Salter mumbled something impolite but dutifully followed Riley back to his room.
‘Close the door.’
Salter did so and fell into a chair, running a hand through his hair and still muttering imprecations beneath his breath.
‘Lane doesn’t know your daughter himself, and he won’t lay a finger on her, so don’t get yourself worked up, Jack. Like I say, he was just getting back at you for throwing your weight about. No one does that to Lane and gets away with it.’ Riley leaned his head back, closed his eyes and sighed. ‘One of his many employees would make it his business to know all there is to know about the policemen living or working on his patch. You can bet your life that if you didn’t have a reputation for being straight as a die, you would have been approached with monetary incentives to help keep him one step ahead of the law by now.’
‘Ha! Fat chance.’
‘It’s to your credit that you haven’t been,’ Riley said softly. ‘You and I both know that the force is creaking at the seams with corrupt officers.’
‘Yeah, point taken,’ Salter replied, sighing. ‘He came here with the specific intention of telling us about Ezra’s intended, didn’t he?’
‘He did, Jack. The engagement, if it exists, was a secret. I’m not sure why. Either the lady is underage or recently widowed. Or else Ezra wanted to get more out of Ida before he left her employ.’
‘It would account for Ezra’s frequent visits to Clapham. He did visit his old ma, but not for long. Clearly he wasn’t quite the devoted son that she made him out to be.’
‘And it could have been his lady friend who sent the message about his mother being ill. Perhaps she needed to see him for some reason.’
‘Then why did he waste his precious time in the Plough?’ Salter asked, shaking his head. ‘He can have a drink any time he wants.’
‘That I cannot say, Jack, but what I do know is that if Ida somehow got wind of his interest elsewhere, she would not have been best pleased.’
‘Blimey, sir, more suspects. Just what we need. But still, I see what you mean. She knew where he had gone and wouldn’t think twice about accosting him in a tavern.’
‘We need to find that lady, Jack. Give the others their orders. First thing tomorrow I want them knocking on the doors of all the big houses that face the common, asking for details of ownership. Peterson can check at Lord Rothsmere’s for confirmation that Gideon was there. I’m convinced that he must have been because he couldn’t expect such an important personage to lie for him, so it’s just a matter of being thorough. Carter and Soames will be of more use in Clapham.’
‘Lane knows who she is and where she lives. Why the devil didn’t you let me make him tell us?’ Salter asked accusingly.
‘He likes playing games, Jack, which is why he came to us. Well, that and to get our measure. He wanted to see for himself what he was up against. If we’d pushed him any harder, he would have simply got up and left. We had no reason to hold him here and he knew it.’ Riley tapped his fingers absently against the surface of his desk. ‘He likes to be in control and I was content to allow him to think that he is, after a fashion. At least for now. If we subsequently discover that he had anything to do with Ezra’s death, even indirectly, then I’ll let you loose on him.’
Salter cracked his knuckles, mollified. ‘I’ll hold you to that, sir.’
‘Get yourself off now, Jack, and speak to the patrons at the Plough. I will see you there in the morning.’
‘Right you are then, sir.’
A tap at the door preceded Peterson entering the room.
‘Anything to report from Gideon Randall’s residence?’ Riley asked.
‘No one came or went all the time I was there, sir. One of Sergeant Barton’s men has taken my place.’
‘Shame. I thought we’d spooked her. Never mind.’
‘Take more than that to shake her up. She’s a cool customer,’ Salter said, scowling.
‘Her male servant came out but I couldn’t follow him and watch the house.’
‘Damn! She probably sent a note to her co-conspirator. Sergeant Salter has a job for the three of you in the morning. He’ll tell you what’s required and you can tell the other two when they get back. In the meantime, Peterson, I want you to have a quiet word with Verity Randall’s footman. You got to know him during your last visit, I think.’
‘I did, sir. I assume you want me to find out if he delivered a message for his mistress and if so, who it was addressed to.’
‘I do indeed, Peterson.’
‘Leave it to me, sir. Given that they live in an apartment, I can’t go in through the kitchen but I can wait for the footman to come out when he has a break. Mrs Randall won’t even know I’m there. Her servants aren’t especially loyal so they won’t say a word if I tell ’em not to.’
‘Right then, I have an appointment so I shall leave you to it.’ Riley reached for his hat. ‘Until tomorrow, gentlemen.’
Riley didn’t have anywhere specific that he needed to be but no further progress could be made on the inquiry until the morning. He felt suffocated by this particular case and required a little time to himself, away from the environs of murder and misdirection in order to think without distraction. He went home, aware that Amelia was out for the afternoon at a charitable function with Olivia. His son was asleep in the nursery and so he settled himself in the garden with Bruno at his side and
