Page 59 of Grave Expectations
"We've not had a chance to talk," I said.
"He won't like that you went to the police station without us."
I held the door open for him. "Thank you, Gus, but I won't keep things from him." Not like he'd kept things from me.
He left when Lincoln returned. His hair hung in damp waves and he smelled like the spicy soap he liked to use. I found myself drawn to his arms again, and to his lips. He tasted as good as he smelled.
Our kiss was all too brief. With a frustrated huff, he directed me to sit. "I want to know why you were upset."
I sat on the armchair by the fire. "After you tell me where you've been and whether you found Mrs. Drinkwater."
Two beats passed before he answered. "I've been to her sister's house, visited her neighbors, and checked hotels in the vicinity. I broke into her house to find out what I could about her life and movements. When that investigation proved futile, I visited the Brumley woman's kin. I believe the two victims may have known one another." He rubbed a hand over his eyes and down his face. The exhaustion etched into the lines tugged at my heart. It must gall him to have failed, but at least his exhaustion was better than his anger. "I didn't find the Drinkwater woman."
"I see. I can't pretend I'm sorry for that."
His gaze sharpened.
"Before you accuse me of not trusting you," I went on, "I want you to know that I do. You won't hurt her, butshedoesn't know that."
He blinked slowly and looked away. "I find it remarkable that you can still think me harmless after witnessing me kill your father."
"That's different. He was a danger to us both, and to Seth and Gus. You had no choice." I cleared my throat. "Speaking of my father, I summoned his spirit tonight."
The sharp gaze returned, piercing me like an arrow. "That's why you were upset."
I sucked in air between my teeth. My reluctance to continue did not go unnoticed, if the quirk of his eyebrow was an indication. "I haven't been idle while you were away," I said. "Can I speak without risk of you interrupting?"
"Probably not."
I gave him a withering glare. "I snuck out of the house with my imp and broke into the Kensington Police Station to find out what they knew about the Drinkwater murder."
His lips pressed together in what I assumed was an effort not to interrupt.
"I learned some things, which I'm sure you already knew, since you probably have also broken in at some point."
"Are you going to admonish me for not sharing the information with you?"
"Lincoln, I thought we'd agreed to be partners in ministry business. In everything!"
"For one thing, you're my assistant, not my partner. For another, being betrothed makes you my partner in life, not in work."
"The two are inextricably linked. You said so yourself once. And anyway, you should have involved me in the investigation because I believe I've learned more about the murders than you."
"I have no doubt, since you summoned Frankenstein. You saw the connection in the detective's files?"
"And with Jasper too."
He didn't look surprised, so he must have known.
"That's only partly why I summoned his spirit. I sent Seth and Gus to talk with Edith Brumley, Joan's cousin, and they learned that Joan had a lover, but all contact between them suddenly ceased when Frankenstein died."
That brought quite a reaction.Bothhis eyebrows lifted. "He wanted to use her necromancy?"
"He wasn't sure if she could reanimate bodies, but he planned on testing her, only he died first. If he couldn't find me, he hoped he could use her instead. He was using her as he used my mother."
"And you," he said quietly.
"I think I've also found the link between Drinkwater, Jasper and Frankenstein. His spirit mentioned that he was approached by an anonymous benefactor who wanted to sponsor his work, only to retract his offer when he learned Frankenstein planned to use a necromancer. Drinkwater's spirit also mentioned a commission from someone who pulled out after learning about his magic."
