A Whisper of Death by Darcy Burke

Author:Darcy Burke [Burke, Darcy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
Published: 2024-07-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Tilda’s gaze moved down Fitch’s neck. “I’d say the cause of death is obvious.”

“Garrote,” Ravenhurst said grimly.

“Death?” This was followed by a high-pitched shriek from behind them.

They both turned. The neighbor stood just inside the threshold, her hand pressed her to her mouth. That was all Tilda could make out from this distance in the dark. They needed illumination.

“He’s dead?” the neighbor asked, lowering her hand.

“Yes. Would you fetch a constable, please?” Ravenhurst asked. There was a tremor in his voice that Tilda had never heard before.

The neighbor dashed out, and Tilda realized they would need to take advantage of whatever time they had before the police arrived. She tucked her pistol back into her reticule.

“We haven’t much time,” she said, looking about for a candle or lantern. The room didn’t have much, and it had been pillaged. The drawers of the dresser were pulled out. One was even on the floor. The mattress sat askew on the bed frame.

Hurrying to the small hearth, she found a candlestick and a few matches. She lit the wick and carried it to where Ravenhurst stood over the dead man.

“Grisly,” she breathed as a shiver rippled through her. She set the candlestick on the table. “The police will be here soon. We should search the room before they do. More importantly, you need to employ your gift, your curse, to see what you can learn. Touch everything. Starting with him, I suppose.”

The earl put his hand to Fitch’s head, starting at the top then moving his fingertips down behind his ear to his neck. Ravenhurst took a deep breath and slid his fingers forward until he touched the wound. She noted that his eyes were still open.

“You don’t need to close your eyes to see visions?” she asked.

“No,” he replied, his voice husky. “In fact, closing my eyes seems to prevent them from happening.”

Tilda watched him closely and realized she was holding her breath. She let it out and tried to calm herself. This was her first time discovering a dead body. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. How she wished she could talk to her father about it. The old but familiar pain of loss swept through her.

“I can’t see or feel anything,” Ravenhurst said. “Perhaps this curse doesn’t work when I touch a dead person.”

“That’s a shame.” Tilda turned to survey the ransacked room. “I daresay someone has already searched this room.”

Ravenhurst moved away from the body. “It does look that way. I wonder if they took anything.”

“I don’t suppose we would know. Let’s see what we can find. I’ll search, you touch.”

Ravenhurst nodded. Besides the pulled apart dresser and the tumbled bed, there was a cabinet and a threadbare chair that was lying on its side near the hearth. He went to the cabinet.

Tilda strode to the dresser. The top drawer was only slightly open. She pulled it farther out and searched the contents. It contained just clothing which had been shoved to one side. The second drawer had more of the same plus a few linens, all in a tangle.

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