Kissing Cousins (21 page)

Their discussion was interrupted by a loud banging on the front door. The clerk left his desk in the hall to answer it. Sykes put his finger to his lips to caution the others to silence. This seemed unnecessary to them, but as usual, Sykes knew what he was about.

“
Bow Street!
”
a loud voice was heard to exclaim.
“
I have a warrant for the arrest of Jonathon Sykes.
”

These were familiar words to Jonathon. He looked about the room for a door that wouldn
’
t pitch him into the arms of the law. Finding none, he headed to the closest window and raised it. Before leaping out, he said over his shoulder to Samantha and Edward,
“
Don
’
t worry about me if I
’
m caught. I
’
ll not mention you. You two get busy and find out who killed Bayne, or I
’
m for it.
”

When the officer entered the room, he took one look at the open window, the curtain blowing in the wind, and ran to it.

“
Stop him, Huggans. That
’
s him!
”
he shouted out the window.

Salverton was ready to claim no man had been in the room with him, but this ruse was futile. Bow Street had another man posted outside. He caught Jonathon as he landed in the shrubbery and clamped him into manacles.

“
What is Sykes accused of?
”
Salverton demanded in his most lofty accent.

“
That
’
s none of your concern, mister,
”
the officer replied.

When Lord Salverton spoke, he was accustomed to something more than civility. He made the lowering discovery that when his position in society was unknown, he was nobody. A strange gentleman in an ill-cut jacket putting up at O
’
Toole
’
s rooming house was paid no heed whatsoever.

“
Where are you taking him?
”
Samantha asked.

The officer ran a disparaging eye over the green satin gown and said,
“
To the roundhouse, miss. We don
’
t want murderers roaming the streets, eh?
”

“
Murderer!
”

“
Aye, Sykes is the villain who killed Sir Geoffrey Bayne this very night.
”

On this speech, the officer turned on his heel and went to join his confrere by the shrubbery.

“
Edward, we must do something!
”
Samantha said when they were alone.
“
Couldn
’
t you post bail or something?
”

“
Not when the charge is murder. Of course I
’
ll testify that he was with me when the murder occurred, but
—
Actually, he wasn
’
t with us all day. Is it possible Sykes
—
What did he do while we were in that tearoom? He was gone for some time.
”

“
He has no earthly reason to kill Sir Geoffrey,
”
she said hotly.
“
The more interesting question is why Bow Street thinks he did, and how they knew where to find him so quickly Why did they go to The Laurels in the first place? How did they know anything was amiss there?
”

“
It
’
s possible Sir Geoffrey was in some trouble we know nothing about, but that still doesn
’
t explain why Bow Street should suspect Sykes, and how they knew he was here now. Someone
’
s been following us all the while, and reported to Bow Street.
”

“
Fletcher!
”

Edward began pacing the room. He ran a hand distractedly through his hair to aid concentration.
“
I don
’
t see who else it could be, but what reason had he to kill Sir Geoffrey? Sykes thought it was Wanda he was after, because of some robbery.
”

“
If he discovered Sir Geoffrey had been Wanda
’
s patron, he might have gone to question him and fallen into an argument. Sykes said Fletcher had killed before. There
’
s no saying with a man like that. But, Edward, we can
’
t just let poor Jonathon languish in jail. We must help him.
”

“
Sykes was right. The best thing we can do is get busy and solve this matter. He
’
s in no real danger, Samantha. Naturally, I
’
ll testify as to his alibi if the case comes to trial. If I interfere now, we
’
ll all end up in jail
—
including you. What we must do is find Fletcher. That will take some doing. If he did kill Sir Geoffrey, he
’
ll have lit out for London or someplace well away from here.
”

“
We
’
ll never find him in London.
”
She sat with her chin propped in her hands, thinking. After a moment she said,
“
I wager Fletcher is still looking for Wanda and Darren. He thinks we can lead him to them. He might still be lurking about to follow us. If we go to the Pantiles and let ourselves be seen
—
well, it might draw him out.
”

“
That could be dangerous. I need a pistol. If only Jonathon were here, he
’
d know where to get one.
”
He didn
’
t notice he
’
d called Sykes Jonathon, but it did strike him as ironic that he should be regretting the absence of that scoundrel after wishing him at Jericho for two days.

“
Your wits are gone begging, Edward. O
’
Toole will sell you one
—
at a vastly inflated price.
”

“
Of course!
”
He went into the hall and told the clerk he
’
d like to speak to O
’
Toole about buying a pistol.

“
Herbie ain
’
t too pleased that you lot have brought Bow Street down on his head,
”
the clerk said.

“
I
’
ll pay handsomely.
”
He drew a wad of bills from his pocket.
“
Money is no object.
”

“
Ah, well, in that case, take your pick.
”

He ushered Salverton behind his desk and pulled out the lower drawer, which held an assortment of guns.
“
Handle them gentle. They
’
re loaded,
”
he said.
“
Here
’
s a dainty piece. Five guineas.
”
He handed Edward a gun with ivory inlay on the grip.

