Page 80 of The Duke of Lies
“Cuthbert Strader, yes. That leaves twenty-two G and the odd sideways cross.”
“I don’t suppose he was giving money to the church?” Simon asked wryly.
“We discarded that idea,” Kit said with a half smile.
“Brilliant.” Simon returned his gaze to the ledger, frowning. “The amounts to twenty-two G are higher overall, and they vary. Whereas the payments to the steward and this cross symbol never seem to change.”
“Yes, and the cross payments don’t start until several months after Cuddy was hired.”
“That should tell us something,” Simon said, looking up once more. “What does it tell us?”
“If it’s extortion, it started sometime after Rufus disappeared. I wonder if the two are somehow related.”
Simon sat back in his chair. “How do we investigate that?”
Kit exhaled. “Thatis what I’m trying to determine.”
A commotion in the entry hall drew Simon’s focus toward the door. “Wonder what that’s about?”
The door opened without a knock, and Simon’s young butler, his face pale, stepped inside. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Grace, but I’m afraid there are Bow Street Runners in the hall.”
Simon stood. “Runners? What the devil for?”
Kit’s stomach sank even as he rose from the chair. “I’ll wager they’re here for me.”
The butler turned his wide-eyed expression to Kit. “You’re correct, Your Grace. I did tell them you were busy.”
Kit managed to laugh. “I imagine they didn’t much care.”
Randolph shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Come along, then,” Kit said with resignation.
Simon moved quickly around the desk and grabbed Kit’s arm as he walked toward the door. “You can’t mean to go with them?”
“What else can I do? I’m not going to make a scene and have Beau witness anything. Let me go with them quietly. Talk to Verity and puzzle out that damned ledger. I’m confident Horatio is behind this. It’s more crucial than ever that we reveal his crimes.” Kit hadn’t even had a chance to tell him about Horatio’s potential involvement in Rufus’s disappearance. “Ask Verity about the possible connection between her father and Rufus going missing.”
Simon’s eyes widened. “This is a bloody novel.” He frowned. “I don’t like you going.”
“Nor do I. Rally the troops and work quickly, please.” Kit stepped into the entry hall and greeted the Runners warmly. One was a tall, beefy fellow with a ruddy complexion, while the other was leaner with a long nose and a foreboding stare. “Good morning. I understand you’re here for me.”
The leaner fellow glowered at him. “You’re being charged with fraud—impersonating a duke—and murder.”
Kit had expected the former but not the latter. “Whose?” he asked, surprised at how calm his voice sounded.
“Cuthbert Strader and His Grace, the Duke of Blackburn.”
Holy hell. Horatio was going for the jugular, then. And Kit was suddenly dead certain he’d had something to do with Rufus’s disappearance.
Kit turned to Simon. “He wants money—he’ll try to get it from Verity. Use that to flush him out.”
Simon nodded vigorously.
“You coming peaceably?” the beefy Runner asked.
Kit accepted his hat and gloves from Randolph as if this were just another excursion instead of transportation to Bow Street. “Yes. Let’s go.” He set his hat on his head and pulled his gloves on with a final look at Simon. “Tell her not to worry.”
Simon shook his head. “She will.”
