Mrs. Jeffries Demands Justice by Emily Brightwell

Author:Emily Brightwell [Brightwell, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2021-01-26T00:00:00+00:00

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It had started to sprinkle when the inspector and Barnes came out of the Thistle and Thorn. “Jim Reynolds confirmed what Mrs. Miller told us,” Barnes said. “Apparently, Frida Sorensen did threaten Santorini, and even from outside the pub, everyone could hear her.”

“At least we know she was telling the truth,” Witherspoon murmured.

“Where to now, sir?” Barnes glanced up at the sky and frowned. “Those clouds are black as a widow’s veil—looks like a storm is coming.”

“And neither of us has an umbrella.” The inspector turned up the collar of his overcoat and then pointed toward the busy corner. “There’s a fixed-point constable. Let’s ask him where Tilson’s might be. We need to have a word with Philip Graves.”

The fixed-point constable knew exactly where the hostel was located and even flagged down a hansom for them. Stepping inside, Witherspoon took his seat while Barnes gave the driver the address. By time the constable joined him, the rain was beating hard against the roof of the cab.

“What did you think of Alberta Miller?” Witherspoon asked. Despite his lovely relationship with his dear Ruth, the truth was, his general knowledge of women was somewhat limited, and he genuinely wanted to know what the constable thought.

“Mrs. Miller and Santorini weren’t friends, Inspector.” Barnes braced himself as the cab swung around the corner. “She was in love with him, and I’d bet my next week’s pay that she hated Frida Sorensen.”

“That was my impression as well,” Witherspoon said. “But if Alberta Miller loved Santorini, why would she have killed him?”

“Jealousy.” He shrugged. “That’s been a motive for many a murder, sir. She might have feared that Santorini was going to throw her over and marry Frida. After all, Alberta Miller is a barmaid while Frida Sorensen owns a lodging house, and it sounds as if Santorini was the sort of person who looked out for himself first and foremost. But I think the most important thing we ought to find out is why Mrs. Sorensen acted like Santorini was just one of her lodgers.”

“Indeed, that’s precisely how she behaved. I wonder why. Both she and Santorini were adults and both of them legally unattached to anyone else.” Witherspoon pursed his lips. “If we’ve enough time after we speak to Philip Graves, let’s drop by the lodging house again. We’ll have another word with Frida Sorensen. Don’t you think this case is odd, Constable?”

“In what way, sir?”

“For once, we’ve a number of suspects. Yet I find it difficult to see how any of them could have got Inspector Nivens’ gun.”

“His house was empty, according to Nivens. Someone must have broken in and stolen it.”

“But how would the killer have known the gun was there in his study?” Witherspoon pointed out. “And how would any of them have known where Inspector Nivens lives?”

Barnes thought about it for a moment. “He had the gun case in the Crying Crows Pub and from what we’ve heard, he wasn’t shy about bragging about the weapons.

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