Mugs, Murder, and Mayfair

by L. A. Nisula

  Kate glanced over at me. For an instant, I thought she was going to object, but all she said was, “Yes, thank you for your time.”

  We both turned towards the door to the outer office, but Mr. Hanson knew the room better than we did and had already crossed it, positioning himself between us and the door.

  Mr. Frankes looked confused. “What on earth are you doing, Mr. Hanson? They can’t very well leave with you blocking the door, and I don’t mind showing them out, not that you’ve ever shown anyone out before.” The last bit started as a bit of a complaint and ended as speculation.

  “Fool,” Mr. Hanson muttered. “That’s why I didn’t ask you in on it.”

  “In on what, Mr. Hanson?” Mr. Frankes asked very quietly as if it were no more than a discussion of a missed dinner party.

  “Blackmail, you fool. What do you think we’re talking about?”

  “Wait, you were blackmailing Mr. Clairidge? But why bother sending the notes here?”

  “You’re an idiot.”

  Kate was trying to edge towards the door while Mr. Hanson was distracted by Mr. Frankes. I tried moving towards the window. One or the other of us might make it out and be able to go for help.

  Mr. Frankes was still watching Mr. Hanson. “So you weren’t blackmailing him? What on earth are you talking about, then?” Mr. Frankes stepped forward, and I realized he was trying to nudge Mr. Hanson away from the door. “Surely you weren’t part of his murder. Really, Mr. Hanson, you’re acting most suspicious. I think you’ve become a bit high-strung with all of the drama here. Why don’t we leave you to have a bit of a rest? Or better yet, why don’t you go home? I can finish up here.”

  Kate had made it to the door. She glanced in my direction. I gave her the tiniest of nods to let her know I thought it best for her to get out and get help rather than wait for me.

  “Really, I know where everything here belongs. You can come back tomorrow when the heirs are arriving and deal with the solicitor.”

  I saw Kate’s hand close around the doorknob.

  I did my best to sound concerned about Mr. Hanson’s welfare as I said, “I think Mr. Frankes is right, Mr. Hanson. Perhaps you should go home and rest. We’re very sorry to have bothered you.”

  When Mr. Hanson turned to me, Kate pushed the door open and ran out.

  Mr. Hanson pushed around Mr. Frankes and lunged at the door, but Kate had already run through it. A moment later, I heard the street door slam. All we had to do was stop Mr. Hanson from doing anything foolish before help arrived. I tried to move into a position that kept me away from Mr. Hanson while still giving me the chance to run for the door should the opportunity arise. Mr. Frankes kept trying to herd Mr. Hanson away from the door by walking towards him very slowly. “Really, I think we should both call it a day. Let whoever the heirs hire sort the place out. They’ll have to go through all of this anyway. Why don’t we lock the place up and go to the pub for a nice meal? That will make us both feel more the thing. And we can charge it to the estate.”

  “Idiot, you let one of them get away.”

  “Really, Mr. Hanson, what could she possibly do?”

  I could see a clear path to the door, and while I felt bad leaving Mr. Frankes behind, it seemed he knew how to deal with Mr. Hanson. And he hadn’t accused Mr. Hanson of murder. I edged around the desk until there wasn’t anything between me and the door, then waited until Mr. Frankes was saying something else soothing about going to the pub and sprinted for the door.

  After Kate’s escape, Mr. Hanson must have been paying closer attention. I’d barely started moving when he pushed Mr. Frankes out of the way and lunged for me. I jumped back out of his reach just as a tall figure burst through the door and shoved Mr. Hanson against the desk. As I darted around them and through the door into the outer office, I heard Inspector Wainwright saying, “I am arresting you for abduction, attempted abduction, and blackmail.”

  Kate was waiting for me by the front door. When she saw me, she held the door open.

  “You got them here fast!” I said as soon as we were safely outside.

  “Ada gets credit, I’m afraid. They were already out here when I ran out, trying to figure out how to get in without alerting Mr. Hanson. I guess they didn’t want us taken as hostages. The door locked behind us, so they couldn’t get in without breaking the glass and alerting everyone. We should have thought of that when we went in. Constable Edwards went around to try the window.”

