Chapter 24 #2
This morning’s Daily News included a request for anyone who’d attended the gardens Sunday evening to visit the nearest Metropolitan Police Station to answer questions. The entire Met was focused on finding Florence Redmayne.
Unfortunately, the Daily News also contained a succinct front-page article about what happened at Cremorne Gardens, and despite Tilda’s efforts to keep their names from publication, it mentioned the Earl of Ravenhurst being present in the company of his “lady detective friend.” Clement’s name was not on the article, so Tilda could at least be grateful he hadn’t written it.
Tilda tried not to think of what the article could mean for her reputation—or Hadrian’s.
Teague greeted them with a stern expression. “Detective Inspector Williamson is here this morning.”
Williamson was the lead detective inspector and generally seen as the head of the Detective Branch at Scotland Yard. “Should we go?” Tilda asked, though she didn’t want to and would be upset if they must.
“I don’t think so.” Teague glanced toward the pagoda where Williamson stood with a few other men.
“Let’s see what happens. I appreciate you taking care of the announcement in the Daily News today.
We’ve already had several people come by to report what they saw.
Unfortunately, nothing has been helpful yet—no one saw where Mobray came from. ”
“Sorry to hear that,” Hadrian said. “My coachman was watching the King’s Road entrance, and he didn’t see anyone in a cloak enter. They would have stood out because it was a warm evening.”
“That’s good to know. It’s possible Mobray came in another entrance, even from the river.
” Teague pivoted and gestured toward a tree.
“The most substantial thing we’ve found so far is the apparatus Mobray clearly planned to use to leap away from the area.
I can also confirm his boots contain springs.
Furthermore, we found the device he used to breathe the blue flame.
Interestingly, it was markedly larger than the one he used before—the cap we have is much too small to fit the one he used last night.
” He started toward the tree, and Tilda fell into step with him.
“That would explain the exceptionally large flame.” Tilda realized Hadrian was not with them.
She turned her head to see him tuck something into his pocket then he hurried to catch up with them.
“It may also be the reason the trick ended in disaster—the fire was too big and managed to reach the flammable hood of the cloak covering his head.”
Teague nodded. “That’s my conclusion as well. The surgeon who came to Scotland Yard last night found greasepaint on the hood of the cloak and said that made it catch fire more easily. Bad luck for Mobray.”
They walked to the tree where Sergeant Wycombe was writing notes about the contraption they’d found. Teague explained that a rope and pulley had been installed, likely earlier in the day yesterday, and Mobray had been wearing a harness he would have hooked onto the device in order to “leap” away.
“From the tree, he could have jumped to a narrower path that leads to the river. We believe he was going to escape that way.”
Tilda studied the contraption in the tree for a moment before glancing at Teague. “Did you find a boat he may have taken earlier in the evening that he might have planned to use to escape?”
“We did not. Perhaps his accomplice, assuming he was here last night, fled the scene after what happened.” Teague lifted a shoulder with a sigh—his frustration was again evident. “It’s all we can come up with for now.”
“What can we do to help?” Tilda asked.
“Actually, I think perhaps we should leave,” Hadrian said, stirring Tilda’s curiosity about what he’d stashed in his pocket.
“We’re not officially affiliated with this case, and I don’t think we want to provoke Williamson’s ire.
” He looked to Teague. “You can always send for us if you need our assistance.”
“That’s probably the best course,” Teague said. “We still have many interviews to conduct with the employees.”
Tilda didn’t really want to leave, but she suspected Hadrian had a good reason for suggesting they should. She wished Teague luck and departed with Hadrian.
As they walked back toward the King’s Road, she glanced toward his pocket.
“What did you take?” She realized as she asked the question that Hadrian’s hand had been bare when she’d seen him put the item in his coat.
He must have donned the glove on his way to join them at the tree. “You saw a memory.”
Hadrian pulled the item from his pocket and held it up between his thumb and forefinger. “I found one of the caps from the device Mobray used last night. It’s exactly like the other one, only larger.”
Tilda took it from him with a gasp. “What did you see?”
They stopped in the path and Hadrian faced her with an eager smile.
“A newspaper article about Frederick Redmayne from 1842. It was about his newly acquired patent for the Redmayne Gas Governor, a pressure-regulating valve placed between the gas main and the burner. I don’t know whose memory it was, but the person holding the newspaper was enraged. ”
“Did you see a hand?”
