slice of walnut cake from the bakery. Then I telephoned Kate from the cabinet in the front hall and arranged for her to meet me outside of Kleinman and Co. on Thursday, and passed that information on to Mr. Kleinman’s manservant and Miss Kleinman’s landlady.

  I had just settled into my favorite chair with my tea and cake and a book when I heard a tapping on my window. I didn’t know many people who used mechanical birds to deliver messages, at least ones that ended up at the right window, so I was not surprised to open the window and find one of the dull iron birds favored by Scotland Yard. There had been no effort to make it look more lifelike, none of the paste-jewel eyes or individual feathers of the fancier versions, just a little sphere with wings and legs and a small panel in its chest for the message. The clasp was sticky and when I finally got the panel un-latched, it popped up. Clearly the bird needed a bit of time in maintenance. I pulled out the small roll of paper and left the bird on the side table. I recognized the handwriting on the short note at once. Inspector Burrows had rather large handwriting with all the swirls and flourishes he’d been taught in school, although less neat than I’m sure his teachers would have liked. It meant he couldn’t fit much on the small paper needed for the bird and had to be very direct in his messages.

  “Miss Pengear:

  Please come to Kleinmans' mid-morning. Inspector Burrows”

  I smiled. So Inspector Wainwright actually had listened to me for once. I tucked the note into my pocket and found a small oilcan in the cupboard under the window. Even though I knew the bird was just a bit of metal and couldn’t feel anything, I felt sorry for it. So I made sure the bird was properly oiled and the clasp cleaned up before I slipped a small note inside acknowledging the invitation, flicked the switch that would make it follow its original path in reverse, and sent it on its way.

  ~ * ~ * ~

  The next morning, the front door to the shop was open when I got there, but no one was on the main selling floor. The bell rang when I pushed open the door, and I saw Mr. Garver lean around the door to the backroom looking for the newcomer. “We’re back here, Miss Pengear.”

  I nodded acknowledgment and went to join him in the back room.

  “New inspector,” he murmured. “We’re all in the lounge. There’s tea.”

  “Thanks.”

  I found everyone clustered around the middle table, teacups in hand. Miss Kleinman was missing, so I assumed she was behind the closed office door with Inspector Burrows. I went to the best spot for gossip.

  “Miss Pengear, so they did call you in too.” Miss Henderson handed me a cup.

  I poured some tea. “So what is this about?”

  “There’s a new policeman,” Miss Peters whispered. “And he’s ever so much nicer than that Wainwright.”

  “He said they needed to clarify a few points, so they called us all in,” Miss Fairfield added.

  “And why send him and not Inspector Wainwright to do it?” I wanted to make certain I wouldn’t damage his cover story.

  “He said Wainwright was off chasing down a lead when they realized they needed the i
nformation, so he offered to come down here.”

  “And I’m glad he did,” Miss Peters added. “He’s much easier to talk to.”

  Before I could ask anything else, we heard the office door open and Miss Kleinman’s footsteps in the hall. “I thought you all heard Inspector Burrows say we could continue with our work while he got on with his. Then why is there no one on the sales floor?” Everyone filed out into the hallway. I followed to see what was happening.

  Inspector Burrows was standing in the doorway to Mr. Kleinman’s office, smiling at everyone. “A misunderstanding, I’m sure. Miss Pengear, if you’d come in next?”

  Inspector Burrows closed the door behind me and gestured to the chair across from the desk. “I’m going to guess that you told Inspector Wainwright everything you knew despite his tendency to grumble?”

  “Of course. I’m used to him.” I took the seat he indicated. “So why did you ask me in here?”

  “To thank you, of course. He doesn’t like to ask for help, but he does need it sometimes. And to see what they’re saying. Am I succeeding in what I was supposed to do?”

  “Oh, they all think you’re charming.”

  “Interesting.” He leaned back in his chair.

  “Why?” When he didn’t answer, I guessed. “She won’t talk to you either.”

  “No, she won’t.” He grinned at me. “Don’t jump to conclusions. It’s possible that Wainwright scared her so badly she won’t talk to any police officer. Or she could be so upset she doesn’t want to relive it just now.”

  “But you would think she’d want to help catch who did it.” I realized I sounded like Wainwright.

  “You would. But it doesn’t always happen that way. Just because you’re logical enough to see it that way doesn’t mean she is. Especially not if she’s upset.”

  “What happened?”

  Inspector Burrows didn’t bother trying to distract me from the question. “I only told you I was coming here today, so when I got here it was a surprise. I told Miss Kleinman who I was and gave the staff a nice little speech about how I needed to clarify a few details for Wainwright; then I called Miss Peters in and questioned her about finding the body. Then I spoke to Mr. Kleinman about the insurance, which gave Miss Peters enough time to tell everyone how wonderful I am before I called for Miss Eaton. She was here for all of two minutes, barely long enough for me to get her name and particulars, and then she burst into tears and ran out of the room. So I called for Miss Kleinman and tried to get a sense of how the girl was behaving before I called her in. Miss Kleinman seemed to think she was fine and couldn’t explain the reaction.”