Chapter 18 #2
“They were. Still have the bruises to show for it,” she said softly. “They were just waiting for them to fade so I could start earning my keep there.”
“I’m very glad you’re out now. And Fanny is safe with Father Tom. He’s taken her to a convent out of town.”
“Why did he do it? Brown, I mean. He don’t know me,” she said.
Virginia took a deep breath. “Sadly, there is a very good reason. Your older sister, Josephine . . .”
“She’s dead. I know,” Nora whispered.
“I’m so very sorry. She was doing what she could to recover you and had asked a friend of Mr. Brown’s, a police officer at this very station, to help her find you.”
“A police officer?” Nora scrambled to her haunches, the blanket pulled around her shoulders. “Who? Who was it?”
“Timothy Sweitzinger. He was found in bed with your sister. But they’d both been drugged, and Timothy’s been charged with her murder.”
“Not Smythe or the redheaded one?”
Virginia shook her head. “No. Not Smythe, and Timothy does not have red hair.”
“I know he didn’t kill her. Smythe bragged to me over and over about how he’d caught her on her way to visit Fanny,” Nora said and began to cry. “He told me he’d do the same thing to Fanny if I ever told. And here, I’ve told.”
Virginia reached for the girl, who came into her arms, sobbing and shaking. “You must tell me exactly what he said. It’s important. Mr. Brown is at this very moment trying to capture a man named Norris, who he thinks stabbed your sister.”
“Don’t know who Norris is, but Smythe is who killed Josephine. He told me he did. Said he knew right where to stick the knife as he’d been a medic in the war. Said she was drugged and just lay there when he stabbed her and that she bled all . . .”
“Shh,” Virginia said and held the girl tight. “You mustn’t worry. You’re away from Shelly’s.”
“But what if Smythe comes after this Norris man too? He’ll want to shut him up if he knows that Norris knows what really happened. He always said his job was to get rid of loose ends.”
Virginia sat back. If the girl was right, Phillip and Hendricks were walking into a trap. “You must stay here where you are safe. I’ve got to find out where they’ve gone.”
An officer walked down the steps as Virginia stood to leave. She recognized him from Minehew’s Barn dance and had even met him there.
“Ma’am. I’m here to watch over Miss Button.”
“Where is this Wetherby’s place exactly?” Virginia asked.
“Over on Bond Street, near Gough,” he said. But his eyes opened wide, and he shook his head. “You must stay away from there. Clean away! There could be violence, and Officer Hendricks would have my hide.”
“Oh yes, Officer Bosco. I have no intentions of running afoul of these criminals. My coachman is waiting,” she said and pulled her cloak tight around her.
Virginia turned back to Nora Button, who was staring at her wide-eyed.
“I’ll be back for you later today, and we’ll see about getting you reunited with your sister. ”
Virginia swept past Officer Bosco, up the steps, and out the door of the station in a hurry.
She had a good idea where Bond Street was, the end being only a few blocks east of the cannery, though it may be a long walk to find the Gough cross street.
She saw a hired cab plodding by, looking like the driver and the horse were at the end of a long shift.
She hailed the cab and told the driver where she wanted to go, not feeling the least bit guilty for the lie she’d told Officer Bosco.
Phillip glanced at Hendricks. They were both watching Smythe and O’Malley approach the back of Wetherby’s. Smythe tested a doorknob and found it open.
“I don’t trust Smythe,” he whispered to Hendricks. “He’s been mentioned at least twice as being on Bruner’s payroll, and Littleman confirmed it.”
“Not sure what to think, but I want to make sure that we get Norris out of there and to the station house.”
Smythe was turning the knob on the back door, his gun drawn, when Phillip heard light steps coming his way. He turned and saw Virginia Wiest hurrying to him.
“What are you doing here, Virginia?” Phillip asked. Hendricks joined them.
“Better get her away from here,” Hendricks said even as he nodded at her and touched his cap.
Virginia leaned down, panting, and held up one hand, palm out to the two men. “Nora Button said . . . she said her sister’s killer is . . . an officer named . . . Smythe.”
“What?” Phillip asked.
“How can she be sure?” Hendricks said.
“He bragged about it to her. Described it to her and told her that if she ever told, he’d do the same thing to Fanny, her younger sister.”
“Jesus and the saints.” Hendricks glanced at the building.
“Smythe is here to kill this Norris person, not take him to the station house,” Virginia said.
Phillip took her by the shoulders. “You have to get yourself away from here, Virginia. Right this minute.”
She wrapped her fingers around his wrists. “Be careful.”
Phillip watched her run down the alley, holding her skirts aside, hoping she would be safe until he could find her.