Page 25 of A Whisper in the Shadows

Tilda smiled, then shook her head. “Why is it our investigations always somehow lead to murder?”

They turned into White Alley. “I was wondering the same thing, and I’ve no answer.” Hadrian looked over at her, and her eyes shone with anticipation.

“It’s fortunate we’ve a knack for solving such crimes.”

CHAPTER 6

Tilda and Hadrian arrived at Number Five White Alley just as Maxwell was preparing to leave. He set his hat on his head as they entered. Tilda was anxious to tell him about Phelps’s murder. She was also sorry he would have to rush off.

“I was beginning to wonder if something had happened,” Maxwell said.

“In fact, something has.” Tilda glanced toward Hadrian as he set her valise down near the stairs. “Lord Ravenhurst’s coachman dropped us in Fore Street, and as we walked past Second Postern, we noticed a constable. We decided to walk that way instead.”

Maxwell’s gaze turned wary. “Why was there a constable?”

“He was at Mr. Phelps’s house,” Tilda replied. “Phelps was murdered sometime in the night.”

Eyes rounding, Maxwell sucked in a breath. “What were you able to discover?”

Tilda shared the information they’d learned from Mrs. Burley and detailed their encounter with the constable.

“He allowed you to go inside the house?” Maxwell sounded quite surprised.

“He did.” Tilda then revealed what they’d seen, though she did not tell him about Hadrian’s vision, of course.

Maxwell frowned. “Wasn’t there an inspector present?”

Tilda exchanged a look with Hadrian. “There was, in fact. We encountered Inspector Chisholm as we were leaving. How well do you know him?”

“Well enough, though we haven’t ever worked directly together,” Maxwell replied.

“We crossed paths with him during an investigation somewhat recently.” Tilda tried to think of how to gently say that Chisholm was likely corrupt. “An innocent man was arrested for murder, and we believe Inspector Chisholm was bribed to ensure that happened—in order to protect the real killer.”

Maxwell’s brows shot up. “You have evidence of this?”

Tilda shook her head. “We’d hoped there would be an investigation, but it seems there wasn’t.”

“I wrote a letter to the superintendent,” Hadrian said. “The murderer had bribed other officers within the Met, and we know he bribed someone with the City Police. Unfortunately, we could not discover whom before he died.”

“Then how can you be sure Chisholm is corrupt?” Maxwell did not appear convinced.

“We just are,” Hadrian said firmly.

Tilda knew Hadrian was certain, but then he, unlike her, sometimes allowed his emotions to influence his conclusions. “We don’t have proof, but he has earned our suspicion. He did not seem very pleased to see us today. He did not like that the constable had let us enter Phelps’s house, and he would not share any information with us, even when I said it would be for your benefit. He said he would find you or you could call on him at the station.”

“Whilst it’s frustrating that he wouldn’t just give you the information so you could share it with me, I do understand hishesitance.” Maxwell rubbed his hand over his mouth and chin, then shook his head. “I can’t believe Phelps was murdered. How I wish I didn’t have to go to this mundane job at the mercantile house.”

“It’s not as if we’re assigned to investigate the murder,” Tilda said with a sympathetic smile. “We aren’t even investigators right now—at least not publicly.” Though she was going to become one when they visited the boarding house later.

Maxwell blew out a breath. “No, we’re not.” Tilda sensed his frustration, and she shared it.

“What do you think will happen with the Amicable Society?” Hadrian asked. “Phelps was the leader.”

“I suppose we’ll have to wait and find out,” Maxwell said. “I wonder if Chisholm has any idea who the killer might be.”

Tilda had been thinking of that. “It seems to me that the person with the obvious motive would be Mrs. Cardy, the wife of the member who died.”

Maxwell glanced behind him toward the back of the house. “Mrs. Cardy’s cousin is downstairs.”