“Breaking and entering, burglary, breach of the peace, and I don’t know what else. I don’t know what you’ve been up to, but he means it, so be careful how you tread.”
“Montague,” Constance said, scowling. “For the record, his servants admitted me, he gave us permission to question his household, and I never stole anything.”
“But he did discover you on your knees before his desk with a lockpick in your hand?”
“He might, but he didn’t see me use it.”
Harris let out a hiss that might have been anger or laughter. Even before they had begun Silver and Grey, he had been a friend and helped them in several of their investigations. But he was first and foremost a policeman, and Solomon would not underestimate that.
“We were asked,” he said quickly, “to investigate the death of the opera singer Caterina di Ripoli. She was Montague’s wife.”
While the inspector drank his tea, Solomon explained the oddities of the case and their suspicions concerning Montague. “The thing is,” he added, “he might have done it before. Ten years ago, his betrothed, Sophie Worthington, died in a similarly unexpected and inexplicable manner. I don’t suppose you know anything about that?”
The story had brought a frown to Harris’s face. “I’ll see if there’s any record,” he said dubiously, “but I’ll have to be dashed discreet or have a much better cause for suspicion if I’m to face Galsworth’s wrath. In the meantime, seriously, don’t alienate him. He can make life da—verydifficult for you, and he will. Stay away from Montague’s house.”
Solomon nodded. Constance said, “Very well.” But he knew they were both thinking the same thing.Theyhad been banned from the house, but neither Janey nor Lenny had.
Then Constance took him by surprise, as she often did.
“I have no idea where you live, inspector, so I could not send you a card, but we are having a few guests on Friday evening and would be delighted if you and your wife could join us.”
Harris looked startled. “Why?” he asked.
Constance laughed. “Because you have been a good friend and ally to us since before we began Silver and Grey. We are an odd couple with diverse friends, and the gathering is informal.” Her lips quirked. “But respectable. We shall not embarrass you.”
For the first time in their acquaintance, Harris blushed. He was an intelligent man of some education, but he did not generally move in wealthy circles. He was probably more at home with the rabble of the streets and Constance’s girls than conversing with the likes of the Halliwells and the Trenches.
“Thank you,” he said briskly, setting down his teacup and rising to his feet. “I’ll speak to my wife.”
Solomon walked with him to the front door and returned to find Constance gathering her wildly expanded notes into her bag. “What prompted that invitation?”
“Sorry,” she said, pausing for an instant to rest her head against his arm. “I didn’t confer with you first. I suppose I was just carried away! Besides, we both like him, and it came to me that we could do him a good turn for once.”
“How?” Solomon asked blankly.
“Didn’t you tell me that one of your favored guests was an assistant commissioner of police, or some such thing? We might bring Harris to his attention.”
Solomon began to laugh and threw his arm around her shoulders. “You are wonderful, you know.”
