“I don’t know what to think about any of this,” I said. “It seems like a great, wretched mess.”
“You’ve had a difficult night,” Milo said. “You’ll feel better tomorrow.”
I hoped so. But there was one thing I knew I would not feel better about.
“We’ve let a killer go free,” I said. I understood why Cecile had done what she had done, but I didn’t know how I would reconcile myself to the fact. I had always believed that killers should be brought to justice, and I didn’t know what to make of Cecile Belanger’s drastic decision.
Milo, whose ethics had always been much more fluid than mine, did not seem as bothered by the prospect.
“Monsieur Belanger had given his orders and Cecile carried them out.”
“Yes, but…”
“You mustn’t worry about it, darling,” he said. “There’s nothing we can do, in any event. The secrets they keep are too great to be risked.”
Perhaps he was right. Perhaps this time we would have to content ourselves with the knowledge of the truth, though we could never reveal it.
* * *
MILO CALLED MADAME Nanette to come and see us the next morning. I think she suspected something had happened, from the anxious look that she tried to hide as she sat down with us in the sitting room.
“We have some news about Monsieur Belanger’s death,” Milo told her.
“Oh?” she asked. “You have discovered something?”
“Yes,” Milo said. “It seems it was heart failure, after all. In the course of a conversation with Cecile, she mentioned that he had an illness that he was hiding.”
Madame Nanette frowned. “But everything seemed to point to there being something wrong. It was not that he seemed ill. He was not himself.”
Milo leaned toward her and put his hand on hers. “You were quite right,” Milo said, his tone gentle. “You see, he was slowly losing his mind.”
Madame Nanette’s eyes widened ever so slightly, and she took a moment to digest this. “I had wondered why he was so much changed,” she said at last.
“It made him confused, which is what caused his aeroplane crash,” I said, glad I could tell her at least part of the truth.
“Poor man,” she said sadly. “I suppose it was all too much for his heart, after all.”
“I’m sorry,” Milo said. “For what it is worth, I think he cared greatly for you. Cecile said that was why he insisted that you come to look after the child. His mind was on the past and he wanted to make amends.”
Another thought occurred to her, and she turned to me. “But why the call last night, to look after the child?”
“It was a false alarm,” Milo said. “It was laid to rest when I talked to Cecile.”
She did not accept this excuse lightly, I could tell from her expression. A frown flickered on her brow, a great many questions crossing her eyes, but then she seemed to make up her mind about something. She nodded, and I realized that she knew, as I did, that it was never any good to demand answers from Milo; he would never reveal any more than he wanted to.
She smiled and reached for his hand. “You are a good man, Milo.”
“Thank you,” he said. “You may be exaggerating, but whatever is good in me, I owe to you.”
“And to your wife,” she said.
He smiled, glancing over at me. “Yes, and to my wife.”
“I am glad you came. I am glad to set my mind at rest. Poor Helios. It was a sad end, but I am glad that he is free of suffering.”
“You’ll be all right?” Milo asked her.
“Of course. As I told you, it had been a very long time. I was a child when I loved him. I am sorry for Seraphine, but I will let her know how much her father cared for her. And his name will live on through his perfumes.”
“Yes,” I said sincerely. “Cecile Belanger will see to that.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “There has been much sorrow in the Belanger home, but I hope to see happiness restored there again.”
I hoped so, too.
“I should go,” she said, rising from her seat. “Despite the circumstances, I am very glad to have seen you both.”
“Don’t forget,” Milo said. “You no longer have to weary yourself with working. And you needn’t accept my money now that Helios Belanger has left you comfortably off.”
“I will likely be working when you are old and gray,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “But perhaps before then I may come and look after your children, yes?”
I glanced at Milo and then back at Madame Nanette and smiled. “Yes, we would like that very much.”
She leaned to kiss me on one cheek and then the other, and then turned to Milo.
“Treat your wife well and write me soon,” she told him.
“Yes, madame,” he replied obediently.
She kissed him and then took her leave.
When she was gone, I turned to Milo. “I would never have imagined things would end this way.”
Nothing about this trip had been what I’d expected. This mystery had unfolded almost like perfume on the skin, new questions and answers revealing themselves layer upon layer as the last one faded into the air.
“Life is an adventure, to be certain,” Milo replied. “Especially if one has a nose for trouble. Isn’t that right, my perceptive darling?”
Sometimes one could have too much adventure. I was suddenly very weary of this holiday. It would be nice to get back to England, to rest at Thornecrest and enjoy our London flat. I was ready to go home.
“Can we go back to London at once?” I asked Milo.
“Very well, darling.” He came to me and pulled me into his arms. “But let’s not start packing just yet.”
I looked up at him, smiling. “You don’t mind us going home? I know how much you love your nights spent running wild in Paris.”
“Je n’aime que toi, ma chérie,” he murmured, leaning to kiss me.
Emile seemed to appreciate the sentiment for he screeched loudly, clapping his paws together with approval and smacking his lips.
Milo glanced at the monkey with an annoyed sigh.
“That will do, Emile. You’ve been most helpful, but I’m afraid I’ve had enough of your interference for one day.”
And then he swept me up into his arms and carried me to the bedroom, kicking the door firmly closed behind us.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I WILL NEVER cease to be grateful to the people whose time and energies have helped bring this story from my head to the page. I owe my heartfelt thanks:
To Peter Joseph for his insight and expertise in editing this book.
To the teams at Thomas Dunne and Minotaur for always going above and beyond in every step of that wondrous process that turns my words into books.
To my agent, Ann Collette, for her efforts, advice, and chocolate chip banana bread.
To Chalanda Duncan, my good-natured captive audience, for listening to me plot aloud endlessly while we ride in the library bookmobile.
To my family for their love, support, and unending enthusiasm.
And to Amelia Lea and Sabrina Street for saving the day repeatedly with their thoughtful critiques and willingness to do last-minute read-throughs.
Words can’t express how much I appreciate you all!
ALSO BY ASHLEY WEAVER
Murder at the Brightwell
Death Wears a Mask
A Most Novel Revenge
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ASHLEY WEAVER is the technical services coordinator at the Allen Parish Libraries in Oberlin, Louisiana. Weaver has worked in libraries since she was fourteen; she was a page and then a clerk before obtaining her MLIS from Louisiana State University. The Amory Ames series includes Murder at the Brightwell, which was shortlisted for the Edgar Award, as well as Death Wears a Mask and A Most Novel Revenge. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Acknowledgments
Also by Ashley Weaver
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE ESSENCE OF MALICE. Copyright © 2017 by Ashley Weaver. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
Cover illustration by John Mattos
The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:
Names: Weaver, Ashley, author.
Title: The essence of malice: a mystery / Ashley Weaver.
Description: First edition. | New York: Minotaur Books, 2017. | Series: An Amory Ames mystery; 4
Identifiers: LCCN 2017017668 | ISBN 9781250060464 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781466865693 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Women private investigators—England—London—Fiction. | Murder—Investigation—Fiction. | GSAFD: Mystery fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3623.E3828 E87 2017 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017017668
eISBN 9781466865693
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact your local bookseller or the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].
First Edition: September 2017
The Essence of Malice Page 28