Page 107 of A Fearless Heart
Trevor walked in, dressed in his usual impeccable manner, though his face had a tired appearance and there were lines around his eyes. “Sorry, I had some business that took far too long today. I got your message, Cady. What’s going on?”
She quickly filled him in on the most relevant facts, leaving him wide-eyed. “I say, that’s incredible. And the phrase from that painting Mama liked is all we’ve got for a clue?”
“If you can call it a clue,” Cady replied. “It’s the most unfair type of word puzzle. There’s nothing to go on.”
“I could find a reproduction of the Poussin painting,” Trevor offered. “Maybe there’s an image in it that might help.”
“I know the painting by heart,” Cady said. “I think the significant thing is the phrase, and the fact that I was named for it.”
“But why is it the same phrase as all the men who were killed…I mean, we’re assuming Gabe is still alive, aren’t we?” Trevor looked anxious until Cady nodded.
Jem stood up and started walking around the room. “Right, let’s all think about what we do know. Courtenay was here in London on Tuesday. Lady Arcadia last saw him Friday night, but he called the next two days, and I spoke to him late Tuesday. Anyone see him after that? Or received a message from him, or something?”
Cady looked around the room, and saw only shaking heads. She offered, “The couple that came here and told me he was missing said he didn’t arrive at a meeting they’d scheduled. That’s what first alerted them. He’d never miss such a meeting without sending word.”
“So sometime between morning and four in the afternoon on that day, he went missing.” Jem frowned. “And all the hospitals and morgues and such have been checked?”
“Aye,” said Rook. “Me and the other Disreputables who could be spared moved through the city starting that evening. None of the magistrates have anything to share, and Bow Street’s the same. No unknown patients matching his description at hospitals. No bodies matching his description at the morgues or medical schools.”
“Ugh,” Trevor muttered at the image of dissection.
“Sorry, sir,” Rook added politely. “But it happens.”
“We’ll keep asking around,” Jem told Cady. “We’re good at that. Someone will pick up his trail and we’ll learn more.”
“What I don’t understand is how it could happen in the first place,” Cady said. “Gabe—I mean Mr Courtenay is some sort of agent trained in espionage and investigation and all those sorts of things. And yet he’s kidnapped out of the blue?”
Jem sighed, looking rather ragged. “Not out of the blue—the killer must have realized that he was getting close and moved to stop him from reporting what he knew.”
“But Gabe is so smart!” she objected.
“Smart men can still make mistakes,” Trevor pointed out. “Especially if he was distracted or not thinking straight.”
Cady winced. Their spectacular fight and her reaction to learning the truth would certainly affect his thinking.
“Look, we can’t do much more now,” Bond said. “We need to gather more information outside of this house. I suggest we all get some rest and start early. Everyone on their own initiative. Go out, use your contacts, pick up what you can. We’ll meet back here and put what we’ve learned together. Someone will have a success, and that will point us in the right direction.”
“Well said, love,” Jem agreed.
The Disreputables filtered out of the room, leaving only Cady and Trevor.
“It’s not your fault, Cady,” Trevor said quietly. He was watching her, his eyes intent.
“It feels like it is. A poison I synthesized. My name on all the cards.”
“That’s just a coincidence.”
Cady shot him a look. “Oh, really? A coincidence that the killer used a quote with the wordArcadia? They wanted to make me look like I’m responsible for everything.”
Trevor approached her, his face serious. “My poor, poor Cady. That man broke your heart, and I won’t stand for it. Come sit by me and we’ll have it all out. You can tell me every last thing he told you, and I’ll listen and I won’t interrupt once.”
Cady gave him a tremulous smile. “Not once?”
“Maybe once. Or twice. But that’s the limit. Now come and sit.”
She did so, and he offered her a teacup already filled with a golden-hued tea smelling of sweet florals.
“Now drink up,” he said warmly, placing the cup and saucer in her hands. “It’s exactly what you need.”
