The Detectivists by Bacon Melanie

Author:Bacon, Melanie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Del Sol Press
Published: 2019-10-27T00:00:00+00:00

Lady Horse Doctor Bravely Foils

White Slaver in Her Bedroom!

Chapter Eight

“Don’t be an idiot, Samuel,” Astraia chided after Detective Inspector Rankin ordered her to leave. I flipped through the pile of papers. Spinster Lady Horse Doctor Kills Intruder in Police Stable. Chinese Hooligan Attacks White Woman in Her Bedroom. Police Stand Impotently by As Woman Is Violated on Police Grounds. I groaned. This was my first glimpse into the nightmare which was about to become my world. At least that first morning the stories were not yet illustrated by images of semi-clad damsels fighting off brutes. Those titillations would not appear until the afternoon editions.

DI Rankin glared at Astraia, annoyed at the interruption. “I am questioning Miss Maddie about the fact that she vouched for Mr. Wu just a few days before she was attacked by a Chinese man. It seems an unlikely coincidence.”

Letty marched in behind my saviour, the knight’s squire carrying provisions of boiled eggs, toast and preserves. Astraia’s companion closed the stable door behind her, to my great relief. There was a terrible wind today and I had been freezing, all for the sake of respectability.

Astraia waved to Letty to set out breakfast and tidy up the place. Letty wrinkled her nose at the smell of bleach permeating the table but said nothing.

“This has nothing to do with you, Astraia—other than the fact that your gentleman friend did a profoundly inadequate job of looking inside the building before leaving Miss Maddie alone last night to fend for herself,” DI Rankin snipped. I heard a weak growl emanate from the dog basket, which engendered great relief in my chest. Old Vic was on the mend. I glanced over and saw Juno, who had joined him after a few hours out on the prowl, again licking the dog’s injuries. Happily, Old Vic didn’t seem to mind the maternal attention from his erstwhile enemy.

“Sounds to me like she did quite a good job fending for herself,” Astraia said with a smirk. But I knew DI Rankin wasn’t really annoyed with Ramsay for his sloppy inspection of my rooms. He was annoyed with himself and all the other police officers who’d allowed a scoundrel to sneak onto the premises with villainous intent, not once but twice, without interception.

And perhaps he was also annoyed with me, for my contribution to making the police look foolish.

The food on the table made my mouth water, and I wondered how soon these two would stop arguing so we could get down to the important work of eating. I watched Letty walk to my room to clean up my messes. I shuddered to think of her reaction when she saw the green taffeta ruin.

“If you don’t mind, Astraia, I’m questioning Miss Maddie on the events of last night,” the inspector said again.

“It’s good I’m here then,” Astraia said. “This way she won’t have to tell her story twice. Where’s that nice Police Constable Froest?”

I had been wondering the same thing. It was long past our usual morning teatime.

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