Murder on Hunter's Eve (The Lamplight Murder Mysteries Book 3) by Morgan Stang

Author:Morgan Stang [Stang, Morgan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-07-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

A Brisk Walk Home

Evie hopped off the omnibus early, making a quick stop south of the Strond before the night was over.

“Last ride of the night!” called out the coachman, and Evie gave him a wave goodnight.

A nice walk would do me good before bed, she thought. Her heart was still light with fleeting memories of Annabel and their evening together.

At the corner of a nearby intersection was a shop called Continent Explorations, and the warm lights within its foggy windows called to Evie. She entered, blowing on her hands and greeting the shopkeeper.

“Getting colder out,” she said.

“Aye, it is,” said the shopkeeper. “I was just about to close up, you're my last customer. Anything I can help you with?”

Evie looked about the shop. She'd seen it from the street several times, but had never been inside before. It was full of things any legitimate adventurer would want. She imagined all sorts of explorers of the Ravaged Continent made a stop here before setting sail and roughing the untamed wilds.

There was survival gear, tools, navigation instruments, tents, walking sticks, canteens, telescopes and spyglasses, and myriads more things that Evie didn't even recognize. She spotted potions that claimed to be poison antidotes. Rifles were lined behind a cage along one wall, with plenty of ammunition nearby. Low-lit gaslamps flickered weakly against all the merchandise, giving everything a mysterious air, as if the items themselves were priceless artifacts from faraway lands.

“Actually,” she said, “I'm just looking for a compass.”

“Ah, I've got one left,” said the shopkeeper, reaching behind the counter.

“Only one?”

“They're always popular this time of year. Everyone who dresses as a Hunter and wants to have an authentic costume makes sure to get one of these here compasses. Will you be needing a Hunter's hat as well? Perhaps a black cloak or duster jacket?”

“Uh,” said Evie, a bit caught off guard. “No, no thank you. Just the compass. I'm not dressing up as a Huntress.”

“Doing a bit of traveling then, are you?”

“Oh, no. I actually do need the compass for monster-detection.”

The shopkeeper smiled and winked. “Right you are. Right you are. Here we go, now.”

Minutes later, Evie found herself walking down the street, umbrella overhead, eyes fixed on her new compass. She rotated it this way and that, and watched as the little needle always pointed north.

“Huh,” she said. “No monsters nearby.”

Her shoes clicked on wet stone, and city lights grew dimmer. The sounds of revelry were fading, and shops were closing up. Taverns would still be open all over town, but there were none nearby, and Lamplight was strangely quiet.

Once upon a time, she would have been afraid to walk the city at night. Not anymore, though. Not after all she'd been through. And the weight of the gun in her shoulder holster certainly helped her courage.

Evie mused as she walked.

So what do we know?

We know that Mr Cuthbert Westervelt may or may not have murdered his assistant, Claire Tabbert. We know that my own employer, Chief Mathew Crane,

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