A Spider on the Stairs

by Cassandra Chan

  “No shame in that,” said Bethancourt. “ ‘From each according to his abilities,’ you know, and we can’t all be Brumbys.”

  “No,” said Gibbons.

  “By the by,” added Bethancourt, “I do appreciate you not going into great detail over Jenks’ confession. The version the papers get is as much of that as I want.”

  “It’s as much as I want, too,” said Gibbons. “I’ll be happy to leave the criminally insane to Brumby and his team—it’s not a place I want to visit again.”

  “I’m quite selfishly glad of that,” said Bethancourt. “It would mean the end of my hobby if you were to join Brumby’s team permanently. Give me a nice, ordinary murder any day of the week.”

  “Hopefully, I’ll be back to that shortly,” said Gibbons. “Anyway, Carmichael is due back from his holidays on Monday, and I’m to report to him.”

  “A new case?” asked Bethancourt.

  Gibbons shrugged. “Maybe,” he said. “If so, I won’t find out till Monday.”

  Softly the clock began to chime.

  “That means dinner should be done,” said Bethancourt. “Shall we adjourn to the dining room?”

  “By all means,” said Gibbons, finishing his scotch and rising. He stretched a bit and then started as the sound of a car alarm began wailing outside.

  “All right?” asked Bethancourt, misinterpreting the start as a wince.

  Gibbons grinned. “It’s wonderful to be back in London,” he said.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  First and foremost I must thank Kelley Ragland and Matt Martz for their extraordinary patience in the seemingly endless wait for this book. And also my thanks to any readers out there who were feeling the same way.

  Jack and Mary Dodge made delightful traveling companions on my research trip to Yorkshire—I really don’t know what I would have done without them. Our days in the Dales are some of my fondest memories.

  Linda Pankhurst once again proved herself willing to discuss all aspects of British vernacular and to correct me where I went wrong. Plus she came all the way up to Yorkshire to visit. And Beth Knoche again volunteered her eagle eye for proofing. Thank you, ladies.

  Jennifer Jackson is the best agent anyone ever had. Nuf said.

  I love my cover art—thank you, Sergio Baradat.

  I must also acknowledge the enormous role played by Mark Alicea in the writing of this book. I’m not sure exactly what he did, but his contribution was huge—I know this because he has assured me of it several times. (I think mostly he made me laugh at work.)

  And Luis Cruz: your turn is next.