yourself.”
“I went to visit the Langes. The shop was closed—earlier than usual—and I spotted Tessie hurrying away. It looked as though she didn’t wish to be recognized. Since her actions struck me as odd, I thought to follow her. I did not see the harm.”
“You did not see . . .” The detective groaned. “I thought I told you not to go snooping around in Chinatown, Mrs. Davies.”
“This is not Chinatown, Mr. Greaves.”
He was not amused. “Listen, ma’am, if you have any information or suspicions, you need to share them with me, not chase them down yourself. I am responsible for this investigation, not you. Promise me you’ll stop interfering.”
She hesitated. She dared not tell him about the request she had made of Owen; he would only grow angrier.
“Promise me,” he repeated.
“Mr. Greaves, don’t force me to make promises I shan’t keep. Li Sha came to me for help, and my brother-in-law appears to be the primary suspect in her death, though he has yet to be arrested.” It was only a matter of time until he was; she was certain of it. “I have a responsibility to them both, and I was not attempting to interfere. I followed Tessie because I didn’t have time to come to the station to inform you of her behavior. Although apparently I wouldn’t have found you there since you are also in the Barbary, skulking down back streets.”
“It’s my job to skulk,” he said, and headed toward the alley exit.
“I cannot help but wonder, though, why Tessie would come here,” said Celia.
On the far side of Montgomery loomed great buildings of commerce and shops selling fine goods to the upper crust of San Francisco. Just behind the side they stood on, though, were the stews and taverns. It was no place for a proper young woman. No place for Celia, either. She had not been thinking clearly to have followed Tessie here with evening approaching and no police escort. She was fortunate to have been accosted by Nicholas Greaves and not the pickpocket she hadn’t noticed.
“What did the man she was talking to look like?” he asked.
“He had reddish hair, a beard, I think, and the most outlandish yellow-and-red waistcoat. Do you know him?”
“Might be a shock to discover, ma’am, that I don’t know every man who lives near the Barbary.”
“I shall endeavor to recover from such a revelation, Mr. Greaves.” They stepped onto the broad pavement of Montgomery Street, leaving behind the sounds of laughter and arguments, jangling music starting up. “You do realize how very close we are to the wharf where Li Sha was found.”
“Yes, I do,” he said stiffly.
“Am I annoying you, Mr. Greaves?”
He gazed over at her, an eyebrow arching. “What do you think?”
She continued asking questions anyway. “Have you discovered where Li Sha was staying in the days before her murder?”
“I did just tell you this is my investigation, didn’t I?”
“It is a simple question.”
He muttered beneath his breath, words she could not discern. “Not at the Chinese Mission and not at the Langes’.”
“I’m seeing a patient tomorrow morning, Dora Schneider, who knew Li Sha. They met at a charity event I organized last autumn. Dora talked to Li Sha when everyone else ignored her. Perhaps she will have some information.”
Mr. Greaves halted. “Do you ever intend to listen to me, Mrs. Davies?”
“I will let you know what Dora has to tell me. I promise,” she added.
“Just like you were going to tell me about Tessie Lange’s odd behavior, I suppose.”
“Do not say you do not trust me,” she responded with a faint smile. “I would be most hurt.”
Which made him laugh.
• • •
N ick watched Mrs. Davies stride up the road. He worked to convince himself he was standing there because he half expected her to take a detour and continue her pursuit of Miss Lange. To be honest, he was actually standing there to catch a final glimpse of her before he continued on his business. She had
“I went to visit the Langes. The shop was closed—earlier than usual—and I spotted Tessie hurrying away. It looked as though she didn’t wish to be recognized. Since her actions struck me as odd, I thought to follow her. I did not see the harm.”
“You did not see . . .” The detective groaned. “I thought I told you not to go snooping around in Chinatown, Mrs. Davies.”
“This is not Chinatown, Mr. Greaves.”
He was not amused. “Listen, ma’am, if you have any information or suspicions, you need to share them with me, not chase them down yourself. I am responsible for this investigation, not you. Promise me you’ll stop interfering.”
She hesitated. She dared not tell him about the request she had made of Owen; he would only grow angrier.
“Promise me,” he repeated.
“Mr. Greaves, don’t force me to make promises I shan’t keep. Li Sha came to me for help, and my brother-in-law appears to be the primary suspect in her death, though he has yet to be arrested.” It was only a matter of time until he was; she was certain of it. “I have a responsibility to them both, and I was not attempting to interfere. I followed Tessie because I didn’t have time to come to the station to inform you of her behavior. Although apparently I wouldn’t have found you there since you are also in the Barbary, skulking down back streets.”
“It’s my job to skulk,” he said, and headed toward the alley exit.
“I cannot help but wonder, though, why Tessie would come here,” said Celia.
On the far side of Montgomery loomed great buildings of commerce and shops selling fine goods to the upper crust of San Francisco. Just behind the side they stood on, though, were the stews and taverns. It was no place for a proper young woman. No place for Celia, either. She had not been thinking clearly to have followed Tessie here with evening approaching and no police escort. She was fortunate to have been accosted by Nicholas Greaves and not the pickpocket she hadn’t noticed.
“What did the man she was talking to look like?” he asked.
“He had reddish hair, a beard, I think, and the most outlandish yellow-and-red waistcoat. Do you know him?”
“Might be a shock to discover, ma’am, that I don’t know every man who lives near the Barbary.”
“I shall endeavor to recover from such a revelation, Mr. Greaves.” They stepped onto the broad pavement of Montgomery Street, leaving behind the sounds of laughter and arguments, jangling music starting up. “You do realize how very close we are to the wharf where Li Sha was found.”
“Yes, I do,” he said stiffly.
“Am I annoying you, Mr. Greaves?”
He gazed over at her, an eyebrow arching. “What do you think?”
She continued asking questions anyway. “Have you discovered where Li Sha was staying in the days before her murder?”
“I did just tell you this is my investigation, didn’t I?”
“It is a simple question.”
He muttered beneath his breath, words she could not discern. “Not at the Chinese Mission and not at the Langes’.”
“I’m seeing a patient tomorrow morning, Dora Schneider, who knew Li Sha. They met at a charity event I organized last autumn. Dora talked to Li Sha when everyone else ignored her. Perhaps she will have some information.”
Mr. Greaves halted. “Do you ever intend to listen to me, Mrs. Davies?”
“I will let you know what Dora has to tell me. I promise,” she added.
“Just like you were going to tell me about Tessie Lange’s odd behavior, I suppose.”
“Do not say you do not trust me,” she responded with a faint smile. “I would be most hurt.”
Which made him laugh.
• • •
N ick watched Mrs. Davies stride up the road. He worked to convince himself he was standing there because he half expected her to take a detour and continue her pursuit of Miss Lange. To be honest, he was actually standing there to catch a final glimpse of her before he continued on his business. She had
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