The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas

Author:Rosie Thomas [Rosie Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2014-02-26T16:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

The murdered woman was a prostitute by the name of Margaret Minchin, whose home was in Granby Street, not far away.

The bakery became a fortress. The street door was kept locked, and any caller had to put his mouth to the iron flap of the letterbox and identify himself before the bolts could be drawn. Devil asked Eliza and Sylvia if they would prefer not to come to the bakery at all, but the two women agreed that they must try to continue with their work. If Jasper could have acted as their bodyguard for the entire twenty-four hours of each day, he would have done so.

Carlo muttered, ‘Can’t live under siege for ever, murderer or no,’ but he would not countenance either of the women walking out alone any more than Jasper or Devil would.

Devil immediately took the Philosophers off the theatre bill. Jasper wrapped the grisly wax head in a square of sacking and stored it in a box in the furthest recess of the bakery. They did not discuss it, but everyone felt more comfortable once the prop was put away, and the coffin lid was masked by some discarded scenery flats. Of Heinrich there was no sign. Eliza could not even speak of him, believing that if she referred to what had happened between them it would be to suggest that he was guilty of something infinitely worse than merely frightening her.

A few days later a police constable called to see Sammy Hill, the discoverer of the body. Sammy had already told the police everything but he repeated what little he knew, after which the constable informed him that although no arrest had yet been made in any of the cases it appeared almost certain that there was no connection between this victim and the deaths in Whitechapel.

‘How do you know?’ Sammy asked.

‘I can’t tell you that, sir, it’s police information. But there are ways of establishing the differences in these killings. It’s in the detective work.’

‘Peeler didn’t know any more’n the rest of us,’ Sammy later reported. ‘But likely she was just a poor girl who went with a fellow violent in drink. It’s a sad tale.’ He shook his head and sighed.

The dark days of January slid by. There came a rattle at the letterbox, and a voice begged for admission.

‘It’s only Heinrich,’ Devil said. ‘Let him in, Jas, will you?’

The bolts slid back. Eliza sat in her place, the heel of her hand pressed to her mouth and a cold trickle of fear running down her spine.

Heinrich wheeled in his porter’s trolley. In place of Lucie’s trunk were some smaller boxes and unwieldy pieces of equipment that he proceeded to unload. He was clearly expected.

‘Very good, Heinrich,’ Devil chuckled. ‘I am looking forward to this.’

Eliza shivered. He had put his hands to her throat. Yet here he was in daylight, the same shabby Heinrich as always, pale and intent, his eyes shielded by his spectacles. His gaze slid towards her and he gave her an innocent nod of greeting.

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