Page 14 of In Want of a Suspect

Parry shook his head. “Can’t rightly say. Should have been, but Jack-o was always careless about lockin’ a door behind him. Anyway, Simon, he was skittish and thought someone was inside. Both he and Jack stepped out of the office to look around. That’s when I heard them shoutin’, and by the time I ran out, both were nowhere to be found. I went lookin’ for them, but the next thing I knew, the building was on fire. I found Jack-o, but we couldn’t get to Simon. I hauled Jack-o out, and if I hadn’t, allthree of us would have been dead—understand?”

“I’m sure you did what you had to,” Lizzie assured him. “How did the fire start, do you think?”

“Simon probably knocked over a lamp. Bloody stupid, if you ask me.” Parry spat on the ground, and upon noting Darcy’s glare, mumbled, “Beggin’ your pardon, miss.”

But Lizzie didn’t mind—her thoughts were tumbling through this information. “But you don’t doubt therewasa woman?”

A strange look came over Parry’s face. “Could have been. Likely one of those bloo—er, I mean one of those French womenfolk. There’s a bunch of them down the street, always tryin’ to sell rubbish and jabberin’ away in their language.”

Lizzie bristled at his choice of words, but tried to hide her reaction. “Are there many émigrés in this area?”

“Too many,” was Parry’s blunt response. “They’re goin’ to stir up trouble.”

“Any in particular that stand out?” Darcy asked. “Perhaps one that had a disagreement with any of your laborers or the Mullinses themselves?”

Parry paused before answering, and for a moment Lizzie was certain that he’d give them the lead they were hoping for. But then he shook his head. “I keep away from them. And I tell my men to do the same.”

That very well might have been the truth, but Lizzie didn’t believe for a moment that there wasn’t more to it than that... and that Parry didn’t at least have suspicions. “Jack mentioned thathe thought he’d seen this lady before. Has anyone been hanging about lately? Anyone that would have no business being around?”

“I already told you, I don’t know anythin’ about any woman!” He seemed to draw himself up taller. “And I think you should leave. Jack-o never said he’d hired any solicitor, and how am I supposed to know you’re not here to cause trouble?”

What an absolutely inane thing to say! Lizzie barely stopped herself from huffing in exasperation. “Mr. Mullins hired me this morning. I had hoped to take a look around inside.”

She stepped forward as if her entering the premises was a foregone conclusion. More polite people than Mr. Parry might have stepped aside so as to avoid colliding with her, but the man didn’t budge, and Lizzie found herself uncomfortably close to him. He was several inches taller than she, and he glanced down at her, unimpressed. “No one is to go inside, miss. Not until repairs can be made and a surveyor conducts an inspection. City orders.”

She stiffened, not wanting to be the one to step back. He smelled of sweat and smoke, and something else underneath it all, tangy and sour.

Spirits.

Lizzie turned to face Darcy, and he was eyeing the man. “It looks like we’ll have to report this to Mr. Mullins, doesn’t it, Miss Bennet?”

“Do what you will. Jack-o is responsible for repairs, and we’ve got to follow the law, don’t we?” His sarcasm was not lost on Lizzie.

“Well, then, I suppose I shall wait until Mr. Mullins returns and can vouch for us. It would be a horrid waste of my time and his money, but since you insist...”

“Not sure when he’ll be back. Told me not to expect him all day.”

If it hadn’t been unladylike, Lizzie might have grunted in frustration. Instead, she took a step back and looked up and down the street. “Well, then, we’ll take a look around. Outside.”

“Suits me,” Parry said.

Lizzie marched down the street, Darcy on her heels. “He’s hiding something,” Lizzie muttered as they came to a halt outside of earshot.

“I think that is abundantly apparent,” Darcy agreed. “Why place a guard at a burned-out building unless you wanted to hide evidence?”

“What? No, I meant Parry.”

“Oh. Well, he’s hiding something, too. But I don’t thinkJack-ois exactly as forthcoming as he ought to be.”

Lizzie disliked the sarcastic tone in Darcy’s voice when he voiced Jack’s nickname. “Jack hasn’t given me any reason to doubt his honesty.”

“And when has that ever stopped you?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Isn’t this why you dragged me along—to ask questions?”

“I dragged you along to help,” Lizzie corrected. “Not cast aspersions on my client!”