Page 56 of Molly Boys

“Did he mention being followed at all?” Archie asked. “Was there anyone who seemed overly interested in him?”

“He was a good lad, like I said, friendly to the customers.” The man shrugged again, then his eyes narrowed in concentration. “Come to think of it, he was here the last day Charlie was.”

“Who?”

“Mr Baxter,” the clerk mused as he rolled his pencil in his fingers. “The one who was just in ‘ere. He was waiting on a package, annoyed it hadn’t arrived. The ship was delayed due to a storm.”

“Did he speak with Wakefield?”

The clerk nodded. “But so did about six other customers that day.”

“Thank you for your help.” Franklin nodded and turned to Ev.

Taking the hint, Ev headed out the door and waited until Franklin joined him outside. They began to walk away from the shipping office before speaking.

“That wasn’t very helpful,” Ev remarked.

“On the contrary.”

“How so?”

“Baxter.” Archie stopped and turned to Ev. “He may have been only one of several people Wakefield spoke to that day, but he also attended the inquest. It makes me wonder why?”

“Morbid curiosity?” Ev offered. “He knew of Charlie from his dealings with the shipping company, read about his murder in the papers, and visited the inquest out of interest?”

“Maybe. But it’s piqued my curiosity enough to take a closer look at the man.”

“I hardly think a man like Baxter is robust enough to subdue a victim, he looks a little… I don’t know, scrawny? And the way he holds himself, like his spine is slightly curved, as if the heaviest thing he lifts are pencils in that satchel of his. I don’t know. I don’t see how he could be involved. He definitely wasn’t the man who attacked me in that alley. The encounter is a little hazy, but I won’t forget the size of him or the strength in his hands as he…” Ev broke off and shivered, the ghost of a memory flitting across his mind— the feel of the coarse material of the man’s coat, his huge meaty hands, the feeling of helplessness and the sharp scent of chemicals as he was being suffocated.

“We’re going to find him, Lord Stanley,” Franklin promised fervently.

“I hope you’re right.” Ev released a shaky breath. “But my point still stands, Baxter couldn’t have been that man. I find the fellow unsettling but maybe it is just coincidence.”

“Like I said, I don’t believe in coincidence.” Archie shook his head. “You don’t believe a man like Baxter could be capable of abducting someone?”

“Like I said, he doesn’t look as if he has the strength to subdue a man. Charlie may have been small and dainty, but David wasn’t, he would’ve fought.”

“I agree.” Archie nodded. “But equally, I don’t know that I believe the huge man who tried to abduct you is capable of the level of medical skill it would take to cause the injuries both Wakefield and Perkins suffered.”

Ev stared at him blankly as he contemplated Franklin’s words. “An accomplice? You think there might be two of them?”

“I think it’s a possibility not to be discounted.”

“Well,” Ev murmured, “I think I’m beginning to see how you’ve risen through the ranks so quickly. Inspector, I–”

Ev didn’t get to finish his sentence. Franklin’s gaze drifted over his shoulder, locking on something behind him. His eyes widened and he lunged forward, grabbing something behind a stack of barrels waiting to be loaded onto a nearby ship.

Ev watched in fascination as Franklin emerged from the temporary stack. Wriggling in his grip was a dirty little blonde boy who looked absolutely mutinous.

“Hello, Jack.” Franklin leaned in, his eyes narrowed and his voice low. “Where’s my watch?”

16

Jack glared at Archie, pulling at the fist that held the scruff of his collar tightly.

“I ain’t got no watch,” he hissed. “Lemme go!”

“Not til you tell me what you did with it?” Archie scowled. “Did you sell it?”