Plague Pits & River Bones (The Detective Lavender Mysteries Book 4) by Karen Charlton

Author:Karen Charlton [Charlton, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781542048392
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2018-01-10T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Shall we charge him?’ Woods asked, when they arrived back at Bow Street.

‘No,’ Lavender replied. ‘Wait in the hallway. I’ll go and try to talk some sense into Magistrate Read. I hope when I tell him what I’ve discovered in Hyde Park, he’ll send Duddles straight home.’

He took the stairs up to Read’s office two at a time and was relieved to find the magistrate behind his cluttered desk. ‘I must talk to you, sir.’

‘Have you arrested that Duddles fellow?’

‘Yes, sir – he’s downstairs with Woods.’

Read waved at the chair opposite his desk. ‘Well, close the door and sit down. I’ve got a few minutes before my afternoon court session.’ He looked and sounded in a better mood.

Lavender sat down and explained, starting with the challenge Danvers had made at the party the night before and ending with his discoveries in Hyde Park. Read listened impassively. Occasionally, he nodded and asked for clarification.

‘So you see, sir, for the reasons I’ve mentioned, I don’t believe Henry Duddles murdered Danvers. The Baron was murdered by persons unknown, who transported his body back here in a cart to confound us. I need to interrogate Sullivan further; I suspect he’s behind this.’

Read gave a little smile and shook his head sadly. ‘Duddles had both the motive and the opportunity to shoot Baron Danvers. The lawyers for the prosecution would rip your evidence to shreds in the courtroom. So you found blood in a park full of wild animals – and a cart track? Neither of those things are unusual. There’s nothing to link that site to the murder of Danvers and I don’t have the men to make a full search of an area as vast as Hyde Park. In fact, I need Woods back with the horse patrol today.’

Lavender felt his hope sinking. ‘There was Danvers’ horse, sir . . .’

‘Yes, an animal that bolted and wandered alone for hours.’

‘It had returned to the scene of the crime, where it last saw its master.’

Read laughed. ‘That suggestion won’t stand up in court, Stephen. Your loyalty to your friend does you credit but I think you’re too close to this case to be objective.’

Lavender opened his mouth to argue his case further, but Read waved him to silence. ‘As for Micky Sullivan, he must be released immediately. I have more important things to deal with in court today than a scuffle between a couple of gentlemen and the bailiffs.’

‘I’ve yet to track down Captain Leon and hear his side of the events of last night.’

Read stood up and reached for his wig, discarded amongst the inkpots and files on his desk. ‘No, you need to track down John Bellingham and continue your surveillance of the fellow. Lord Granville Leveson-Gower is an impatient man. The sooner we have that odd fish arrested and in custody, the better. And don’t forget, Lavender, you’ve a boat to Dublin to catch on Monday.’

Lavender’s heart sank. Read was dismissing him.

Read smoothed out the creases from his black gown and stood up to his full height, which was only an inch or so shorter than Lavender’s.

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