Chapter 10 #2
“There is usually a design for the sudden madness, if not a specific reason for the abrupt change in character. That is still a topic that has sparked heated debates and horrifying cures that are nearly as torturous as the crimes themselves. The amount of chaos that the patients in Bedlam endure is unimaginable unless you have witnessed it firsthand.”
There was such a haunting sort of melancholy to his voice that made Aislynn yearn to reach out and touch his arm, to show him that he wasn’t alone in the nightmare of his memories, but she could not allow herself to offer that much comfort as much as she might want to do so.
Until she was confident of his innocence, she had to be cautious of everyone—especially him.
Her very life depended upon it.
“Mr. Steele.” Aislynn glanced up to see a man in fashionable clothes walking toward them.
Although he wasn’t attired quite as well as Cordell, Aislynn felt like a dour housekeeper in the midst of them.
His beady gaze flicked to her. “I did not realize you would be bringing company. Are you sure this is a discussion that you care to have in front of your… lady friend?”
Aislynn decided that was her opening. Taking a step forward, she offered her most winning smile.
“Mr. Ingram, is it? I daresay I can handle worse. My name is Aislynn Sims and if you are familiar with my reputation, then you should know that there were two gruesome murders that have recently taken place at the Theatre Royal. I am here to ensure it does not happen to me as well.”
He sniffed lightly. “It would be tragic should your young, thriving career be snuffed out so prematurely. Perhaps once this mess clears you will consider coming to the Royalty for a star performance. I am sure the crowd would be grateful to have you grace our stage.”
Aislynn wasn’t sure she ever wanted to step foot in this place again if Mr. Ingram was in charge.
She didn’t care for his highhanded demeanor.
But then, she supposed she ought to be used to it.
She might be a main draw for the stage but she was nothing more than a prop for the rest of the business taking place beyond the curtain.
It seemed that it was the same everywhere in London. “I will certainly consider it.”
He offered a tight smile and then turned his attention back to Cordell, effectively dismissing her.
“I am not certain what further inquiries might accomplish, Mr. Steele, but you are welcome to revisit the scene of the crime and deduce for yourself if anything was missed. But I can assure you Mr. Reynolds was quite thorough.” He led the way further into the backstage of the theatre and they followed suit.
“I am sure he was. He has been a Runner for a number of years.”
“I admit I was surprised when you parted ways with such an established organization and decided to set out on your own merit. However, I can tell your efforts have paid off.”
Aislynn was impressed when Cordell didn’t rise to the bait Mr. Ingram was dangling in front of him. “I take great pride in seeing that justice has been served. I intend to succeed with finding Miss Flynn’s killer as well.”
“I am sure you will make every effort to do so.”
Mr. Ingram paused a short distance behind the curtain and waved a hand at the wooden floor where Aislynn could see a slight discoloration, as if made by blood.
A chill passed through her and she had to glance away to compose herself.
Noticing a row of dressing rooms, she had a thought.
“Is Miss Flynn’s dressing room still free? ”
“It has been occupied by temporary performers since the incident. Why do you ask?”
“Might I take a look inside?”
He shrugged. “Do what you will but I doubt you will find anything of much use.” His gaze flicked back to Cordell. “I shall be in my offices if you require my attention.”
* * *
Cordell decided two things. One, he did not care for Mr. Ingram’s dismissal of Aislynn. She was just as intelligent and capable of discovering evidence as any man. Compared to her talents against Reynolds, he was highly inclined to champion her.
And the second—he discovered that he was concerned about the exchange that had taken place between Aislynn and The Wolf.
He imagined she was a bit uncertain around him this morning because of the intimacy between them the night before, but now he wasn’t so confident that was all that was bothering her.
Her reticence definitely didn’t seem so easy to explain.
However, since he had to remind himself that he was about to conduct a thorough investigation of the theatre, he knew his focus had to be solely on that for now.
After their reluctant host had departed, Aislynn said, “I will be in the dressing room looking for clues. Let me know if you find anything useful.”
“Of course. You will be the first to know.”
