Chapter 6 #2
Adrian doubted she would be staying at such a public venue, unless she’d gone there willingly and was under some sort of influence. Otherwise, there would be too many witnesses to her abduction, and word would surely have spread by now about an upper-class lady’s presence.
But, if he and Murry encountered the scoundrel connected to her disappearance, they could beat the truth regarding her whereabouts out of him and have her returned to her brother by sundown.
* * *
Chief Constable Peter Kendrick pored over the files Gabriella had brought him while trying his best not to let her distract him.
Impossible. Since marrying her last week, he felt reborn.
His life now sparkled like water droplets catching the light from the morning sun.
He’d rediscovered love-making, the pleasure brought from the deep connection he shared with her transforming what had previously been a mere physical experience to transcendental bliss.
It was as though he’d been surrounded by shades of gray that were now painted in glorious colors.
Unable to resist, he raised his gaze and found her watching him. At the moment, the dreamy look in her eyes and mischievous smile on her lips concealed the ghostly shadows that fell on her face when the unpleasant memories surfaced.
His heart swelled with the love he felt for her. After what she’d endured, the fear of incarceration and harsh sentencing after her encounter with Sally Finch, Peter had worried that she would never fully recover.
She’d stabbed Miss Finch repeatedly, taken her life, and in so doing, risked her own until a judge gave his verdict: She’d acted in her own defense, against a woman who’d murdered three men. No charges would be filed against her.
Still, Peter knew that despite her best efforts to put the experience behind her and act as though all was back to normal, it would take time — possibly years – for her to get past the shock.
All he could do was assure her that he was there for her if she wanted to talk, that he would support her in every way possible, and that he loved her unconditionally.
“Any luck?” she asked.
Peter blinked. “What?”
She pursed her lips. “I could lock the door if you’d like to take a short break.”
Judging from the gleam in her eyes, she knew exactly what kind of affect her suggestion would have upon him. He took a steadying breath in an effort to calm his racing pulse. “As tempting as that sounds, I fear it will have to wait. The information we’re presently gathering must take priority.”
He forced his attention back to the files.
They contained information connected to Mrs. Croft’s abduction last month.
With Gabriella’s help, Peter had been compiling a catalogue of records, complete with post-mortem sketches of every man Finn O’Leary had hired.
They’d identified most of them, which had helped form a broader picture of O’Leary’s operation.
As for the man himself, Peter had yet to catch a whiff of his whereabouts. None of the men Peter had stationed around Saint Giles had seen so much as his shadow since he’d disappeared. And yet, Peter had a feeling he wasn’t the sort of person to hide away indoors forever.
“Someone must be helping him,” Peter muttered.
“Who? O’Leary?” When he nodded, Gabriella said, “I would imagine he has enough funds to avoid needing help from others. Considering what we’ve learned about him, he wasn’t poor when he landed in England.”
“I’d not be surprised if whatever fortune he has is counterfeit.”
“Then maybe that can turn into a lead.” Gabriella waited for Peter to raise his gaze to hers once more before saying, “Tracking counterfeit bills could offer additional clues to his whereabouts.”
“Possibly.” Peter wasn’t sure. So far, O’Leary had proven more slippery than oil.
He didn’t strike Peter as someone who’d leave a trail of evidence for others to follow.
No, O’Leary was ruthless and clever. His desire for vengeance fed his thirst for bloodshed and…
“He has no respect for women. Samantha Croft was found battered and bruised after being rescued from him.”
“You’re right. Not even her delicate state dissuaded him from beating her,” Gabriella said, her voice tight.
“She counted seven men during her captivity, which doesn’t quite tally with what Lundquist’s housekeeper, Mrs. Shelby, told us.
” The woman had seen Mrs. Croft being transferred from one carriage to another.
“But it is close enough to know that most of O’Leary’s men were killed by Harlowe’s agents.
Three in the street and two more in the house. ”
“In other words, he would have been left with a skeleton crew.”
“And the need to hire fresh muscle.” Having failed in his first attempt to destroy Croft, O’Leary would want to make sure he had more reinforcement next time. A bigger plan with a larger army. Enough men to force Croft into submission.
“Which Croft says he had a habit of doing at The Mad Bull.” Made perfect sense.
The tavern was renowned for its bareknuckle fights, which would have permitted O’Leary to gauge each man’s strength and skill.
He’d fought there himself at least once, after which he’d stabbed his opponent before, once again, disappearing into the night.
Peter considered this, then murmured, “Croft made sure all public houses and brothels were kept under constant surveillance in an effort to catch him, but—”
“O’Leary might have sent a trusted scout to recruit more men in his stead.”
Peter blinked. Why the hell hadn’t he thought of this?
Meeting Gabriella’s gaze, he said, “Instead of expecting to find a hint of O’Leary in London’s seedier places, we should have been gathering information on anyone offering lucrative pay to thugs and riffraff.”