I don’t know. But the type that considers money important. I doubt Phineas Wharton has need for anything beyond what his wages at Paxton Import afford him.”
Quinn couldn’t help but smile. She was so trusting. Saw only good in everyone. “Well, we’ll find out soon enough. We’re here.”
The carriage stopped in front of Paxton Import and Export, and Quinn helped Nellie dismount. The man she’d described in the carriage looked up when they entered the office.
“Oh, Miss Sutton.” Phineas Wharton came forward with outstretched hands. “I’m so sorry about everything that’s happened. Of course, I don’t believe for a second that Henry is guilty of what he’s been accused of.” Wharton took Nellie’s hands in his and held them.
“Thank you, Phineas. We don’t either. That’s why we’re here.” Nellie turned to include Quinn. “Phineas, I’d like to present Mr. Quinn Walker. He’s an investigator with the Bedford Street Brigade.”
Wharton’s eyebrows shot upward. “Oh, Mr. Walker. I’m so glad you’ve taken an interest in Mr. Dunston’s case.”
“That’s why we’re here, Mr. Wharton. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Of course. Anything I can do to help.” Phineas Wharton pulled up two chairs. “Please, sit.”
Quinn led Nellie to one of the chairs, then took the other.
“What can I do to help?” Phineas said when they were seated.
“What do you know about the missing money?”
“Nothing, I’m afraid.” Wharton scanned the room as if to make sure they were alone. “Henry and I have thought for a long time that something was amiss with the books, but nothing we could put our finger on.”
“Why do you say that?”
Wharton’s gaze lowered. “Just a feeling we had.”
“What about a missing ledger?”
Phineas Wharton’s eyes suddenly seemed too large for his very pale face. “Ledger? I’m… uh… I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”
“Mr. Dunston’s house was broken into two nights ago. Unfortunately, Miss Sutton was alone at the time.”
Wharton focused his gaze on Nellie. His eyes opened wide when he realized that the shadows on her face were bruises. “Oh, Miss Sutton. I’m so sorry. How dreadful.”
“Thank you, Phineas,” Nellie said. “Thankfully, my sister and the children are with our parents, so they weren’t at home. I hate to think what might have happened had they been there.” She paused, and leveled Phineas a steady gaze. “The men who broke in were after a ledger. They thought I had it.”
Wharton rose to his feet. He had to anchor his hand against the corner of the desk as if his legs wouldn’t support him. “The ledger…” he whispered.
“Yes, do you know where it is?” Nellie asked.
“I—”
Before Phineas Wharton could finish his sentence, the office door flew open and Carter Paxton stormed inside. “What are you doing here, Walker?”
“Exactly what I informed your father I intended to do—investigate your accusation against Mr. Dunston.”
“Well, you’re not welcome here.”
Quinn stepped between Nellie and the irate Carter Paxton. “Your father indicated otherwise, sir.”
“Well, my father isn’t here at the moment. I am.”
“Then perhaps I could ask you a few questions.”
“I’ve answered all the questions I intend to answer. Anything else you need to ask will have to go unanswered.”
“Don’t you want to find out who really took the money you found in Mr. Dunston’s home?”
“I already know who took the money. Mr. Dunston admitted to me just this morning that he is our thief.”
“No!” Nellie staggered beside him and Quinn wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. “That can’t be. Henry would never take anything that doesn’t belong to him.”
“Well, I’m afraid he did. He’s admitting his guilt right now. The authorities are taking down his admission as we speak.”
Quinn leveled a harsh glare in Paxton’s direction. “May I ask what
Quinn couldn’t help but smile. She was so trusting. Saw only good in everyone. “Well, we’ll find out soon enough. We’re here.”
The carriage stopped in front of Paxton Import and Export, and Quinn helped Nellie dismount. The man she’d described in the carriage looked up when they entered the office.
“Oh, Miss Sutton.” Phineas Wharton came forward with outstretched hands. “I’m so sorry about everything that’s happened. Of course, I don’t believe for a second that Henry is guilty of what he’s been accused of.” Wharton took Nellie’s hands in his and held them.
“Thank you, Phineas. We don’t either. That’s why we’re here.” Nellie turned to include Quinn. “Phineas, I’d like to present Mr. Quinn Walker. He’s an investigator with the Bedford Street Brigade.”
Wharton’s eyebrows shot upward. “Oh, Mr. Walker. I’m so glad you’ve taken an interest in Mr. Dunston’s case.”
“That’s why we’re here, Mr. Wharton. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Of course. Anything I can do to help.” Phineas Wharton pulled up two chairs. “Please, sit.”
Quinn led Nellie to one of the chairs, then took the other.
“What can I do to help?” Phineas said when they were seated.
“What do you know about the missing money?”
“Nothing, I’m afraid.” Wharton scanned the room as if to make sure they were alone. “Henry and I have thought for a long time that something was amiss with the books, but nothing we could put our finger on.”
“Why do you say that?”
Wharton’s gaze lowered. “Just a feeling we had.”
“What about a missing ledger?”
Phineas Wharton’s eyes suddenly seemed too large for his very pale face. “Ledger? I’m… uh… I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”
“Mr. Dunston’s house was broken into two nights ago. Unfortunately, Miss Sutton was alone at the time.”
Wharton focused his gaze on Nellie. His eyes opened wide when he realized that the shadows on her face were bruises. “Oh, Miss Sutton. I’m so sorry. How dreadful.”
“Thank you, Phineas,” Nellie said. “Thankfully, my sister and the children are with our parents, so they weren’t at home. I hate to think what might have happened had they been there.” She paused, and leveled Phineas a steady gaze. “The men who broke in were after a ledger. They thought I had it.”
Wharton rose to his feet. He had to anchor his hand against the corner of the desk as if his legs wouldn’t support him. “The ledger…” he whispered.
“Yes, do you know where it is?” Nellie asked.
“I—”
Before Phineas Wharton could finish his sentence, the office door flew open and Carter Paxton stormed inside. “What are you doing here, Walker?”
“Exactly what I informed your father I intended to do—investigate your accusation against Mr. Dunston.”
“Well, you’re not welcome here.”
Quinn stepped between Nellie and the irate Carter Paxton. “Your father indicated otherwise, sir.”
“Well, my father isn’t here at the moment. I am.”
“Then perhaps I could ask you a few questions.”
“I’ve answered all the questions I intend to answer. Anything else you need to ask will have to go unanswered.”
“Don’t you want to find out who really took the money you found in Mr. Dunston’s home?”
“I already know who took the money. Mr. Dunston admitted to me just this morning that he is our thief.”
“No!” Nellie staggered beside him and Quinn wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. “That can’t be. Henry would never take anything that doesn’t belong to him.”
“Well, I’m afraid he did. He’s admitting his guilt right now. The authorities are taking down his admission as we speak.”
Quinn leveled a harsh glare in Paxton’s direction. “May I ask what
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