Page 59 of The Hollow of Fear

Keeling looked to Treadles again.“Best answer the chief inspector’s question,” Treadles said. “No use trying to hide anything.”

“I’m not. I don’t know anything about how Lady Ingram died.”

“Maybe not,” said Fowler. “But you know something. And that something you know might prove useful to us.”

Keeling, perspiration already beading on the tip of his nose, mulishly shook his head.

Fowler rapped his knuckles against the arm of his chair and looked meaningfully at Treadles. Treadles grimaced inwardly. Everyone always said he had a kind, trustworthy face, which meant that when hardnosed old coppers wanted someone to ease a witness into compliance, Treadles was their man.

He leaned forward in his seat. “A woman who hasn’t been seen for months turns up dead on her husband’s property. Whom wouldyoususpect, Mr. Keeling?”

“I don’t think it’s Lord Ingram.”

“I don’t think it’s him either. I know the man—we’ve been friends for years. But this isn’t looking good for him. If you know of something that might help...”

“I don’t know anything that’d help. At least, I can’t think how it would help. I only know something strange.”

“Something odd would be a good place to start.”

“But if I tell you, I’ll get into trouble.”

“I’m sure Lord Ingram will compensate you for that trouble, should it come to that.”

Still Keeling hesitated. “I’m not the only person who’ll get in trouble.”

Treadles was beginning to understand his reluctance. “If something were to happen to Lord Ingram, his children would go to live with a guardian, and this place will most likely be shuttered until Master Carlisle comes of age. In which case, most of the staff will be let go. Have you thought of that?”

Keeling shrank. “Will that really happen?”

“I’m hoping to prevent that. You like it here?”

“I do.”

“And you would like for things to stay as they are?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me hear what you’re holding back. I promise you won’t regret it. And I promise to protect the other person who is involved in this story from any and all repercussions.”

“That’s a real promise?”

“A real promise.”

“What about—the chief inspector over there?”

“My father was in service. I understand it’s a difficult life,” said the “chief inspector over there.” “I am not here for you or whatever minor infractions you might have committed. I am here to find out what happened to Lady Ingram. That’s it.”

Keeling swallowed. “There is—someone who works in the house. We try to see each other, but it’s not easy. Used to be I snuck into the house. It’s a big house and most of the time, most of the rooms don’t have anyone in them.

“But the last time we met in the house we were almost discovered. She said no more. I was scared witless myself, so I agreed. But then, one day, Finney came to see Mr. Dean, the head gardener.”

“Finney being the kitchen helper who first discovered Lady Ingram?”

“That’s him. There was going to be a dinner in the big house that night and he needed to get into the icehouse. But the French cook gave him the wrong key. He was afraid of the French cook, so he came to Mr. Dean to ask for his copy. Mr. Dean didn’t know Finney—he’d just started that week—so he gave the key to me and I went with Finney to the icehouse and showed him how to chisel out ice.

“Later, I started to think that the icehouse would make for a good place to meet. The outermost chamber didn’t feel any colder than outside.”

“Still pretty uncomfortable in this weather for disrobing,” Fowler pointed out.