Page 79 of The Duke and Lady Scandal
“Of course,” Fitz told him, but his brows roseas if the request perplexed him. “You think this is more than just a robbery?”
“I don’t know, but I mean to find out.”
“Are you two going to let me in on what you’re whispering about?” Alexandra said, coming out from behind the counter and giving Grendel a reassuring pat on the head as she did.
“This won’t be my case, but I’m going to see if Baker will share what details he’s gathered. Fitz will stay with you while I speak to him.”
“I don’t require a minder, Ben. I’m all right.”
“Indulge me. It will only be a moment.”
As he approached the back room, he heard her frustrated sigh and understood. He knew she wasn’t a lady who’d tolerate such overprotective measures for long. From what he knew of them, her own family had treated her in such a manner, and he had no wish to cage or control her.
But after receiving Fitz’s note about the break-in, the worst memories of his life had been reignited, and during the carriage ride to Princes, those fearful images played out in his mind. He’d known when his brother went missing that he’d met some dire end. No one had believed him. But his gut had told him so.
That same feeling roiled in his gut now. The sense that this break-in couldn’t be put down to opportunistic robbery, or part of the usual cycle of crime statistics in Mayfair.
Demming’s words played in his head. That they were all just chess pieces being moved about.
He sensed the hand moving them, manipulating, striking fear, creating chaos.
And he could not shake the sickening feeling that Alexandra had become a pawn because of her association with him.
That sickening feeling deepened when he entered the back room of Princes and saw that chaos had been wreaked on this part of her shop. She hadn’t mentioned anything missing from her desk or shelves or inventory, and yet nearly every inch of the space had been ransacked.
“Sir, did someone send for you?” Detective Constable Baker looked understandably shocked to see him.
Mr. Gibson nodded in acknowledgment. “Inspector.”
“Fitzroy informed me of the break-in,” he told Baker. “I’m acquainted with Miss Prince.” The young man’s gaze flickered with surprise, but Ben decided to leave the explanation brief. “What have you discovered?”
Baker gestured toward Mr. Gibson’s workroom. “As you see. An attack was made on the safe by force and yet it’s curious since some items were left and others were taken. If they went to all the trouble to break the safe, why not take all of it?”
“A very good question.”
“This is odd too.” Baker picked up a teacup on Mr. Gibson’s workshop table. He tipped the cup so that Ben could see what was inside. “These bits of paper were found inside the safe. Looks like atorn-up letter, but they contain no writing but a few random letters on some pieces.”
Ben raised his hand, and Baker considered him a moment before handing over the teacup.
When he did, Ben strode to Gibson’s workbench and tipped the pieces out. Among them, he found what he feared he would. One torn piece contained an ornately writtenMin thick ink.
He swallowed back bile. “Take possession of these and have them photographed. I want a copy of those images when you do.”
“Why, sir? I didn’t realize this was your case.”
Ben stared the young man down until Baker clenched his jaw and gave one sharp nod.
“This may pertain to a case I’m working on and any evidence you collect shall be shared with me. If you wish to question that, put those queries to Haverstock.”
Helen was forever trying to teach him about chess gambits. Which reminded him that to catch a wily criminal, he often had to imagine their moves two or three steps ahead.
But it seemed he’d failed with M.
And now that failure had spread to touch Alexandra too.
Chapter Seventeen
Once Allie had found Grendel and Ben had come, she’d realized that they’d need to keep the shop shut for the day, if not for the remainder of the week. Though Mr. Gibson insisted on staying to help tidy the mess, Allie insisted just as vehemently that he head home after a couple of hours.
