Murder at Wedgefield Manor by Erica Ruth Neubauer

Author:Erica Ruth Neubauer [Neubauer, Erica Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2020-12-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

We pulled apart, both of us trying to control our breathing and listen instead. Neither of us dared move as we heard light footsteps moving cautiously up the stairs.

Everyone on the estate had terrible timing. Even the prowler.

Redvers leaned carefully away, disentangling himself from me while making as little sound as possible. He came to his feet, one hand on my shoulder to keep me where I was. For once, I was fine with this. I needed a minute to recover from what had just passed between us. He could tackle the intruder alone while I learned how to breathe again.

The footsteps continued down the hall, and I could hear metal against metal as someone tried to insert a key into a lock, fumbling in the darkness. Redvers moved to the doorway without a sound and I was once again struck by how quietly the man could move. He turned into the hallway, and I rose to my feet, careful not to make a sound, bracing one shaky hand against the wall behind me.

The lock clicked over and Redvers spoke into the quiet. “Hello.”

A hoarse shout was followed by the sounds of scuffling. I rushed into the hall just as I heard a loud thump. Then silence.

“Turn on a light, will you, Jane?”

I shuffled back into the room where we had been hiding and located the flashlight Redvers had brought along. I switched it on and made my way back into the hallway, shining it into the faces of the men at the end of the hall. Redvers had already turned his head away, and the light caught the man he was nearly lying on full in the face. The prowler blinked rapidly and closed his eyes, craning away from the bright light. The face below the flat tweed cap was long and slightly dirty, as though he had been sleeping rough for quite some time; a flick of the light downward showed that his clothes were in equally rough shape.

A familiar picnic basket lay on its side at his feet. I stared at it for a moment, eyebrows raised before turning my attention back to Redvers.

“Shall we tie him up?” I could see that Redvers had the man’s arms held tightly behind his back.

“Perhaps just fetch a few constables.” The man’s face twisted at that.

I trotted downstairs and stuck my head out the door and let loose a few shouts. Before long I heard replies from several different directions as men began sprinting across the lawn toward the stables. I hoped one of them would be wise enough to bring a lantern. The stable hadn’t been fitted out with electricity.

By the time a few young constables arrived, Redvers had manhandled the intruder down the stairs to the first floor and he passed his charge off to the men. Inspector Greyson had followed at a sedate pace, a lantern at his side.

“Mrs. Wunderly.” The inspector looked over at Redvers. “I thought you had talked her out of joining you.”

Redvers

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