  “So he heard some of that?”

  “Most of it,” Constable Edwards said as he came out of the alley along the side of the building. “If you’d made it all the way to the window, you would have seen me. I’d best go see if the inspector needs any help with the prisoner. He’ll want you to give statements.”

  “We’ll wait,” I said. I wanted to know how the arrest went.

  He nodded to us and went inside.

  Chapter 12

  KATE AND I TOOK TURNS WATCHING THE DOOR so the other could pace up and down the street without worrying that we would miss Inspector Wainwright leaving. After about fifteen minutes, Mr. Frankes came out. I was the one pacing at the time and hurried over to hear what was going on. I arrived just in time to hear him say, “Apparently, we’re to go to Scotland Yard.”

  “Only to give statements,” Constable Edwards said as he came out behind Mr. Frankes. “It shouldn’t take too long. I’ll get us a cab.”

  I knew it could take as long as Inspector Wainwright wanted it to, but I didn’t say that. Mr. Frankes looked worried enough as it was.

  Constable Edwards rode in the cab with us, and as I think we all assumed that was to stop us from coordinating our stories, it was a very silent journey. I tried to smile at Mr. Frankes as often as possible so he would know there was nothing unusual about the trip and that I was grateful for his help at the office, but I couldn’t tell if he even noticed.

  At Scotland Yard, Constable Edwards was able to bring us directly up to the detectives’ floor, then put us in separate interrogation rooms. I settled into one of the uncomfortable chairs and tried to sort out how the case fit together, but I wound up spending most of the time alternating between trying to figure out how long I’d been left waiting and realizing I ought simply carry a book with me at all times, as I seemed to end up spending large swathes of time waiting at Scotland Yard at very random intervals, with a slight digression to remind myself to put a new notebook into my handbag to replace the one I had given Inspector Wainwright.

  When Constable Edwards finally got to me, he was very apologetic. “I didn’t mean to keep you waiting so long, but I thought it best to start with Mr. Frankes, as he isn’t accustomed to being interrogated.”

  “Whereas I am.”

  Constable Edwards shrugged. “Did you want to deny it?”

  “There wouldn’t be much point, would there? What about Miss Ferris?”

  “Constable Kittering is taking her statement. Now, if you would begin with how you decided to visit Mr. Clairidge’s office today, unless you think the events of today start somewhere else.”

  I told him the entire story in as much detail as I could, being certain to praise Mr. Frankes’s bravery and ingenuity when he’d tried to help us get away from Mr. Hanson once we realized he was the new blackmailer. I was just finishing my story when Constable Jackson came in and asked me a new set of questions, most of which covered what I had just told Constable Edwards. I reminded myself that talking to him meant it was less likely I’d have to tell my story to Inspector Fulson, which put me in a much better mood. When everyone was finally satisfied with my statement, I was free to leave.

  I found Kate in the hallway waiting for me. “How did it go?”

  I shrugged. “They believed everything, although that could be because what I told them was almost exactly what Constable Edwards told them.”

  “They told you that?”

  “I can read upside down.”

  Kate grinned. “That seems like a good thing to know when dealing
with policemen. I should practice. I’m going home to tell Ada what’s happened.”

  “I hope she hasn’t been worrying all this time.”

  “I sent a boy with a note while we were waiting for Inspector Wainwright. Share a cab?”

  I shook my head. “I’m going to wait for a little while and see if anyone will tell me anything else.”

  “Suit yourself. You’ll tell us what you learn?”

  “Everything, if there is anything.”

  “We’ll expect you for tea tomorrow then. I’ll be sure we have something nice.”

