Page 91 of Retribution

I chuckle in spite of my low mood. ‘Outsourced?’

Shade nods, eyeing the car. ‘Maybe. Could be a private eye.’

We turn into the underground parking lot slowly, and the car passes us, but I notice it taking its time and coming to a halt just as we go under the barrier.

In the hospital, we find Stephens’ room. The Novelle butler is sitting up, eating a Jello cup. When he sees us, he gives Shade a small smile/grimace and puts it down.

‘Master Jack.’

‘Hey, Stephens,’ Shade says, pulling up a chair to sit next to the older man’s bed. ‘How are you doing?’

‘Could be worse, sir.’ He gestures to his arm that’s in a sling, and his cast-covered leg. ‘Should be up in a day or so,’ he quips.

Shade grins. ‘If anyone would be, it’s you, my friend.’

‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’ Stephens asks and Shade winces.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t come before. It’s just been… Daisy’s gone.’

Stephens frowns. ‘Gone?’

‘She escaped from Joe’s bodyguard yesterday morning. We haven’t heard anything from her since.’

Stephens closes his eyes and leans back. ‘You don’t know where she is?’

Shade shakes his head. ‘But they’re trying to find her.’

‘I’m sure they are, sir,’ he looks angry.

‘Look, Stephens, I’m sorry to bother you now, but we have some questions. We’re hoping you have some answers?—’

‘If it’s about Miss Marguerite’s whereabouts, then I’m afraid I can’t help you. If she had a plan, she didn’t confide in me. I also have no idea who put me in this hospital bed. I never saw the car that hit me.’

‘It’s not about that or Daisy,’ I say.

Shade leans forward. ‘You know everything that goes on in that house, Stephens.’

‘Idid, sir. That is true, but I should inform you that my reach was severely obstructed whenthat crass womanunder the employ of the Bandervilles came to the house. She ensured that my own staff kept their distance from me, no longer spoke confidences to me, and stopped taking my orders seriously. She quickly turned the Novelle estate into her own private kingdom. I was unable to thwart her with your father being absent, I’m afraid.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Shade replies, sounding sincere. ‘I know how much the smooth running of the house means to you. What we came here to ask is, did you know that April was actually called Evelyn Carmichael before she married Daisy’s father?

Stephens looks surprised by the question. ‘Of course. Her name was EvelynAprilCarmichael. She told me once that she had grown up in Richmond and later attended school with Mister Novelle. Was it a secret?’

‘It’s just that she never mentioned it to me,’ Shade says. ‘I… We were close I thought and she never… It seemed like maybe itwasa secret.’

Stephens considers for a moment. ‘She didn’t talk about the past much, Master Jack. I got the impression that there were reasons for it. As to what they might have been, well to speculate would merely be conjecture on my part and I assume you require facts.’

Shade nods. ‘What about the name Winters? Did she ever say anything about it? We think that might have been April’s last name when she was growing up and that she changed it to Carmichael for some reason.’

He thinks for a moment and then shakes his head. ‘She never mentioned that name to me, sir, but it’s not as if I was privy to all of the lady’s secrets.’

I sigh. He’s been able to tell us a little, but this has kind of been a wasted trip so far.

‘One last thing,’ Shade says. ‘The Bandervilles. The marriage contract was in the works for a long time. Years. Do you know why they’re so interested in Daisy?’

‘I don’t, sir,’ Stephens begins, and then frowns a little as if deep in thought. ‘But I can tell you that I took the post…the mailto Mr. Novelle every afternoon. Over the past few years, there was considerable correspondence with two solicitors. One was Anders and Co?—’

‘Yes, those are our family’s lawyers. Always have been.’