Page 97 of Return Ticket

chapterthirty-eight

“James,Jerome has a message for you from me.”

James stared at the neatly-written note stuck to Gabriella’s door, and turned to knock on the door opposite. There was no sound from within, and so he walked down the stairs and out into the chill autumn evening, wondering what his next step should be.

He heard talking coming from the small private garden to the right, and felt a surge of relief as he followed the sound and stepped into the well-kept space.

“James!” Jerome leaned back in the cast iron garden chair and gave him a wave.

“Good evening, Jerome. Mr. Rodney.” James always had the sense he was addressing Gabriella’s grandfather when he interacted with Mr. Rodney.

“Mr. Archer.” Mr. Rodney scraped back his chair and stood. “Would you like some tea?”

“No, thank you. I’m looking for Gabriella. Apparently Jerome has a message for me from her?”

Jerome nodded. “She waited for you for a bit, but she was invited over to Mrs. Everett’s house for dinner and says if you are able to, you’re welcome to join them.”

“Thank you.” He hesitated, wanting to ask Jerome about Tanner, but as if he had read his mind, Jerome shot a quick glance at Mr. Rodney and gave a minute shake of his head.

“Well, I’ll be off to Mrs. Everett’s. Thanks for the message.” He’d have a chat with Jerome later and get the full story. He was looking forward to it.

He drove the five minutes to Ruby’s house, and as he parked beside the front gate, he saw the house was lit up, but the curtains were drawn.

As he reached the front door, he could hear Teddy Roe’s gravelly voice from within.

He rang the bell, and Ruby came to answer it, wiping her hands on an apron.

“James.” She gave him a warm smile. “We hoped you’d get away in time to join us. Come in.”

He stepped inside, suddenly aware that he had never been invited to dinner at anyone’s house in London until he’d met Gabriella. Nor had he been invited to tea, as he had just been at Mr. Rodney’s.

“I should have stopped to buy something,” he said, belatedly realizing he was empty-handed. “Can I go out and get you anything?”

“No.” Ruby led him into the kitchen, and turned to look at him over her shoulder. “I know you’ve come straight from New Scotland Yard, and that you didn’t know about this dinner until you got to Gabriella’s. Your company is enough.”

“Thank you.” James decided next time, he would be sure to buy flowers and whatever drink Ruby favored.

He stepped into the kitchen after her, and there was Gabriella, crouched beside Teddy Roe in a wheelchair, drawing on his plaster cast.

“It’s your copper,” Teddy Roe said, elbowing Gabriella gently, and she rose to her feet with a smile.

“I’m glad you got off in time,” she told him. She took a step in his direction and then paused awkwardly.

He moved to her, leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Me, too. It was a busy day.”

“But you got him?” Gabriella asked.

“I got him, and I got Tanner.” Ruby handed him a drink, and he took a sip, froze, and darted her a look.

“Gin and tonic,” she said.

He had never had one. He took another sip and realized he liked it.

“Well, dinner’s ready, so let’s sit down and you can tell us everything you’re allowed to tell us.” Ruby pulled a pie dish from the oven with big oven mitts, and set it on the kitchen table.

Once they were all dished up, Ruby leaned forward. “How did you get Tanner, what with everything going on? That’s what I’m dying to know.”

“His car was found parked near Gabriella’s house this morning, with him tied up and gagged inside.” James savored the tenderness of the meat from the beef and mushroom pie.

---