A flash of something passed in her gaze before she turned and set her back to him.
Again, Cordell had the sensation that whatever The Wolf had imparted to her had not been complimentary in the least. That angered him because of everything he’d done to ensure the other man’s health recently.
He could have refused to doctor him and sent him and the rest of his pack on their merry way.
If he had done so that first night, Cordell was certain he would have bled out from his injuries.
Instead, he had opened his home and how was he repaid?
Needless to say, he intended to find out the root of that conversation when he returned home.
Bending down to access the area where Miss Flynn’s body had been found, Cordell narrowed his gaze and tried to return to that gruesome scene.
She had been killed in the same manner as the ones who followed, left backstage and just beyond the curtain.
Cordell had long decided that held a specific meaning for the killer as well.
Perhaps he was not pleased with the actresses’ performances and was trying to send a message that they should remain behind the scenes.
He looked for quite some time, attempting to replay the woman’s last moments in his mind, but try as he might to recreate any possible motive that he might have missed after viewing the subsequent murders, he was at a loss to add any further insight.
He withdrew a heavy sigh and straightened to check on Aislynn’s progress. He found her in the dressing room, standing on a stepladder and prodding at the wainscotting around the interior.
“Dare I ask what you are doing?”
She glanced over her shoulder and said in a matter-of-fact tone, “Looking for clues. That is why we are here, is it not?”
He couldn’t very well argue with such logic. “You are absolutely correct. I rather hope you are having better luck than I did.”
“That productive?”
“Precisely so,” he murmured. He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling as though a headache was beginning to brew.
“Ah. Here we go.”
He heard a slight noise and glanced up to see Aislynn pulling away a section of the wainscotting. Behind it was an opening and something stuck inside. “What the devil?”
“Most performers have secrets that need to be kept carefully hidden, whether it is coin from an admirer or something a bit more damning in case infatuations get out of hand. Since residences change at a moment’s notice, most secrets are generally kept close at hand where they spend the most time and carefully concealed away from prying eyes. ”
He lifted a brow as she climbed down and presented a small wooden box to him. “Yet you knew exactly where to find this.”
“It is only because loose wainscotting is quite common in any theatre and is actually quite expected among the backstage performers.” She set her hands on her hips.
“At the Royale, I would have searched for the same, but Mia did not have her own dressing room and Geneva preferred to keep her personal effects at our shared flat. It did not take long to discover that there was nothing of interest to find there.”
“Indeed.” Cordell was impressed by her foresight and immediately thought of what she might keep hidden in her personal dressing room at the Theatre Royal.
She laughed. “I can almost see the wheels turning in your mind and you can forget that notion right now. I will not reveal all of my secrets, Mr. Steele.”
He stilled, because it wasn’t so much the nature of what she said, but the pointed way she said it that made him wonder if there wasn’t a deeper meaning behind it.
Just what the hell had The Wolf said to her?
He forced his attention to the box she held out to him.
“Let’s see what Miss Flynn was hiding, shall we?
” He opened the contents to reveal several guineas layering the lower part of the small chest, but it was the folded slip of paper on top that gave him pause.
He removed it and set the box of coins aside and read aloud.
“My Dearest Avery,
I must confess that I can wait no longer for your attentions to be showered upon me.
I have waited as long as my patience will allow, and I regret that things must come to this point.
You will have to stop tormenting me in this manner and choose my suit, or my hand will be forced to offer a reluctant alternative.
I take no pleasure in saying that if I cannot have you then no one will, but you refuse to acknowledge my devotion any longer.
Make your choice.
It is time.”
Cordell folded the letter.
“Did it not say who it was from?” Aislynn asked, her green eyes wide with alarm.
“No. It is merely signed the letter ‘C.’”
Her mouth parted slightly and the image of those pink sweet lips wrapped around his cock flashed into view. He turned away sharply and scrubbed a hand down his face. This obsession was quickly spiraling out of control, especially when she was making it clear that her interest had waned.
“Do you recognize the handwriting?”
“No. But I have a colleague that might be able to assist with that.” He started to head for the door.