Constantine Capers: The Pennington Perplexity by Natalie Brianne (new ebook reader TXT) 📕

are all of my conditions. Now, why don’t you go and unpack?”

She went up the stairs to her room while Byron and her uncle became more acquainted. Even though she visited every week, she hadn’t been in her old room in months. Knowing her uncle, he likely would have turned it into another library. Not that she minded libraries, but she wanted a bit of consistency after being nearly killed twice in the last week.

She opened the door and grinned. Everything was as she left it. Her bed up against one wall, a bookshelf full of books and art supplies on the other, and a desk covered with paint and graphite in front of the double glass doors that led out onto the roof. And it was even well kept. She supposed that Landon likely kept it dusted and watched for stray spiders while she was gone. She went over to the window and pushed the curtains aside to look out onto the street. The same view greeted her. She looked around the room once again and saw Nero curled up on a blanket on the bed. She smiled. She wasn’t the only one that felt at home again. With that thought she began to unpack.

Byron and Cyrus were in the middle of a conversation about Scotland Yard when she returned.

“Why would they request the assistance of a detective without just simply hiring them?” Cyrus relit his pipe.

“I believe I originally was working towards being hired on there, however after my accident they couldn’t exactly trust my memory. They trust me well enough now to help them solve tricky cases, however, but not enough to put me on salary. I’m paid on a case-by-case basis.” Cyrus nodded at his explanation and Byron smiled. Her uncle saw her and beckoned her in.

“How did your room look?”

“Exactly the way I left it. Pristine, even.”

He smiled. Byron cleared his throat. “Now, I believe that Mira and I need to be going.”

“You’re leaving again?”

“She’ll be safe, I promise you. We’re just going to head over to Scotland Yard to arrange the police protection, or at least get someone to watch the house, and then I think we had plans for something else?” He looked to her for confirmation.

“Mr. Graham. We were going to talk to him again.”

“Oh yes. I’m glad you remembered.” He looked over at her teasing.

“Then I won’t delay you. I’ll expect you back tonight,” Cyrus said, looking between them.

They left Swan Walk in much higher spirits than when they had come.

“I’d say that went rather well, don’t you think?”

“He practically yelled at you, Byron!” She laughed.

“And called me a Charlatan. I’ve been called many things: brilliant, charming, debonair, but never a charlatan.” He flashed a grin at her, and she could tell he was teasing again. She laughed more, and he laughed with her.

“Considering what you said before that encounter, I am surprised I left with my head attached after everything I’ve let happen to you.” His laughter died down.

“It couldn’t be helped Byron. It isn’t your fault.”

“Still. I wish that I could have done something to prevent it.”

“Well if I hadn’t been kidnapped, we wouldn’t know the full involvement the smugglers had with Pennington.”

“We’d have found that out eventually, and I would rather have you out of danger without a clue, than in danger with several.”

“But I did speed the case up, didn’t I?”

“I believe so.”

She smiled. “So, first to Scotland Yard, and then to Mr. Graham’s?”

“Indeed.”

They entered Scotland Yard and found it difficult to navigate. People crowded the stairwells and hallways, with constables rushing between offices and interrogation rooms. Miss Chickering was up to her neck in paperwork, but she didn’t hesitate to start up a conversation.

“Mr. Constantine! And Miss Blayse. Back again, I see.” She wasn’t too pleased to see Mira. The thought briefly crossed her mind that Juliet had a motive for threatening Mira to leave London, but Mira surmised that she wasn’t a likely suspect. She may be rude, and occasionally annoy Mira with her constant attentions on Byron, but she wasn’t the type to do that sort of thing. Besides, Mira highly doubted she was strong enough to have been her assailant.

“Yes Miss Chickering, just stopping in to speak with the chief inspector.” Byron was cheerful.

“Are you here to help with the new evidence in the Whitechapel Case?” Juliet said.

“Whitechapel Case?”

“Yes! Didn’t you hear? The Central News Agency got a letter about the murders in Whitechapel!”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Must be your memory again. I thought your new secretary was supposed to help with that.” Mira looked away. Byron gave Juliet a glare.

“She is. And I believe this Whitechapel business is news to us. We are actually here about the Pennington case.”

“You have new evidence then?”

“Sort of. Not exactly.”

“Well, he’s swamped at the moment, but,” She hesitated and looked at the door, almost worried. “I think he’d be glad to see you.”

“And right you are.” Raymond Thatcher stepped out of his office and put on his hat.

“Thatcher, what is going on? I’ve never seen Scotland Yard like this before.” Byron moved over to the chief inspector.

“A major lead has been found for those Whitechapel murders.”

“Miss Chickering mentioned that. What are the Whitechapel murders?”

“Just the other four murder cases I’ve been working on. They’ve taken place over the course of the last few months. The first was back in April.”

“Do you always have so many cases to solve?” Mira asked.

“Usually I have at least two on my hands, and these murders were like no other I had ever seen. I’ve been trying to track senseless clues for weeks, even months. None of my constables have found any connections to the victims, except for their living conditions and the fact that these murders are gruesome. Definitely not for the faint of heart.” Mira remembered the photographs that were on his desk a few days before and paled.

“I must have not written it down, or did you tell me about this at all?”