Chapter 13 – A Conversation in a Cab

The cabby laughed. When he spoke, his dock-side accent had disappeared. “All right, Chief Inspector. Fair catch. But I thought my disguise was perfect! How did you know?”

“You might have guessed I was a policeman because I came out of headquarters, but there was no way you could have known my rank.”

“But Eleanor—”

“Lady Serrs.”

“You don’t call her that. You call her Miss Serrs. Did she give you permission?”

“She did. And she calls me Mr. Haley. Not Inspector.”

“Huh. You’re being awfully familiar with my fiancée.”

The barrel of the gun pressed into Penn’s head.

“Oh, put it away, Haley. You and I both know you aren’t going to use it.”

“One more joke like that and I might.”

“I don’t think so. For two reasons. First, you’re not the kind of man to shoot anyone in the back of the head, let alone someone who’s never harmed another person.”

“What about our fights?”

“I was defending myself!”

“From a police officer who was trying to lawfully arrest you.”

“Yes, well, you gave as good as you got. And I never used a gun.”

“What’s your second reason?”

“Can you drive a motorcar?”

“As a matter of fact, I can.”

“While fighting me?” When Haley didn’t answer, Penn went on, “It could get dangerous, and there are lots of people in the street at this time of day. Come now, I’m taking you where you want to go. There’s no need to give me a headache.”

The inspector leaned back, and Penn felt the gun lift away.

“You’re going to try to escape.”

“Of course I am. And you’re going to try to stop me. It’s good we both know our roles so well.”

“You would joke with the hangman.”

“Ah-ah! They don’t hang people for theft in this country.”

“One would hope, for you, they might make an exception.”

Penn grinned. “Who are the three suitors? She didn’t mention their names.”

“What’s your game in all this, Penn? What are you after?”

“The names! As I just said. I could learn them on my own, but I’m sure you already know them, and it would be so much faster—”

“Why would you care?”

There was an unusual seriousness in Penn’s voice when he said, “Someone used me. Someone took my name and used it without my knowledge or permission, and they played me like a fiddle. I want to know who, and I want to know why.”

“You’re saying you didn’t send those invitations?”

“Eleanor—”

“Lady Serrs.”

“You know, you’re more stubborn about that than she was.”

“She was a vulnerable young woman in a strange and dangerous place. I’m the man sitting behind you with a warrant for your arrest and a loaded gun.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Point taken. Lady Serrs told you I didn’t send them. Don’t you believe her?”

“I believe Miss Serrs. But she’s the trusting sort. I’m more skeptical.”

Penn let out a brief laugh. “Ah, my darling! She is a little naïve, isn’t she? Imagine turning down three men and thinking none of them would be sore.”

Uncomfortably aware of how close their minds were aligned, Haley said nothing.

The master thief continued, “Ah well. A lady like her has probably never been rejected in her life. You can’t expect her to understand.” He paused. “So who were they?”

“I won’t tell you.”

Ryce shrugged. “Suit yourself. There can’t be that many men with enough prestige to gain the approval of the glorious, humble Duke Erravold Aubrey-Serrs. If only we published a Who’s Who. I bet I’d find them all within the first four pages.”

“Not likely. The ambassadors start on page three.”

“Oh? I guess you’d know. Three gentlemen,” Penn mused. “Good men. Polite. Considerate. Clearly not very good lovers…and not her enemies—that statement was a bit odd, don’t you think?”

“The whole damned thing was odd.”

“God help me, I agree with a policeman.”

Their car was idling on a corner to allow a wagon to pass the other way. Penn put his arm out to signal, then turned in behind it.