Page 52 of The Secrets of Lord Grayson Child
Baines glanced at her. “Actually, yes.” He handed the sheets over the desk and, as Izzy took them, said, “Everything you have in there is accurate as far as I know, but it would be helpful if you could end with a note along the lines of ‘there being no next of kin known to the authorities, anyone wishing to inquire regarding the deceased’s estate should contact Inspector Baines at Scotland Yard.’”
Izzy picked up a pencil, swiftly wrote, paused to read what she’d written, then looked up. “Done.”
“Is there much of an estate?” Gray asked.
“Not much,” Baines replied. “A small amount in savings, the equipment he kept here, and some old camera bits he’d left in a wardrobe.”
“So it’s unlikely Quimby was murdered for his wealth.” Pointedly, Gray caught Izzy’s gaze. They needed to tell Baines about the hue and cry edition, and now seemed an opportune time.
Izzy set aside the obituary and leaned her elbows on the desk. “Do the police have any further leads, Inspector?”
Baines grumped, “No. That’s what’s brought us back toThe Crier.”
Izzy met Gray’s eyes, then ventured, “Well, from our point of view, since we last saw you on Saturday, there have been some developments.”
The change in both Baines and Littlejohn was marked. “Developments?” Littlejohn parroted.
“What developments?” Baines leaned forward, hope ringing in his tone.
Gray sat back and listened as Izzy explained about the new style of negatives Quimby had been using and how, courtesy of Quimby’s assistant, they’d found the negatives Quimby had exposed on Friday and had printed the photographs from them.
Izzy unlocked and opened the desk drawer, drew out the third set of prints, and handed them across the desk.
Baines fell on them like a starving hound, and Littlejohn peered over Baines’s shoulder as the inspector studied the seven scenes.
When, frowning, the pair looked up, Gray outlined the theory that, given the murderer had taken the time to wreck all Quimby’s daguerreotype plates, presumably assuming that in doing so, he was wiping out the evidence he had killed to prevent Quimby making public, then the motive for Quimby’s murder lay somewhere in the seven photographs.
“Seems reasonable,” Baines allowed, and Littlejohn nodded.
“We’ve asked around among others of the ton,” Gray went on, “and can identify more than half the people in the seven scenes, but as to the names of the others and what in the photographs might be a reason for murder, that, we’ve yet to unearth.”
Baines stared at the photographs. “But that’s the sticking point, isn’t it? How are we to tell what it is about one of these pictures that set the killer after Quimby?”
“As to that”—Izzy exchanged a glance with Gray, then refocused on Baines—“we’ve decided that the best way forward is to run a hue and cry edition.”
“Awhat?” Baines looked stunned and prepared to be appalled.
Izzy launched into a description of the special edition, detailing what would be included and what they would ask and mentioning the reward, while throughout, using her descriptive talents to paint the undertaking in an exciting light. “It will be a new and novel way of doing exactly the same thing as an old-fashioned hue and cry, but in this case, we’ll be using the new medium of newspapers to reach a much wider audience.”
Judging by Baines’s and Littlejohn’s expressions, they could see the possibilities and were sorely tempted, yet…
Baines grimaced, and his shoulders fell. “I can’t see my superiors approving such a thing—not at all. You’ll be laying evidence in a murder case before the public. They’re likely to have conniptions over that.”
“They don’t have to like it,” Gray said, “to allow it to go ahead, and I’m sure your superiors will appreciate that attempting to block an action that was initially suggested by the Marchioness of Winchelsea and, subsequently, gained the marquess’s active support won’t reflect well on them.”
From their stunned expressions, Baines and Littlejohn recognized the significance of Drake’s involvement.
Gray smiled his most sharklike smile. “I suggest that, if your superiors raise an issue withThe Crier’supcoming special edition, you would do well to suggest that they take it up with Winchelsea.”
Baines and Littlejohn both blinked, as if imagining such a scene.
Then Baines started to smile, and the rather lugubrious set of Littlejohn’s features eased.
Izzy noted the changes and calmly stated, “So, gentlemen, as of this moment, our special edition is going ahead under the imprimatur of the marquess and is on track to be distributed on Friday.”
Baines’s entire disposition had brightened. “Friday, heh?”
She nodded firmly. “As usual—we can’t easily alter our distribution arrangements, so Friday it has to be.”
