Kate watched in amazement. “Penny. What goes on in your mind?”
Simon handed Hogarth the spyglass with a sheepish smile of apology for spoiling his shot as the automatic swift sprang onto the ground. He took up the bundle of papers from Henry. “We need to go to London and visit Christ Church Spitalfields. But we’ll stop by Penny’s shop first. And we’ll let her know she needs to study her ornithology a bit more or her birds may be blasted out of the skies.”
Kate took a deep breath. “I don’t know if Imogen and Charlotte are capable of being left alone.”
Hogarth said, “I will tend Miss Imogen and Miss Charlotte. You go where you are needed.”
“Thank you, Hogarth.” Kate gave one last admiring glance at the strange bird and headed for the house.
When the Anstruther carriage pulled up outside the Wonderworks shop on Bond Street in London it was evening and the street was in deep shadow. Simon set the dossier on the Sacred Heart Murders on the seat and peered out. He noted with concern that the shop was dark as if closed.
As he stepped out onto the sidewalk, Simon lifted his walking stick instinctively, fingering the handle, knowing there was a deadly short sword hidden inside the stick. The door had a shade pulled down to obscure the glass so he tried to peer in around the edges of the drapes pulled across the wide plate glass. He saw a sliver of the darkened front room with its familiar counter and chairs. The high shelves behind the counter were crowded with objects and packages awaiting pickup. He rapped the door with his stick.
A shape moved in the blackness of the front room and the door handle rattled from inside. Penny’s face appeared when the door pulled back. Her eyes were hooded with unusual distress and her face was drawn tight from strain.
“Simon, thank God.” Penny took his arm, pulling him into the shop. Her hand was trembling. Then she noticed Kate and gave a gasp, sweeping the sidewalk with worried eyes.
“It’s only Kate,” Simon said softly. “Malcolm is not with us. As you requested. For some reason.”
“Oh.” Penny breathed out, and reached for Kate with an apologetic shake of her head. “I’m sorry. I’m glad you’re here, Kate.” She shut the door after they entered the shop. “This is something that Malcolm wouldn’t … understand. I don’t want him involved.”
Kate put a comforting hand on Penny’s arm. Simon caught another movement in the corner of his eye and spun around, twisting the handle of his stick. It was Charles, Penny’s brother, and he rolled out of the shadows in his remarkable motorized wheeled chair. Simon could see that Charles seemed even more stricken than his sister. He was pale and his jaw was set hard, with muscles bulging along his neck.
“Good evening, Charles.” Simon lowered the stick. “I’m surprised to see you both sitting here in the darkened anteroom.”
Charles nodded silently, seeming unable to speak. He glanced at Penny as if asking her to talk. Penny was holding Kate’s hand, breathing nervously through thin lips. Kate tightened her grip to comfort the young engineer. Penny opened her mouth, then paused, trying to gather herself.
Simon found it disconcerting to see her so flustered. Of all his little band of adventurers, Penny always seemed the least affected by the strange events that cascaded around them. She saw everything as a problem to be solved or an opportunity requiring some clever device or gadget.
Finally Penny said in a faltering voice, “You may know that Charles and I were raised by our mother.”
When she paused again, Simon inclined his head toward her, prompting her to continue.
Penny’s eyes flicked to her brother and down to the floor. “We opened this shop five years ago, and she lived here with us. She took in sewing even though she didn’t need to. The shop was successful and we told her she had done enough; she should relax. She wouldn’t have it. She insisted on contributing. She would sit in her room upstairs and sew. Last year, she died.”
“I’m sorry,” Simon said.
Penny raised her gaze with a cold granite chill in her eyes. “Two nights ago, she came home.”
Charles shuddered and sank back into his chair, glancing toward the rooms upstairs. Penny left Kate and went to her brother’s side, putting an arm around his shoulders.
“I see.” Simon watched the distraught siblings. “Can you think of any possible reason?”
Penny actually laughed. “Are there any normal reasons why people come back from the dead?”
“A few, but let’s put that aside for now.”
Kate asked, “Penny, where was your mother buried?”
“At St. George’s Bloomsbury.”
Simon and Kate exchanged knowing glances and Simon tapped his stick on the floor. “Well done, Kate. There’s our answer then.”
Penny looked up. “What?”
“The murder at St. George’s has had a ritual effect.”
“Someone is raising the dead?” Penny’s voice was outraged in horror fueled by her personal connection. “How? Why?”