thinking of closing it down.”
“Oh, Bax, I’m so sorry. I know how much you enjoyed working for yourself.”
“Not really.” His smile barely made it past his lips. “It has become quite a bore traveling to and from the city on the train. I have so little time to spend with you. When I do close the office and have time to spare, in the summer and at Christmastime, that is when you are most busy. It’s all getting a little tiresome.”
Worried now, she reached for his hand. “Bax, I know how important your work is for you. Can’t you continue your business from here? You could have my office, while I could move my things-”
“No!” He shook his head and clasped her hand to his chest. “Cecily, my precious, this isn’t the time to discuss it. I do have some suggestions, but they can wait until we have this appalling business of murder cleared up and our guests are safely on their way back home. Then we can sit down and talk about our future.”
She felt a cold pang of fear and clutched his hand more tightly. “
“Well, of course.” He kissed her fingers and let her go. “My future is inevitably fused with yours, is it not? Now, I have some work to do. I trust we shall be able to enjoy a quiet meal this evening in our suite?”
Full of misgivings, she nodded. “Yes, but perhaps we should-”
“No buts.” He opened the door and walked out into the hallway. “Until this evening, my love.”
Before she could answer him, he was gone.
She closed the door and returned to her chair. Sighing, she rested her chin in her hands. Something told her that she was not going to like Baxter’s suggestions for their future. Right now, however, she could not allow herself to stew over it.
Knowing him as well as she did, he would tell her in his own good time and not before, so she would be simply wasting her breath trying to dig it out of him. She would simply have to wait until he was ready.
Meanwhile, she had enough on her mind to deal with, and the sooner she got to work on her investigation the better. Reaching for the telephone, she lifted the receiver to her ear. The operator answered her a few seconds later and she asked to be put through to Dr. Prestwick’s office.
Moments later his efficient voice answered her. “Cecily! How nice to hear from you. I’d be flattered that you rang me were I not certain that you are calling to ask about the murder of your maid.”
She smiled. “How did you guess?”
“As soon as I realized that she was one of your employees, I expected to hear from you.”
“Well, my reason for ringing you is twofold. It’s true, I would like to know your thoughts on Ellie’s murder.”
“Not much to tell you, I’m afraid. She was strangled. Her body was covered in coal dust, suggesting she had either been killed in your coal shed, or thrown there afterward. Probably until the killer had an opportunity to move the body.”
“Oh, my.” Cecily briefly closed her eyes. “Can you tell me when she died?”
Prestwick hesitated, as she’d expected.
“Kevin, I know you’re not supposed to tell me anything, but Ellie and Charlie were members of my staff, and you know what that means to me. I’d like to help, if I could, and knowing when Ellie and Charlie died would help a great deal.”
She heard the doctor’s sigh. “Very well, Cecily. If it were anyone but you…”
“Yes, I know, and I’m deeply grateful, Kevin. I promise I won’t mention to anyone what you tell me.”
“All right, then. The best I can estimate, Ellie’s death occurred somewhere between seven and ten o’clock two nights ago. Charlie died maybe an hour or so later.” He paused, then added, “I assume you know what is in Northcott’s report?”
“Yes, he believes Charlie killed Ellie then threw himself from the roof. Is that what you think?”
“I try not to second-guess the constable,” he said, with just a hint of rebuke. “All I can tell you is how and roughly when they died.”
“I understand, Kevin. Thank you.”
“I can tell you this,” he went on, surprising her. “It would seem that she had been wearing a necklace of some sort, which is now missing.”
Cecily caught her breath. “A necklace? Could it have broken while she was being strangled?”
“I don’t think so. There’s a deep slit in her neck above the bruises. I’d be more inclined to think the necklace was deliberately torn off her.”
It wasn’t much, Cecily thought. Still, it was something. A necklace, deliberately torn from Ellie’s neck. Why? And if so, where was it now?
“I have just one small favor to ask of you,” she said, as Kevin Prestwick prepared to hang up. “I’m having some crumpets delivered from Dolly’s tea shop tomorrow morning, and I was wondering if Madeline would like to join me for a spot of tea around eleven. With Angelina, of course. Would you pass on my invitation?”
“I’d be happy to do so. Madeline mentioned that she wanted to do a spot of shopping. I’m sure she’d be delighted to stop by. I know how much she loves Dolly’s crumpets.”
He bid her good day and hung up. Cecily was about to replace the receiver on its hook when she heard a cough on the line. “Is that you, operator?” she demanded, incensed by the intrusion. “May I remind you that eavesdropping is breaking the rules and could very well cost you your employment.”
The line clicked, and then hummed. Frowning, Cecily replaced the receiver. It had never occurred to her before that someone could be listening in to her conversations. As far as she knew, this was the first time this had happened. Perhaps the telephone exchange had hired a new operator.
Now the news could be all over town that two of her employees had been murdered and that she was investigating the crimes. Not only would that alert the killer, it could put her life in danger, as well as cause a great deal of trouble for Kevin.
From now on, she decided, she would have to conduct her private conversations in person. Apparently there were a good many disadvantages to this modern technology. Thoroughly disgruntled, she went in search of Samuel.
She found him in the courtyard, throwing a stick for a large, lanky dog who looked as if a good bath would do wonders for her appearance.
“I need you to do something for me,” she said, as Samuel greeted her. “I need you to search the coal shed and the backyard to see if you can find a necklace.”
Samuel looked at her in surprise. “You lost a necklace in the coal shed, m’m? What does it look like?”
“I don’t know what it looks like, Samuel. It isn’t mine.” She paused, then added quietly, “It belonged to Ellie. It was missing when the doctor examined her and I just wondered if perhaps it got lost in the scuffle.”
Samuel’s expression changed, and he looked down at the ground. “Oh, I see. I’ll take a look, m’m. I’ll let you know if I find anything.”
“Samuel?”
He looked up, but now she could see nothing in his face to tell her what he was feeling.
“Were you and Ellie… involved romantically?”
Samuel’s cheeks glowed red and he shuffled his feet as once more he dropped his gaze. “Course not, m’m. We were just friends, that’s all. I liked her, but not in that way, if you get my meaning.”
Feeling relieved, though she wasn’t quite sure why, Cecily said cheerfully, “Of course I understand, Samuel. Forget I asked. I would appreciate it if you would tell me if you find the necklace.”
“Yes, m’m. Right away.” He turned and whistled to the dog, who came loping over to him with her furry tail wagging.
“This is your new pet, I assume.” Cecily offered the back of her hand to the dog and received a wet lick across her fingers.
“Yes, m’m. This is Tess. She’s a good dog. If it hadn’t been for her we might never have found Ellie.” He patted the dog’s head, and a pair of adoring eyes stared back at him. “I hope Pansy is feeling better. She just about fainted when I told her. I wouldn’t let her see the body.” He looked at Cecily then and once more his eyes were moist. “I’d like to get my hands on whoever did that to Ellie.”
Cecily patted his shoulder. “We’ll find him, Samuel, never you fear. And when we do, we will see that justice is served.”
“Yes, m’m.”
“Meanwhile, Samuel, keep a sharp lookout, will you? Not only for yourself, but for everyone downstairs.”
