Page 36 of A Shop Girl’s Christmas (Pennington’s Department Store #3)
‘Gower. It’s good to hear from you.’
Stephen pressed the phone to his ear and leaned back in a chair in his mother’s hallway, relieved by the easy tone in Inspector King’s voice. ‘It’s good to speak to you, too, sir. How are things at the Yard?’
‘Going along. Obviously, it’s not the same with you not being here. How is Bath’s finest department store? Is it keeping you busy?’
‘You could say that.’ Stephen stared towards the front door, hating the sudden feeling of complete inadequacy that enveloped him. ‘I can say the one thing a department store shares with Scotland Yard is that no two days are the same.’
‘I imagine so. Albeit on very different scales.’ King cleared his throat. ‘So, to what do I owe this phone call? I’m assuming you telephoned for an update on the investigation?’
Stephen closed his eyes, a headache building in his temples. ‘Only if there is anything you’re willing to share, sir. I actually telephoned you for another reason entirely.’
‘Oh?’
‘Why don’t you tell me about the Board’s investigation first? If it’s as bad as I’m anticipating, then I might keep quiet about my reasons for speaking to you today.’
‘Sounds ominous.’
‘It is. So, how is it looking for me?’
‘Hold on a minute.’
Stephen frowned as he heard a scrape of a chair, a few muted footsteps and the closing of a door before King returned to the phone.
‘Just making sure we’ve no listening ears. Right, well, what can I tell you?’ He blew a breath. ‘They are taking their damn time, I can tell you that, but I’m hopeful, Gower. Very hopeful. You have an exemplary record, both here and when you were in the Bath constabulary. Your promotions have been rapid, and entirely justified, with every kind of documentation to support your seniors’ decisions. The only problem the Board are sticking with is that you sent Walker out alone, to one of the most poverty-stricken areas around here. A constable who they consider far too inexperienced to deal with a possible violent assault on not one, but two women.’
Stephen dug his fingers into his forehead, his shoulders hunched. ‘It’s the same thing I’ve been beating myself up over for months and they’re right to consider it. I should’ve gone myself or, at least, gone with Walker.’
‘Hey, you made what you considered the right decision at the time. Hettie Brown and Fay Morris were prostitutes, who, according to your statement, were inebriated and hysterical. You neither sent them away nor ignored their claims. You had a child beating to deal with and sent Walker in your place to follow up on the women’s allegations. You did not fail in your responsibilities, Gower. Any one of us might have done the same. How were you to know the killer had been harassing Miss Brown and Miss Morris for months? Had they visited any police station prior to coming here? No. Had they reported a fear of any kind to anyone? No. You made a decision on what was presented to you.’
Whether or not King had a point, Stephen shook his head. He should have gone. Not Walker. ‘Well, the fact of the matter is—’
‘You didn’t rest until their killer was found and have done everything myself and the Board have asked of you since. Fact. Now, I am chasing this investigation up every couple of days and the Board knows I want you reinstated. They know the regard I have for you and that all of your fellow officers wish to continue working with you. It’s going to take a little more time, but I’m confident we’ll get there.’
‘Maybe.’
‘Not maybe. Definitely. Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?’
‘I’ve been… helping someone out while I’ve been here.’
‘In what way? This doesn’t sound like you’ve been carrying an extra heavy box of ladies frocks to womenswear,’ King laughed.
Stephen smiled despite the gravity of what he was about to ask. ‘No, not quite.’
‘Well, what is it?’
‘There was a recent murder in Bath where a young woman helping the poor was beaten and left for dead by the river.’
‘I don’t know anything about it.’ King’s voice sobered. ‘How have you managed to get involved? You should be keeping a low profile.’
‘I know, and I tried, but the request for help came from my Pennington’s employer, Joseph Carter. I did my best to put him off, but the more I learned about the case and how he was linked to it, the harder it was for me to walk away.’
‘How is he involved in murder, for crying out loud?’
‘The recent murder and that of his first wife’s are similar, sir. Too similar for me to pretend Carter is under any sort of delusion. I had to at least listen to him and carry out a few preliminary enquiries.’ Stephen clenched his jaw. ‘I failed Hettie, Fay and Walker. I can’t do that again. I won’t.’
The sounds of an active police station mixed with King’s breathing as Stephen waited for the inspector’s response.
At last, King spoke. ‘And you want me to see what I can find out this end? Why?’
‘Because there’s a chance I’ve stumbled on a case of not two murders, sir, but several. I have an informant who thoroughly knows the slums and he’s spoken to the vagrants around the area. There’s a chance I might be able to find the killer if I can find a link between these murders. I’m not convinced they’re random. How can they be, when two of the victims seem to be charitable women trying to help those less fortunate? That is not the sort of people to be targeted without prior motivation.’
‘I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t see how I can help from here.’
‘If you could just contact Bath police. See what they are doing about this most recent case and if they are treating Lillian Carter’s death as cold. They won’t speak to me when I’m suspended, but they might speak to a senior inspector of Scotland Yard. Anything you can uncover will help. Joseph Carter and his second wife, Elizabeth Pennington, are good people who do a lot for their staff and customers. I feel it’s my duty to help them.’
There was another long pause before King sighed. ‘All right, Gower. I’ll make some enquiries, but no promises. I’ll be in touch again soon.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
The line clicked and Stephen replaced the receiver. All he could do for now was wait.