The Diabolical Miss Hyde by Viola Carr

Author:Viola Carr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

A WHIFF OF CHERRIES

A SICK YELLOW CLOUD BLOTTED OUT THE SUN.

Shadows bubbled hot under her skin. She wanted to scream. Grab him, smack his annoyingly handsome face, tell him to stop being so damned obtuse and just tell me what you know, you god-rotted lying son of a dog . . .

Eliza fidgeted, sweating. “Well, naturally. I work for the police. Murder victims do tend to crop up.”

“Oh, I think it’s more than that.”

“Kindly explain, sir.”

“You went directly from the ballerina’s crime scene to the Old Bailey for Beane’s trial. Where he was found ‘not guilty,’ incidentally, despite your eminently learned and scientific evidence, when everyone within a mile of St. Giles’s steeple knows he was anything but.”

And then, Lizzie had prowled to the Holy Land in search of Billy. Where someone had stepped in at the critical moment and killed Billy in her place.

Eliza reeled, seasick. Murderers had been known to lurk at their own crime scenes, enjoying the fun. Maybe someone had followed her from the ballerina to Billy’s trial and thence home. Someone who’d seen Lizzie slip out of Eliza’s house, and followed her, too . . . and then . . .

Confusion misted, treacherous as any yellow London fog. And then what? Stabbed Billy Beane in the throat? What on earth for? Who was this person who seemingly knew her secret, yet did nothing to blackmail or endanger her? What then was his purpose?

No one wants a scene, whispered A.R. in her memory. If I have to protect you, I will . . .

Oh, my. She fought rising panic. Deny. Obfuscate. Insist she knew nothing. If Lafayette dug too deep . . .

“I fail to understand what Beane’s acquittal has to do with the Chopper murders,” she countered.

“So do I. Abjectly. Infuriating, isn’t it?”

Her mouth had already opened to deny whatever accusation he’d been about to make. Foolishly, she clamped it shut.

“But these are the facts with which we must deal,” he added. “Our killer took time out of his busy and suddenly urgent limb-chopping schedule—two in two days, in case you hadn’t noticed—in order to smite an undrugged, unmutilated, unfemale, unfamous, and otherwise equally unrelated victim.”

“I’m glad you admit it seems random and ridiculous,” she said tartly.

“But for your involvement in all three cases.”

“Astonishing. Truly, my nefarious exploits range far and wide. When you discover how I am an accessory to these murders, please be sure to let me know.”

“Oh, I shall.” A bright smile. “Depend on it.”

“And what of our charming Inspector Reeve’s chief suspect?” she added daringly. “Beane was Reeve’s informant, did you know that? He’s determined to catch Billy’s killer at any cost. Where does his famous ‘woman in red’ fit into my evil plans?”

“I believe her to be innocent.”

“Oh?” She feigned only polite interest. “How so?”

“I questioned the lady. She convinced me she’s no murderess. At least, not Billy Beane’s.”

Eliza’s palms prickled, relief and disquiet in equal measure. “Clever of her. How hard did she have to try? I didn’t pick you as a man to be baffled by a pretty smile.

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