Murder Among the Silent Dead (A Lillian Crawford Murder Mystery Book 6) by Blythe Baker

Author:Blythe Baker [Baker, Blythe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-09T16:00:00+00:00

9

Fueled by a renewed sense of purpose, Eugene and I made our way from the parlor and out into the front hall. The crash that had emanated just a few moments before had indeed been a piano, which lay in a splintered heap at the bottom of the stairs, with a frightened maid looking up at the young man who stood halfway up the stairs, his head in his hands.

“It wasn’t worth much,” Mr. Swan said, standing near the rubble, gazing at it as if it were no more than a few pieces of spindly wood and metal. “Not like the one in the drawing room. If you drop that, then you will be dismissed.” His placid tone led to a frightened, startled look on the boy’s face before he turned and raced up the flight of stairs.

Mr. Swan did not even turn to look at us as he proceeded on through the hall, disappearing through the door at the other end.

Another servant appeared at the top of the landing and started slowly downward, wearing a disappointed frown that betrayed his thoughts of what the next hour or so would mean for him.

The young maid, however, stood nearby, warily watching the piano as if it might spring to life and bite her. A perfect opportunity to try and gather the information I needed.

I stepped up beside her. “Pardon me, but I – ”

“I’m sorry, Miss,” she said, sidestepping away from me, eyes flickering up to me once before darting to the door behind her. “I am very busy. I must go and speak with Mr. Vincent.” With that, she was gone like the wind on a spring afternoon.

I pursed my lips, eyes slipping over the servant who had bent over to pick up smaller bits of the broken piano, his mouth set in a firm frown. “Could you perhaps tell me where I might find Mr. Vincent?”

“No,” the boy said, stacking the pieces of wood like bits of kindling in the crook of his arm. He didn’t even look up at me when he answered.

“What of someone who would be willing to – ” Eugene began.

“There’s no one here who wants to talk to you,” the servant said. His eyes rose to meet mine for only a brief moment before returning to his work.

I ground my teeth, glaring hotly at the back of his neck. “And how could you possibly know what – ”

“We work for Mr. Swan now,” the servant said. “If you need something, speak to him.”

I looked at Eugene, who met my gaze with the same question that was in my mind. It was as if they had all been instructed to say the same thing. I turned back to the boy. “We’ve already spoken with him.”

“Then that is all the help you will receive,” the boy said, straightening and stepping over the broken piano, his arms laden. He said nothing more as he wandered toward the back door, the same one that Mr. Swan had gone through.

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