“Ladies.” Mr. Crowe inclined his head and left.
“Lady O’Shea, has something happened?” The Chief-Inspector was a stocky man who held his own quite well in street altercations—Emme had witnessed it firsthand—but he also possessed diplomatic skills necessary in dealing with the public, specifically the overwrought public. He extended an arm. “Please, do come in.”
“Thank you, Chief-Inspector,” Hester said. “I am—I mean, we have . . . Something has indeed happened.” Hester’s lip trembled, and for the first time since reading the Bad Letter, some of her fury had faded, leaving only fear in its place. “Emmeline is to address the international body at the Summit, and someone is threatening her most horribly about it. I’ve told her she absolutely cannot attend, and furthermore, you must find the miscreant who wrote this thing and bring him to justice!”
CI Conley’s brow lifted, and he tilted his head as he indicated two chairs, and then pulled his chair out from behind his desk to sit with them. His entire demeanor was suddenly alert, focused. “Tell me about the threat. It is written?”
Emme sighed, irritated that her heart began to thump as Hester handed over the Bad Letter. It was real now. The threat was now a tangible thing she couldn’t dismiss or laugh away. The crude, horrible words on the page, the vile threats to her health and well-being, filled her thoughts as Conley quietly read the paper, his jaw tightening. Her knee bounced, just the tiniest bit, and a shudder spread from it until she shook as though she were outside in the cold. Her mother looked at her, eyes liquid, now aware that Emme wasn’t unaffected. Emme stood, unable to remain in the chair, shivering for no good reason. The office was plenty warm.
CI Conley quietly went to the door and murmured something to Brinley. Emme heard the name “Reed.”
She snapped her attention to Conley. “What was that?”
He glanced at her in surprise but did not offer a response, nor was she in a position to demand one. He resumed his seat next to Hester.
Emme paced to the window and folded her arms across her middle, rubbing them briskly. For goodness’ sake, pull yourself together. She gritted her teeth and looked down onto the busy autumn day below. She could not afford to show the slightest weakness in front of her mother, or Conley either. Anyone with the power to hinder or halt her efforts to attend the Summit must not see an ounce of falter in her resolve. It was too important, and she had worked too diligently, sacrificed too much.
The room was quiet. She breathed softly and then turned around. “Mother, Chief-Inspector, while I agree this letter is vile in the extreme, I will not allow it to prevent me from attending the Summit. I have appointments to meet personally with diplomats from several key states, and I have just received word I will address the assembly directly before the culminating midnight votes.” She looked at Hester. “Mama, you know I will go. I will do whatever I must, but I would rather not be forced to sneak away on foot under the cover of darkness. Please do not make this difficult for me.”
Conley smiled and covered it partially with his finger as he rubbed his lip and sat back in his chair. “Miss O’Shea, I believe you would do just that. I cannot pretend to approve of everything you’ve organized through the years—the protests disrupting traffic, whipping crowds into a frenzy outside government offices, chaining yourself to wheels of certain PSRC members’ carriages to draw attention to the cause, orchestrating the tampering with government vehicles—”
Hester gasped. “Government vehicles? Emme! Why was I not aware—”
Conley glanced at Hester and shook his head. “No harm done, and no evidence directly connecting your daughter to the incident—”
“That’s right,” Emme interrupted but stopped when Conley shot her a dark look.
“My point is, I understand the concern, and given your level of involvement at the Summit, I do not take this threat idly. Is it the only one you’ve received?”
Emme hesitated. “It’s the most recent one.”
“What?” Hester’s eyes popped.
“I’ve received rude mail on occasion, but not like this. This is the only one of such magnitude.” Emme chewed the inside of her lip. She ought not to have said anything about the other letters. “Mama, I believe we’ve taken enough of the Chief-Inspector’s time. He is aware of the issue, and we shall all be vigilant.”
“Absolutely not,” her mother spat out. “This morning has become more horrifying as time has passed. I am not leaving here without guaranteed protection for you.”
“Mother, that is—”
A quiet knock sounded on the door before it cracked open. Detective-Inspector Reed stood at the threshold, his eyes widening in surprise.
Conley beckoned Reed inside, and Emme’s heart tripped over itself in mortified consternation. Of all people to witness the current spectacle!
“Detective,” Conley said, standing and handing him the Bad Letter. “An issue of concern has arisen, and I would have your involvement in the matter.”
“Surely not—” Emme began.
“Emmeline!” Hester’s sharp command surprised her into silence.
Reed looked at Hester and then at Emme as he took the Bad Letter. He gave the paper his attention, and despite herself, Emme watched his face as he read. His features tightened as his eyes scanned the letter, and a muscle worked in his jaw.
“When was this delivered?” he asked Emme, giving her his full regard.
She cleared her throat, intensely uncomfortable. “Less than an hour ago.”
“By special messenger or regular post?”
“Regular post.” She fought to keep the worry she felt from showing on
