The Prisoner's Key (Glass and Steele Book 8) by C.J. Archer

Author:C.J. Archer [Archer, C.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-02T22:00:00+00:00

With nothing to do in the investigation, we decided to take stock of what we knew in the library after breakfast. Recapping facts and discussing theories had often worked in the past to shake loose fresh approaches, but I wasn't so sure it would work this time. We had so little to go on.

Cyclops, Duke and Willie had been reasonably sure that Chronos wasn't hiding Fabian, although they couldn't be positive. They agreed to resume shifts watching his house. I told them what I'd learned from Louisa and my suspicions about her involvement, but also my doubts.

"The fact remains, the killer wanted to set up Fabian for the murder," Matt said.

"So it must be someone who hates him," I pointed out.

"What about the brother?" Cyclops asked. "Lady Louisa says the brother sent her the letter opener, so we know he's here in London. Could the brothers hate each other so much that one wants to see the other hang for murder?"

"Fabian always spoke fondly of his family," I said.

"And the timing is wrong," Matt added. "Louisa informed the family after Charbonnenau's escape and the murder."

"What about the jilted girl in America?" Willie said. "If I were his fiancée, I'd want to rip out his guts and serve them to the pigs."

"Aye, but you're mad," Duke said.

She kicked him under the table.

"I can't see anyone killing a stranger just so he can blame someone else," I said. "Mad men and women aside."

"You ain't met an angry jilted American," Willie said. "You won't remember our cousin Mary Ella, Matt. She left town before you arrived. Her fiancé never showed up to the church and she got so mad, she broke every window in his house then set fire to it. She watched it burn with a smile on her face."

"My God," I said. "That's vindictive."

"Her fiancé didn't get to appreciate how vindictive on account of him already being dead. That's why he never showed up. Turned out another man who was in love with Mary Ella accused him of stealing then challenged him to a shootout. The fiancé lost. It all turned out fine in the end, though. The second man took the fiancé's place and after a quick courtship, they married and moved away."

"Love," Duke muttered with a shake of his head. "It ain't worth the trouble."

"Amen," Cyclops said.

"You don't believe that, Cyclops," Willie scolded him. "You neither, Duke. So both of you quit your moping and do something about the lack of lovin' in your lives."

They both looked at her like they were trying to think of ways to make her stop talking.

"Like I did," she added with a grin.

"Speaking of Brockwell," I said, before she told us more than we wanted to hear, "perhaps we should speak to him again, Matt. He might require our services."

"I doubt it," Matt said. "He only came to us because the widow didn't trust him. We delivered McGuire's ledger, as asked."

"But Mrs. McGuire could give him more information. Why don't I talk to her again?"

It was agreed that I should try.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.