Page 74 of A Whisper in the Shadows

Hadrian thought back. “I don’t.” He frowned, wishing he’d paid closer attention.

“It could also be Mrs. Atkins,” Tilda suggested. “It’s helpful that we spoke to Mr. Burley, because now we can add Mrs. Burley to the suspect list without having to mention anything about the vision you saw. I was prepared to count her as a suspect based on that, but we wouldn’t have been able to share that information, of course.”

“I’m curious what Maxwell might be learning from Mrs. Walters at the police station,” Hadrian said. “Do you think she’s answering their questions now?”

Tilda lifted a shoulder. “It’s hard to say. I do wonder whether our investigation will continue, as we are all but certain there was fraud committed by the Amicable Society. We have the ledger showing some were overcharged by Eaton, and Mrs. Walters couldn’t deny that her husband had committed fraud.”

Hadrian frowned. “Both men responsible for those crimes are dead, so it’s not as if they may be prosecuted. I hope we may continue as we are, particularly if Maxwell and I are employed by the society. We seem uniquely placed to find the killer.”

“Or killers,” Tilda said. “We can’t be sure both men were murdered by the same person, though I think it seems likely, since the motive for their deaths could be the same—anger or revenge.”

“Are we now officially conducting not one, but two, murder investigations?” Hadrian asked.

A small, sly smile curled her lips. “Perhaps not officially, but no one is going to stop me from investigating.”

After arriving at White Alley, Tilda and Hadrian sat in the parlor, sipping port that he’d brought from Ravenhurst House. Bringing the wine was an indulgence, but Hadrian didn’t regret it. He was glad that Tilda seemed to enjoy it.

Whilst they were discussing the list of suspects in Phelps’s murder, Inspector Maxwell returned. He hung his hat in the entrance hall and joined them. “What are you drinking?”

“Port.” Hadrian hoped Maxwell wouldn’t have the same reaction the sugar had provoked.

“Did you bring that?” Maxwell asked, appearing curious and perhaps not as judgmental as he’d seemed with the sugar.

“I did. Would you care for a glass?” Hadrian offered.

“I’ve never had port,” Maxwell said. “I suppose I could try a splash.”

Hadrian stood and poured a small amount of wine for the inspector. Maxwell accepted it with a nod.

Returning to his chair, Hadrian lifted his glass. “Cheers.”

Tilda took a sip and Maxwell followed suit. His face creased, and the muscles around his mouth tightened. Hadrian worried the inspector didn’t care for it.

“That’s sweeter than I imagined it would be,” Maxwell said. “I don’t have much experience with wine.”

“I didn’t either until I met Lord Ravenhurst.” Tilda smiled. “I haven’t had the opportunity to try much, but I enjoy it, which surprised me.”

“Then perhaps I will too.” Maxwell took another sip. Whilst his features again registered a reaction, it was less.

“We’ve news to share,” Tilda said. “And we’re most anxious to hear what you may have learned from Mrs. Walters.”

Maxwell exhaled before dropping onto the settle opposite them. “Unfortunately, Mrs. Walters did not reveal much beyond what you already know. She did tell us that her husband’s other friendly societies were in Maidstone, Guildford, and Reading. Chisholm considers her a prime suspect in his murder.”

“What is her motive?” Tilda asked.

“That her husband left her and had no intention of living in Cornwall with her.” Maxwell gestured with the wineglass. “So, she came to London and killed him.”

“Seems a reasonable theory to me,” Hadrian said.

Tilda looked to Maxwell. “Was Chisholm able to find out where Mrs. Walters was staying? It would be helpful to search her lodgings.”

“In case she hid a brass candlestick there?” Maxwell asked with a faint smirk. “Yes, he’ll be going to her lodgings first thing in the morning. Oh, and the constable who was stationed at Phelps’s house turned up. He left his post because he’d been lured away by a disturbance. We suspect Mrs. Walters was behind that, but she would not confess to it.”

Silence reigned for a moment as they sipped their wine.

“There are other suspects,” Tilda said. “Before we list them, let us tell you what we discovered after you went to the police station.”

Maxwell regarded her eagerly. “Please.”