  I walked with Kate towards the lifts, then had to decide where I was going to wait. I didn’t want to sit in the main waiting area with all of the constables walking past. I didn’t think any of them would send me away once I was there, but I didn’t want them to ask if I was waiting for someone in particular or running off to try to find someone to help me, as I was certain they would offer to. It seemed best to be somewhere out of the way, particularly as I didn’t know how long it would take to get Mr. Hanson processed and questioned. In the end, I went to Inspector Wainwright’s office. He wouldn’t be quite as annoyed as Inspector Fulson to find me there, and he might actually tell me how things had ended, if only because he knew it was the quickest way to be rid of me.

  It took about half-an-hour, but Inspector Wainwright did arrive. He didn’t say anything as he went to sit at his desk, but he also didn’t tell me to leave, so I took that as a good sign. “Has Mr. Hanson been charged?”

  “He has. He keeps denying everything and insisting we’ll never prove it, but he has no alibi for the night in question, and he knows facts about the case that Inspector Fulson shouldn’t have told anyone. Hopefully, Inspector Fulson had enough sense to go to Cork Street and try to find evidence that the murder happened there.”

  “So the case is solved, more or less.”

  Inspector Wainwright pulled the file on his desk closer. “Inspector Fulson’s case is solved. If you’ll excuse me, I have my own case to work on that have suddenly become pressing.”

  He seemed to be in quite a hurry to be rid of me, but then he had told me a little bit about the end of the case, so I wasn’t going to press. At least, I wasn’t going to until I got to the door and it struck me what he meant. “Inspector Fulson had the murder, you had Mr. Purnell’s disappearance.”

  “Mmm.”

  “And if Mr. Hanson abducted Mr. Purnell after he killed Mr. Clairidge, and if Mr. Purnell is still alive, Mr. Hanson has him hidden somewhere.”

  Inspector Wainwright turned a page in the file.

  “And if that’s the case, unless there’s an accomplice, Mr. Purnell is dependent on Mr. Hanson feeding him if nothing else.”

  “I did say my case was becoming urgent, Miss Pengear. I believe you know where the door is.”

  “So you do think Mr. Purnell is alive?”

  “I’m working under that assumption, yes.”

  “I suppose he’d have to be if he was giving Mr. Hanson new blackmail materials, and I had the definite impression Mr. Grayson’s letter was the first he’d had from Mr. Hanson. What did he say when you asked him where Mr. Purnell was?”

  “He denied ever knowing someone named Purnell, any knowledge of blackmail, and was most likely on the verge of denying ever having had his hair cut when Inspector Fulson arrived and sent me away.” Inspector Wainwright looked up. “Are you finished?”

  I ignored the question. “Would it have been better to wait before arresting Mr. Hanson?”

  Inspector Wainwright sighed. “I don’t think so. We could have tried waiting outside the office and following him once we knew he was our best suspect, but I think it would have been highly unlikely he’d have led us to Mr. Purnell. He seems to be a very careful sort of criminal. We have him for the murder, that’s something. And I can get a warrant to search his flat now.”

  “Do you suppose Mr. Purnell is there?”

  “No, I’ve seen it. It’s merely a flat in a building. There wouldn’t be anyplace to hide him without the neighbors knowing about it, but there could be a clue there, someplace we haven’t known to look.”

  I was a bit surprised to get that much information from him in one sentence. I realized it was possible he was so concerned about getting to Mr. Purnell now that Mr. Hanson had been arrested that he might even be willing to accept my help. I leaned against the door and considered the matter. “Did you know about Cork Street before Mr. Hanson brought it up?”

  “It wasn’t my case, so no. Inspector Fulson might have, but he wasn’t sharing information with me.”

  “Well, it stands to reason that, if that’s where the fight and the murder originally took place, then Mr. Purnell must have been there and was most likely abducted there. Perhaps Lupo could pick up his trail or find some clue as to where he went when he left the alley.”

  Inspector Wainwright closed the folder and got to his feet. As he went to get his coat and hat, he muttered, “Probably a waste of time after all the foot traffic that’s gone through there since.”

  I knew he wouldn’t be bothering with my idea at all if he really thought it was a waste of time, particularly when he felt he was on a fairly literal deadline, so I merely said, “Probably, but we’ll get to see Lupo.”

