prevent it, and my conscience dictated my actions. The only step I could think to take was going to the police, which is something I was loathe to do, believe me.”
“Why? If you knew a murder was about to be committed, I should think you would be eager to inform the police about it.” He straightened in his seat, and his gaze locked with hers. “Unless you were protecting the murderer.”
That suggestion was as ludicrous as the other, and Sophie shook her head in disbelief. “You change theories so quickly, Inspector, you make my head spin.”
He shrugged. “There are two possible solutions to this little puzzle. One is that you know who the potential assassin is, but having a conscience, you decided to warn me in advance. But you didn’t want me to know the identity of this person, so you made up this rigmarole about a dream, and you came here tonight to find out if your visit to me this afternoon had worked. The only other theory is that you are the one who shot at me, and you came to warn me in advance because you are, shall we say, a bit touched in the head. Which scenario do you prefer?”
She jumped to her feet. “I think you are the one who is touched, Inspector.” She folded her arms andglared down at him. “There is a third possibility, one which you have failed to consider. I might be telling the absolute truth.”
“Right.” He smiled. “I forgot about that one.”
“It’s a wonder Scotland Yard ever solves a crime. Are all police inspectors as rude and hardheaded as you?”
His smile vanished. “Forgive me, but getting shot at doesn’t put me in a sociable mood.”
“Well, I didn’t shoot at you!”
“But I think you know who did.” He stood up, his eyes narrowing as he stepped toward her, but when he spoke, his voice was deceptively soft. “I don’t know what sort of game you’re playing, but I don’t find murder a game, especially when I am the possible corpse. If you know anything, this is not the time to be coy about it. You had best tell me everything you know. Right now.”
“I’ve told you all I know.”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It’s your choice.”
He leaned closer to her, so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. “The easy way,” he murmured, “would be for you to tell me the truth.”
“I already have.”
“The hard way it is, then.” He straightened away from her. “I don’t know what your motives are in all this, but I will discover them, no matter how you try to hide them.”
“I don’t have any hidden motives. I told you—”
“Whoever has tried to kill me,” he interrupted, “that person must be associated with you in some way.To find out who that person is, I will turn your life inside out, I will uncover everything about you and every member of your family, I will interview every relative, servant, and acquaintance you have. You won’t have any secrets left when I’ve finished with you. This will be unpleasant for you, but as I said, it’s your choice.”
Despite her resolve not to be intimidated, she suddenly felt afraid, but she refused to let him see it. “Do what you must, Inspector. I’m not afraid of you, and I don’t have any secrets.”
He stepped past her. “Everybody has secrets, luv. Everybody.”
With that, he unlatched the door and opened it. Sophie ran out of the flat and down the stairs, sucking in great gulps of air as she stepped out into the warm spring night.
Catching sight of her, Grimstock jumped out of the cab, frowning with concern at the sight of her face in the moonlight. “Miss Sophie? What happened? Did that copper hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No, Grimmy. I’m perfectly well,” she answered and stepped up into the hansom.
In reality, Sophie felt sick with dread. There was no doubt Dunbar meant what he said. He would find out things he had no business knowing, things that would expose her family and herself to scandal and ridicule. With a groan,
“Why? If you knew a murder was about to be committed, I should think you would be eager to inform the police about it.” He straightened in his seat, and his gaze locked with hers. “Unless you were protecting the murderer.”
That suggestion was as ludicrous as the other, and Sophie shook her head in disbelief. “You change theories so quickly, Inspector, you make my head spin.”
He shrugged. “There are two possible solutions to this little puzzle. One is that you know who the potential assassin is, but having a conscience, you decided to warn me in advance. But you didn’t want me to know the identity of this person, so you made up this rigmarole about a dream, and you came here tonight to find out if your visit to me this afternoon had worked. The only other theory is that you are the one who shot at me, and you came to warn me in advance because you are, shall we say, a bit touched in the head. Which scenario do you prefer?”
She jumped to her feet. “I think you are the one who is touched, Inspector.” She folded her arms andglared down at him. “There is a third possibility, one which you have failed to consider. I might be telling the absolute truth.”
“Right.” He smiled. “I forgot about that one.”
“It’s a wonder Scotland Yard ever solves a crime. Are all police inspectors as rude and hardheaded as you?”
His smile vanished. “Forgive me, but getting shot at doesn’t put me in a sociable mood.”
“Well, I didn’t shoot at you!”
“But I think you know who did.” He stood up, his eyes narrowing as he stepped toward her, but when he spoke, his voice was deceptively soft. “I don’t know what sort of game you’re playing, but I don’t find murder a game, especially when I am the possible corpse. If you know anything, this is not the time to be coy about it. You had best tell me everything you know. Right now.”
“I’ve told you all I know.”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It’s your choice.”
He leaned closer to her, so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. “The easy way,” he murmured, “would be for you to tell me the truth.”
“I already have.”
“The hard way it is, then.” He straightened away from her. “I don’t know what your motives are in all this, but I will discover them, no matter how you try to hide them.”
“I don’t have any hidden motives. I told you—”
“Whoever has tried to kill me,” he interrupted, “that person must be associated with you in some way.To find out who that person is, I will turn your life inside out, I will uncover everything about you and every member of your family, I will interview every relative, servant, and acquaintance you have. You won’t have any secrets left when I’ve finished with you. This will be unpleasant for you, but as I said, it’s your choice.”
Despite her resolve not to be intimidated, she suddenly felt afraid, but she refused to let him see it. “Do what you must, Inspector. I’m not afraid of you, and I don’t have any secrets.”
He stepped past her. “Everybody has secrets, luv. Everybody.”
With that, he unlatched the door and opened it. Sophie ran out of the flat and down the stairs, sucking in great gulps of air as she stepped out into the warm spring night.
Catching sight of her, Grimstock jumped out of the cab, frowning with concern at the sight of her face in the moonlight. “Miss Sophie? What happened? Did that copper hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No, Grimmy. I’m perfectly well,” she answered and stepped up into the hansom.
In reality, Sophie felt sick with dread. There was no doubt Dunbar meant what he said. He would find out things he had no business knowing, things that would expose her family and herself to scandal and ridicule. With a groan,
Similar Books
