AllFreeNovel
Share Us
In other words, tell them what this new evidence is, so they’ll know it exists and stop their caterwauling.
“Fine,” he says. “Since the young maid asked so prettily. Let this be a lesson to you ladies. Good manners are not the sole province of the well-to-do.” He turns to me. “I apologize, miss, that the evidence may be a little difficult for you to understand, but I know you work for Dr. Gray, and I am certain he can better explain it.”
“Thank you, sir. I’m sure he can.”
“Lady Leslie? Your husband was drawn into a scheme to defraud speculators. He was convinced to invest heavily, and we have just obtained evidence that the money he used was your own personal funds, which he took—quite unlawfully—from your accounts.”
“What?” Annis says.
“Come now, my lady. This is no surprise to you. It is your motive formurder. You discovered he was set on bankrupting you, and so you killed him.”
“Bankrupting me? I do not understand.”
“You are mistaken, sir,” Sarah says. “Lord Leslie would not have done such a thing to his wife. He would not have dared.”
“Heshouldnot have dared,” Crichton says. “That mistake was his undoing.”
“But this makes no sense,” Isla says. “The fellow in the hospital was part of the scheme you speak of, was he not? Now you believe he has murdered his co-conspirators… butnotLord Leslie?”
“We believe Lady Leslie took advantage of the first two deaths to murder her husband and have him seem one of the victims. Otherwise…” He shrugs. “We are not ruling out the possibility she was responsible for all four.”
“What?” Isla says. “No. It is this other gentleman. He had thallium in his rooms. I tested it myself.”
Crichton had been turning away. Now he slowly pivots to face Isla. “Mrs. Ballantyne?”
“Yes.”
“The chemist?”
“Yes, I am—”
“An obvious source for that poison, no?” Crichton steps toward her. “Why has this connection not been made?”
It has. By multiple people. The fact that Crichton has only realized it proves he’s a shitty detective. It also proves that McCreadie has been keeping this connection from him, and that is a very dangerous place for McCreadie to be.
Before anyone can speak, Annis says, “The connection has not been made because I have little to do with my sister. A woman chemist? It is nearly as big a disgrace as a bastard brown-skinned brother inheriting my family home, which I have not stepped inside in nearly a year.” Her chin jerks up, as if remembering something. Then she spins on Isla. “This is your doing.”
“What?”
“You have always hated me, Isla. Envied and hated me, and now you have reported me for murder and come to gloat as I am arrested. You will not get away with this. Mark my words. I will have my revenge.”
Isla stares in confusion. Sarah only gapes. And me? I have to resist the urge not to applaud.
Annis doesn’t actually think Isla reported her. She’s blaming her to clear up any misconception that they get along well enough to co-conspire.
With those words, Annis turns and puts out her hands. “Arrest me. Take me to prison. I shall fight when I am prepared to fight, and not a moment sooner.”
Annis leaves without another word. We follow, and by the time we reach the door, McCreadie is there with Gray, having heard the news. There’s a brief exchange, but they don’t stand in Crichton’s way. He has the right to make the arrest.
Only McCreadie is allowed to accompany Annis. Gray may visit in the morning. Again, there’s no point in arguing. At least we have McCreadie to see that Annis is processed properly and that Gray is allowed to see her tomorrow.
Once Isla and I are in the coach with Gray, Isla asks her brother what he knows. As for how they heard about the arrest, McCreadie is popular with the constables, and when several on night duty learned that Lady Leslie was about to be arrested, one went to his apartment to warn him. According to Gray, McCreadie knows only what we heard—there is evidence that Leslie stole from his wife to invest in the cemetery scheme.
“Any idea where the evidence came from?” I ask.
“It was dropped off by a boy who ran before anyone realized what he had,” Gray says. “A street lad hired to deliver it, likely with no connection to whoever sent it. I obtained a description, to be sure it was not Elspeth or Queen Mab’s errand boys. It was not.”
I nod.
