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“I haven’t left his side since we met at our club earlier this afternoon,” Reginald told Paul and Lavender clutched his chest appreciatively.
“Thank you, Marston. But I would like to know why Mr. Sloan believes I’d murder those girls. I have no quarrel with the quim and I have no use for their rosaries as I’m not Catholic. Nor was I anywhere near most of those other parties.” He gave Paul an expectant look but Reginald killed the effect by gasping excitedly.
“Is this about Mickey Winterstone’s rosary?” Reginald guessed and looked up as if he might answer himself.
“Lord Winterstone?” Paul asked and Lavender was suspicious as well as they closed in on Reginald. He smirked at them and bit into his lip mischievously because there wasn’t a chance that either of them would let Reginald out of their site now.
“What do you know about those rosaries?” Lavender demanded as Paul nodded and leaned in.
“Five Irish Catholic girls have been murdered and their rosaries were stolen,” Paul said and pointed at the girl by the hedge. “If it turns out that she’s an Irish Catholic and missing one, she’ll make six.” He gave Lavender a loaded look. “Is that why you’re playing chaperone? You think he knows something.”
“Hardly,” Lavender replied then shrugged. “But I would be a fool not to take advantage if an opportunity to catch the killer presented itself.”
“Ha!” Reginald beamed at Lavender. “I thought you took me in out of the kindness of your heart but you’re after the killer too!”
“There’s a reward. Everyone wants to find the Rosary Killer. I could buy another house in Mayfair with that money,” Lavender muttered.
“Don’t get me wrong!” Reginald said with a delighted laugh. “I’ve missed this Lavender. We had far more fun when you were a cold-hearted asshole with a work ethic.”
“Thank you…” Lavender gave his head a shake. “Marston and I were together until he went off with you but what were you doing out here before you interrupted us?”
“No, no.” Reginald shut it down with a firm stomp of his foot. “Aside from the fact that it makes even less sense for Paul to mimic a murder he’s traveled all the way from America to investigate, she’s been dead for a few hours.”
“How can you possibly know that?” Paul asked and Reginald pointed at the ground. “It rained earlier this evening. The ground would have been sopping wet out here but it’s drained off. And look at our boots. We’ve been stomping about for the last fifteen minutes and they’re still relatively clean, if not a little damp.”
“Her feet and the hem of her dress are soiled,” Lavender said to himself, then glanced at Paul. “When did you arrive?”
“Early. I had an invitation to dine with the Coonans but I arrived with the Commissioner. He’s a good friend of my employer’s and holds Mr. Pinkerton in high esteem. I didn’t leave the Commissioner’s side until I followed you out here.”
That seemed to satisfy Lavender. “I suggest we notify Lord Coonan and the Commissioner and see what we can learn as word spreads.”
“I like it!” Reginald said as he rubbed his hands together. “Let’s split up and meet back at my place.”
That earned a hard snort from Lavender. “I’ll stay with Marston and Sloan can meet us as soon as he’s finished licking the Commissioner's boots.”
“I could ask him to take you back to Whitehall Place and we could finish this discussion there,” Paul offered and Reginald realized that this was veering into nightmare territory again.
“Stop!” He waved wildly. “I will go in there and blow all of this to hell if the two of you don’t grow up this instant. How dare you give me a headache right before the best part? I just got the two of you to agree to come home with me.”
“My apologies, Lord Marston,” Paul said as he bowed but his lips twitched into a smile as his eyes held Reginald’s. “Until later.” He winked before he left them and a dreamy sigh spilled from Reginald.
“I told you he’s exceptional.”
“No reward is worth this,” Lavender muttered but he grabbed Reginald’s elbow and gave it a hard jerk. “Come along. Time to create another scene.”
