“Where is O’Leary?”Kendrick asked, exactly at the same time as Samantha entered the room.
She was followed by Murry, who positioned himself in a corner behind Kendrick while Samantha moved to one of the three chairs the room had to offer.She gave Kendrick a cool greeting before she sat.
“I don’t know,” Adrian said in response to Kendrick’s question.
“And I’m supposed to believe that?”Kendrick asked.
Adrian took another sip of brandy, then strode toward the chair that stood behind his desk.“I don’t care what you believe, but it’s the truth.”
Kendrick scoffed.“Is he at least alive?”
Adrian narrowed his gaze on the chief constable.“No.”
The comment seemed to send a chill through the room.Silence followed for a number of seconds.Shock stretched across Kendrick’s features.He’d clearly not expected such a blatant confession.
It didn’t matter.If he ever tried to use it against Adrian, Adrian would simply deny having said it.
But since it felt relevant, he chose to explain.“O’Leary nearly killed me.Murry too.The bastard managed to stab both of us.What happened was an act of self-defense.”
When Kendrick just stood there, staring at Adrian as though attempting to figure out whether or not this were true, Adrian shucked his jacket and waistcoat, untucked his shirt and pulled it up so Kendrick could see the wound.
“I can remove the bandage if you want a closer look.”
“Please do,” Kendrick said, then turned to Murry.“You too.”
Apparently the good chief constable wouldn’t take them at their word.Not that Adrian blamed him.It was fine.The wounds would prove they’d fought for their lives.What Kendrick needn’t know was that they’d captured O’Leary first and that he’d stood no chance of leaving The Bearded Vulture alive.
“I should still apprehend you,” Kendrick murmured after he’d seen the stab wounds.
“On what grounds?”Samantha asked while Adrian and Murry made themselves presentable.
Kendrick stared at her.“Are you seriously asking me that question?O’Leary is dead, according to your husband.His body is gone along with the ones belonging to his crew.So at the very least, Croft can be charged with removing evidence from a crime scene.”
“Or,” Adrian said as he lowered himself to his chair and set his glass on top of the desk.He waited until everyone was looking at him before adding, “We can brush this nasty business under the rug and make a fresh bargain.”
“I’d be a fool to trust you again,” Kendrick said.
“Considering the information I have in my possession, you’d be a fool not to,” Adrian said.
Kendrick seemed to consider, weighing the pros and cons, and then, “What information would that be?”
Though he did not look at her directly, Adrian could tell that Samantha was watching him closely, with great interest.As was Murry.
He leaned back in his chair, his attention focused on Kendrick.“Let’s just say it’s a delicate matter requiring the utmost of care.If I share what I have discovered with you, I’ll need your word as a gentleman that you will consult with me first before you act.Every single step of the way.”
“On top of which I’m supposed to leave you be, pretend you didn’t attack me or kill O’Leary and his men and dispose of their bodies?”Kendrick was already shaking his head.He looked like he’d just been blackmailed into submitting his own resignation.“You must be cracked in the head if you think that’s going to happen.”
“Very well.”Adrian gestured toward the door.“Feel free to take your leave.”
Kendrick’s face turned a bright shade of crimson.“I am arresting you on behalf of Chief Magistrate Hastings.You will accompany me to Bow Street where you will be held until—”
“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Samantha cut in.“You have no proof of any wrongdoing.As far as my husband and Murry are concerned, they were absent from the raid on O’Leary.In fact, they spent most of that evening at Marsdale House.”
Kendrick smirked.“You cannot in all seriousness think you can implicate the earl and his wife, along with their entire household, in such an outrageous lie.”
“Of course not.”When Kendrick showed hints of confusion Samantha told him, “Croft had to run an errand after everyone retired.Murry went with him and the pair encountered some thugs.A fight broke out, the result of which you’ve just seen.”
“No.”Kendrick’s hand sliced the air between them.“Croft and Murry met with me at a coffee shop on Gosfield Street, then accompanied me to Number 12 Hanson with every intention of taking down O’Leary.I was there when he killed the first of his men.I—”
