Death's Approach: A Smith Investigates Mystery by Bethq Byers

Author:Bethq Byers [Byers, Bethq]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-11-05T16:00:00+00:00

“Maybe we just put it all on the table,” I suggested. “Vi and I go to this meeting, we tell them what we suspect, offer our business, and then demand a resolution.”

Vi shrugged. “I’m fine with that. I’m sure we could do something with them.”

“They’re hoping for all of it,” I said, certain I was correct.

“Well, no.” Vi rolled her eyes. “That way lies madness. Especially with a company that has this history.”

“It’s madness regardless. No company or investment firm or bank should be trusted that much.” I crossed to the chalkboard, staring at the names of the twelve that I’d looked at. Were those important because they were involved and we’d triggered or them or was it just happenstance that I’d lost patience?

Smith’s gaze moved to Jack. “What about what happened to today?”

Jack groaned. “The paint was someone in a stolen black cab.”

“The cats?” I demanded.

“No one saw that,” Jack admitted. “Just the after effect.”

“They got into the yard. The cat bowl is right inside the back door.”

“We weren’t watching the pathway between Victor’s house and ours.” Jack frowned. “We should’ve been. Most people don’t know of it.”

“Someone has investigated us in return,” I said, shivering. Then I paused. This house was pretty contained. Servants who had worked here for a while. Friends who traveled and were entirely trusted. My eyes moved to Uncle Hargreaves. “Is anyone here new?”

He shook his head. “No. And I’d watch anyone new carefully.”

I sighed.

“There isn’t time for a misinformation game,” Smith said, eyeing my stomach.

I placed my hand on it, and in response the baby shoved hard on my side. I gasped, holding it. That had hurt more than usual. Come to think of it, I thought, he was probably mad at me for being so tired. The baby needed sleep, didn’t he? Surely he slept if I didn’t.

I rubbed my back and then realized everyone was staring at me. “He kicked me. He’s getting too big to be comfortable in there.”

“She did?” Vi teased.

Ignoring Vi, I returned to the chalkboard. “I wonder if we can rule out the family.”

“Maybe the owner,” Jack said. “He’s about as stiff-upper-lip, man-of-honor, British gentlemen as they come.”

“You know you can’t rule out children,” Vi added, and I did. Family was too often the source of a person’s trouble. And one never did know when you’d had a demon instead of an angel. I glanced down at my stomach, wondering just what I was carrying, and then caught Smith’s expression.

“He’ll be fine,” Smith said, knowing what I was thinking. “He’s probably going to be a vicar.”

“Or a missionary,” Denny added, laughing hysterically. “Rebelling with the Lord.”

“We’re not bad people,” I told him. “It would be fine if we had a little vicar.”

All gazes turned to Smith who shrugged. “I don’t care what he does.”

“It’s a girl,” Vi cut in.

“I’m not sure it matters if the child is a boy or a girl, right now,” Uncle said, pulling us back on track. “How long did you sit in that lobby, Beatrice?”

“A while,” I admitted.

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