“
Are you sure it works?
”
He hefted the gun. It seemed well balanced.

“
Ho! Do birds fly? Do fish swim? Herbie O
’
Toole sell a gun that don
’
t shoot? It would destroy his reputation.
”

Salverton pulled off a bill, pocketed the weapon, and returned to the saloon.

“
That didn
’
t take long!
”
Samantha said. She examined the pistol.

“
Careful! It
’
s loaded.
”

“
Then we
’
re ready to go on the strut.
”

Edward tucked the gun into his waistband, frowned at her gown, took the shawl and pulled it closely about her, and they were off to the Pantiles.

“
What do we do if we see Fletcher?
”
she asked.

“
We lure him to some dark spot and I ask him a few pertinent questions before taking him to the roundhouse.
”

“
Am I to be the bait?
”
she asked.
“
If he likes Wanda, I doubt he will care for me.
”

“
In that gown, he'll care, but that was not my meaning. I'll flash a roll of money if he shows up, then stroll into some dark alleyway, where he
’
ll expect to have easy pickings.
”

“
That might work.
”
After a frowning pause she said,
“
What if he didn
’
t kill Sir Geoffrey?
”

“
Then this is all a waste of time, and we shall have to find something else to charge him with, to be rid of him.
”

“
It
’
s not easy being a criminal, is it?
”
she said pensively.

“
No, it ain
’
t. Are you having second thoughts about Jonathon as a husband?
”

“
A husband!
”
she exclaimed in astonishment.
“
I never thought of him as a husband, Edward. Merely as my Esmée, or Wanda. I don
’
t see why you gentlemen should be the only ones to have shady friends. Ladies like a little excitement as well.
”

“
Let us hope
today
’
s
excitement satisfies you for a long time.
”

They walked on to the Pantiles. The night crowd was out in full force by that time. They made three tours of both sides before settling at one of the groups of tables where musicians were performing. They ordered wine and continued looking around for any sign of Fletcher. After half an hour they moved on to another musical group. By eleven o
’
clock the crowd began thinning, and there had been no sign of him.

“
This is a waste of time,
”
Salverton said.
“
I
’
m taking you back to O
’
Toole
’
s place. I
’
m going to visit Jonathon. He
’
ll know better than I what to do. My innocent past hasn
’
t trained me for this sort of job.
”

“
I shan
’
t go to bed until I hear from you. Come to my room before you retire.
”

“
Of course. I
’
ll let you know what Jonathon has to suggest.
”

They returned to the rooming house. Salverton accompanied Samantha upstairs, as there were a few undesirable-looking men in the lobby.

At her doorway he took her two hands in his and said,
“
I hate leaving you here alone. Don
’
t leave your room if you can possibly avoid it, and don
’
t let anyone in. I
’
ll be back as soon as I can.
”

“
You treat me as if I were a child, Edward. I know better than to mix with people of O
’
Toole
’
s sort. I
’
ve had my taste of the low life, enough to last a lifetime.
”

“
Just when I find myself acquiring a taste for it,
”
he said in jest.

“
You be careful, too. Fletch might be lurking about, looking for you.
”

“
He
’
s not likely to follow me into the roundhouse.
”

“
No. Well, good-bye, then.
”

“
Aren
’
t you going to wish me luck?
”
His fingers tightened on hers.

“
Of course. Good luck, Edward.
”

“
That is not what I meant,
”
he said, and drew her into his arms for a kiss.

It wasn
’
t the wild, out-of-control sort of kiss they had exchanged in the tree tunnel. Samantha was determined not to let that happen again. His lips brushed hers, and as his arms began to tighten and his lips firm, she withdrew.

“
Good luck,
”
she said again, and gently closed the door.

Salverton returned below and got directions to the roundhouse from the clerk. He patted his pistol and went out the door. In his mind was the image of Samantha, reluctantly closing the door. She hadn
’
t wanted to stop that embrace any more than he had.

As he walked along, a random thought of the opera he was missing wafted through his head. What a dull scald it would have been. Much more exciting to be chasing after a murderer. This was real living!

In her room, Samantha locked the door. Then she drew a chair to the window and watched as Edward left for the roundhouse, looking raffish in that horrid jacket. She shook her head to think how he must be hating all this low sort of thing she had dragged him into. Always the gentleman, he tried to hide his displeasure, but he could not like it. Then her thoughts turned to Darren, and the peal she would ring over him when they found him. If they found him.

“
I
’
d like to see Mr. Sykes,
”
Salverton said to the guard in charge at the roundhouse.

The guard took one look at Salverton
’
s jacket and said,
“
Hired hisself a fancy lawyer, eh! He must be planning to plead innocent. It do beat all how so much crime gets done, and all the criminals innocent as newborn babes. He
’
ll be up before the magistrate in the morning, but he
’
ll be bound over. Murder
’
s serious. We don
’
t hold with murder in Tunbridge Wells. Bad for the tourist business.
”