“Unfortunately, no. However, it can’t be Mobray’s memory since he’s dead.”
“You’re right—this can’t be Mobray,” Tilda agreed. “Perhaps it belongs to the accomplice. Do we think Larkin made this cap as well?”
“Possibly.” Hadrian cocked his head. “Even likely. But that doesn’t mean it’s his memory. We’ve no idea who else may have handled it. You may be right that it’s the accomplice.”
“We need to interview Redmayne,” Tilda said with steely determination. “This is the connection we’ve been looking for—someone who touched this cap, perhaps the accomplice who aided him here last night.”
“Now you see why I wanted to leave,” Hadrian said as they continued toward the entrance.
“I do and also why you took the cap without telling Teague. He will need this evidence, however.” She sent him a grimace. “In fact, you should have given it to him immediately, especially since you already saw a very useful memory.”
“I thought about that, but what if I need to use it again?” He shook his head firmly. “I don’t want to risk not finding Miss Redmayne because I relinquished this cap too soon. Besides, they have the actual device that was used. They don’t need this cap to prove anything.”
Tilda stopped again as a very large man walked through the entrance toward them. He glanced about, perhaps nervously, his gaze settling on Tilda and Hadrian briefly before darting away. Hadrian had stopped beside her, and she grabbed his hand.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Look at that man. He’s huge.”
“He is—” Hadrian sent her a round-eyed look. “Yes.”
Tilda cleared her throat. “Excuse me, are you here to help with the investigation regarding last night’s tragedy?” she asked.
The large man paused, his dark gaze moving anxiously. “I’m looking for Detective Inspector Teague.”
His name had been on the handbills about Mobray. “We can take you to him,” Tilda said as excitement thrummed through her. “What’s your name?”
“Dowd.”
Tilda gestured the way they’d come. “He’s this way.” They began to walk. Hadrian moved to Dowd’s other side. “I’m Miss Wren, and this is Lord Ravenhurst.”
Dowd paused and looked over at Hadrian. “Your lordship?”
Hadrian smiled pleasantly. “Yes. I don’t suppose you have information about Oscar Mobray? We’ve been assisting with the investigations into the kidnappings perpetrated by Spring-heeled Jack.”
The giant hesitated, his brow creasing as he regarded Hadrian. “I knew Oscar Mobray and that he dressed up as Spring-heeled Jack.”
Tilda remained quiet. She didn’t want to interrupt Dowd whilst he was revealing things to Hadrian.
Hadrian didn’t move his gaze from Dowd. “How did you know Mobray?”
“We worked together a few years ago at the Anchor Theatre in Whitechapel,” Dowd said.
“I’m a stagehand, and I work at different theatres.
We saw each other from time to time. Recently, he asked for my help with a stunt.
He said he wanted to take advantage of Spring-heeled Jack reappearing and put on a performance. ”
“When was that?” Hadrian asked.
“A week or so ago.” Dowd shifted his weight and shot a glance down the path toward where the police and others were gathered. “He offered me twenty pounds, and I never say no to a job. I helped him leap onto a building near the Strand.”
Hadrian nodded. “The chandler shop? You operated the pulley?”
“That’s right.”
“Pardon me.” Tilda moved around to stand next to Hadrian. She was unable to keep quiet any longer. “Were you aware that Spring-heeled Jack had been accused of kidnapping young women when you agreed to help Mobray?”
Dowd swallowed. “I did. I asked him if he was involved with that, but he swore he wasn’t.” The stagehand shrugged. “Mobray was always a decent bloke. I didn’t have any reason to think he was lying.”
“And now you do?” Hadrian asked.
“Things changed after we completed the stunt.” Dowd scrubbed his hand over his jaw.
“We took the supplies we’d used back to the Albion Theatre—that’s where Mobray had borrowed them from.
Mobray changed out of his costume, which he also stashed at the Albion, and we went to a pub so he could buy me an ale. ”
Tilda considered asking Dowd to pause until they could speak with Teague, but she was too eager to hear the rest. “What changed?”
“We drank several ales. Mobray was never very good with drink. He became upset, kept talking about his lost love, ‘Delia.’”
“Delia Chadwick?” Hadrian asked urgently.