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"I’llplot, and if they don’t let ed as accessories"

Poppy watched through the carriageas Leo went up to the Marlow’s classical white stone and stucco façade After a minute or two of conversation with the doorhtly, Poppy tried to warm herself She felt cold from the inside out, ill with panic Harry was somewhere in London, perhaps injured, and she couldn’t reach hi what Catherine had told her about Harry’s childhood, that he had been locked in a rooht to him, she nearly burst into tears

"I’ll find you," she whispered, rocking a little in her seat "I’ll be there soon Just a little longer, Harry"

The carriage door renched open with startling suddenness

Leo stood there with Michael Bayning, as shockingly ravaged by his recent habits of excess His fine clothes and meticulously tied cravat only served to accentuate the bloat of his jaw and the ruddy web of broken capillaries on his cheeks

Poppy stared at him blankly "Michael?"

"He’s halfway pickled," Leo told her, "but coherent"

"Mrs Rutledge," Michael said, his lip curling in a sneer As he spoke, the scent of strong spirits wafted into the carriage "Your husband’s gone , has he? It seems I’m supposed to spout some kind of information about it Problem is" He averted his face and suppressed a quiet belch "I haven’t got any"

Poppy’s eyes narrowed "I don’t believe you I think you had soave her a distorted smile "I’ve been here for the past four hours, and before that I was at ed any underhanded plot to harm him"

"You’ve made no secret of your aniainst him You even came to the hotel with a revolver You’re the most likely person to have been involved in his disappearance"

"Much as I’d like to claim responsibility," Michael said, "I can’t The satisfaction of killing hied for it" His bloodshot eyes focused on Poppy "How do you know he hasn’t decided to spend the evening with sohtskirt? He’s probably tired of you now Go hoe, and pray that he doesn’t come back You’re better off without the bastard"

Poppy blinked as if she’d been slapped

Leo interceded coolly "You’ll be answering scores of questions about Harry Rutledge in the next day or two, Bayning Everyone, including your friends, will be pointing fingers in your direction By to for hi us resolve theto do with it," Michael snapped "But I hope to hell that he’s found soon--facedown in the Thalanced at her in surprise "That is beneath you, Michael! Harry wronged both of us, it’s true, but he has apologized and tried to ave hiy frolared at her, and then a hoarse note of pleading entered his voice "I want you"

She flushed with fury "That will never be possible And it never was Your father wouldn’t have consented to have hter-in-law, because he considered me beneath hied everything far differently than you did"

"I’m not a snob, Poppy I’m conventional There’s a difference"

She shook her head iument she didn’t want to waste precious time on "It doesn’t matter I’ve come to love my husband I will never leave hi a spectacle and a nuisance of yourself, and go on with your life You were s than this"

"Well said," Leo o, Poppy We’ll get nothing else out of hie of the door before Leo could close it "Wait," he said to Poppy "If it turns out that so has happened to your husbandwill you co face and shook her head, unable to believe he would ask such a thing "No, Michael," she said quietly "I’m afraid you’re too conventional to suit ’s astonished face

Poppy stared at her brother desperately "Do you think Michael had anything to do with Harry’s disappearance?"

"No" Leo reached up to signal the driver "He’s not in a condition to plot anything other than where he’s going to find his next drink I think he’s essentially a decent lad, drowning in self-pity" Seeing her distraught expression, he took her hand and squeezed it coo back to the hotel Perhaps there’ll be sohts taking the shape of nightht for a remark to distract her "The interior of Marloasn’t nearly as pleasant as I’d expected Oh, there was quite bit of , but the air was difficult to breathe"

"Why?" Poppy asked gluness"

Byfor Harry Poppy had spent a sleepless night waiting for news of her husband, while Leo and Jake Valentine had been out searching gentleh Poppy was frustrated by her own enforced inactivity, she knew that everything possible was being done The cracksar, had promised to use his network of thieves to find any possible scrap of information about Harry’s disappearance

Special Constable Hely busy Sir Gerald at the War Office had confir theirSubsequently, Hembrey had procured a search warrant froistrates, and had questioned Kinloch early in the h search of Kinloch’s residence had revealed no trace of Harry

The Ho head of the Metropolitan Police Force, had directed his Criation Unit--coeants--to apply their skills to the case They were all engaged in questioning various individuals, including e club and some of Edward Kinloch’s servants

"It’s as if he’s disappeared into thin air," Jake Valentine said wearily, lowering hi a cup of tea frolance "Are there any probleers’ reports--"

"I went over the that Harry would want his business to continue as usual "It gaveto do There are no problems with the hotel" She rubbed her face with both hands "No proble"

"He’ll be found," Valentine said "Soon There’s no way he can not be found"

Their conversation was interrupted as Leo entered the apartet comfortable, Valentine," he said "Bow Street has just sent word that they have at least threewith their ‘rescuers’ It’s assuo have a look at them in any case Perhaps we’ll find a chance to talk with Special Constable Heave her a dark look "You wouldn’t ask to go if you knehat kind of riffraff parades through that office every day"

"I’oing without hed "Fetch your cloak"

The Bow Street court was universally regarded as the foreistrates’ court, where the ated and prosecuted The Metropolitan Police Act had been passedin the formation of as still called the "New Police"

However, there still remained a fe enforcement establishments outside the Home Secretary’s direct control, and Bow Street was one of them Its mounted patrol and half-dozen Runners were answerable only to the Bow Street istrates Oddly, the Bow Street enforceiven a statutory basis for its authority But that didn’t seem to matter to anyone When results were needed, one went to Bow Street

The two buildings that comprised the court and office, nos 3 and 4, were plain and unassu little hint as to the power that ielded inside