Chapter 47 – Another Walk

The pink of the sunrise was still in the sky when Eleanor left for her morning walk. For the past few weeks, she’d left a little earlier each day. It was easier when there were fewer people around. By now she was out before most of the street vendors.

She gently closed the door and turned to see Lucas Haley standing behind the front gate.

Her heart stalled. Then it beat so hard it echoed in her ears.

She’d seen him several times since Edward’s arrest. He’d shown up at each new stage of the proceedings to explain what was happening, but he had always presented the information in a quiet, level voice and then left. His face had revealed nothing.

The last time she’d seen any emotion from him had been seven weeks ago, on the morning she had shown up at the police station with Edward’s jacket over her arm. Haley had taken her into a private room to interview her. While she was explaining her suppositions, she caught a glimpse of his face. In the half-second before he managed to hide it, she’d seen all his sadness and frustration.

This morning, as Eleanor approached him, she thought she could see a trace of that same sadness. Maybe he’d left his professional mask behind.

He stepped aside when she reached the gate so she could come out onto the sidewalk.

“Mr. Haley, is something wrong?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Then…what are you doing here?”

That was uncivil at best, but she couldn’t think of what else to say.

“I was waiting for you.”

Eleanor’s eyes turned to the ground, and she didn’t answer.

“Are you going on your morning walk?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Miss Serrs, I know you may not want me here, and if you tell me no, I promise I’ll leave you alone, but, please, may I accompany you?”

A weak smile appeared on Eleanor’s face. “You’ll walk wherever I want? No matter how long it takes?”

“And you can shut me up with a word.”

“Then yes, Mr. Haley, you may come. You don’t even have to stay three feet behind me.”

“Thank you.”

They walked in silence for a long time before Eleanor ventured to speak.

“I have to apologize to you, Mr. Haley.”

“For what?”

“For not taking you into my confidence sooner.”

Haley grimaced.

Both of them were painfully aware of what she was alluding to, but neither knew how to confront the matter. Haley had no proof she’d asked Penn to steal that book, and if Eleanor said anything, she’d be confessing to a crime.

Haley had promised himself that he would never raise the subject, but since she had touched the sore, he felt he might be allowed to ask the question that had been eating away at him for almost two months.

“Why didn’t you come to me, Miss Serrs?”

“I didn’t want you to know. I wanted to prove to myself that I was wrong, and then all those fears could die with me.”

“I would have helped you.”

“I know. But I didn’t care what Penn thought.”

Haley would never claim to be a master logician, but he knew enough to take comfort from the half of the statement that remained unsaid.

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The inspector sighed. “I won’t lie and say it didn’t bother me, but I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and I can appreciate how hard it must have been for you to come to me at all.”

“Thank you for being so understanding.”

They continued walking.

Haley broke the silence this time: “May I ask how your family is doing?”

“Mr. Haley, I’m afraid I don’t have the energy to pretend to be an engaging companion. If you ask me questions like that, all I can give you is an honest answer.”

“That’s all I want.”

Eleanor raised her eyes to the rustling leaves. “Aunt Helena’s health is fading. They don’t expect her to live past the end of September. Dr. Stacks has done his best to make her comfortable, but that’s all we can do. Still, she tries to be cheerful—she asks after you,” Eleanor added suddenly.

“With or without animosity?”

“Without. She denounces the people she doesn’t like. She asks after the people she does like.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Please give her my regards.”

“I will.”

“How’s your father doing?”

There was a pause, then Eleanor said, “I didn’t realize how close he felt to Aunt Helena. Sometimes, when I get tired of reading, he’ll come and take over for me. When I come back up, most of the time they’re arguing about something. I tried to intercede once, but they both seemed so disappointed, now I just let them argue.”

Haley smiled. The unfamiliar movement felt strange.

Eleanor went on, “I talked to my father about Massey and Fitzmon. He refused to see them, but he gave me a letter of apology that I could give to Massey, and he told me I could talk to Fitzmon.”

“Did you apologize to them as well?” It still bothered Haley that she would, but he knew it was her nature.

“I did. Massey seemed embarrassed but grateful. Fitzmon denied ever having felt bound.”

With a wry smile, Haley shook his head.