  Inspector Wainwright did not object to the word we, so I took that as an invitation to join him and followed him out to the kennels.

  ~ * ~ * ~

  On the way to the kennels, Inspector Wainwright stopped by Inspector Fulson’s office. He left me standing in the hallway, but I could see only Constable Jackson was there. They spoke for a few minutes in hushed voices, then Inspector Wainwright came out and continued towards the staircase. I doubted Inspector Wainwright would tell me what that was about or wait while I asked Constable Jackson, so I followed him quietly.

  Once we had Lupo, Inspector Wainwright hailed a cab and told the driver to take us to Cork Street. He didn’t say anything when I climbed in behind him and Lupo, but then he didn’t slam the door shut or tell the driver to leave before I was seated inside either. Ignoring me seemed to be his way of dealing with my presence, which was fine with me. Lupo stretched out on the floor between us, with his paw touching the edge of my skirt and his tail draped across Inspector Wainwright’s shoe, occasionally thumping it contently.

  Cork Street was in Mayfair, not terribly far from Kate and Ada’s shop, so in a perfectly respectable neighborhood. The cab left us near the alley in question. Inspector Wainwright paid the driver and led Lupo towards what I assumed was the crime scene. I followed. “Have the neighbors been questioned?” I asked, more to remind Inspector Wainwright that I was there than to get information.

  “What neighbors?” Inspector Wainwright asked without taking his attention from Lupo.

  I looked at the alley and realized he was right about neighbors. Neither of the buildings framing the alley had windows facing it, and it was small enough and long enough that no one from the street would see much, particularly if everyone involved was standing towards the back of the alley. It was a very good place to arrange for a blackmail pick-up, a safe enough neighborhood that the victim would have no excuse not to show up alone, but hidden well enough to prevent witnesses.

  Inspector Wainwright surprised me by adding, “Fulson and Jackson talked to the shops on the street, but no one saw anything.”

  Two pieces of information without having to drag them from him, not only in the same case, but on the same meeting. I’d have to tell Inspector Burrows how well we were getting along. I was going to think of some way to thank him without being uncomfortably obvious when Lupo distracted me. He was sniffing along on the ground, then barked once and sat down, which seemed the sort of thing that he would be trained to do. But then he got up, sniffed some more, and sat down again. He kept doing that, first on one side of the alley then the other, as if he couldn’t quite make up his mind what he wanted to show Inspector Wainwright. I watched Lupo’s reaction until Inspector Wainwright called him
over and handed him something from his pocket that made Lupo’s tail wag furiously. “What does that mean?”

  Inspector Wainwright didn’t look away from Lupo. “He’s found two trails.”

  I nodded. “Mr. Purnell arriving and Mr. Purnell leaving. What do we do now?”

  “Follow one, then come back and follow the other.”

  I looked down the street in both directions. “That one first.”

  “I don’t remember asking you, but I suppose I should find out what sort of reasoning you used for that conclusion.”

  That was as close as a plea for assistance as I was going to get, and more than I’d expected. “Kate’s shop is that way.” I pointed right. “And it makes more sense for Mr. Purnell to throw the mug before Mr. Clairidge was killed. What reason would there be to make certain everyone knew it was Mr. Clairidge if he was already dead, and most especially if Mr. Purnell killed him?”

  “Unless he merely wanted to draw attention to himself as he was being abducted.” But Inspector Wainwright started down the street in the direction I’d suggested.

  I hurried after him. “Mr. Hanson would have tried to prevent him drawing attention, and if Mr. Hanson left Mr. Purnell free enough to throw the mug, he would have been free enough to make a fuss to draw more attention when Kate’s alarms went off and everyone around the shop started looking out their windows. And if Mr. Hanson was getting rid of the mug to hide the connection, throwing it anywhere near the shop would have been foolish. He could have broken it in this alley, or any convenient alley, or tossed it in the river.”

  Inspector Wainwright made a sound that might have been interpreted as acknowledgment and kept his attention on Lupo.