Malice at the Palace (The Royal Spyness Series Book 9)
By: Rhys Bowen
“We can turn this knowledge over to DCI Pelham,” Sir Jeremy said. “I’m sure he must have access to safecrackers and I don’t think he seems to be getting anywhere either. He was most annoyed when we told him he had to release O’Mara because he had been working undercover.”
Darcy shifted uneasily on his chair. “If you want the safe opened without telling Pelham, I could give it a try,” he said. “I’ve opened a couple of safes in my dubious career and I suspect that a wall safe in a woman’s flat wouldn’t be too complicated. But how do we get in without going past the hall porter?”
“I have a key. I obtained it from her former cleaning lady,” I said. “I think it works for the servants’ entrance.”
Sir Jeremy rolled his eyes. “I have not heard a word of this conversation,” he said, “but if you find anything of significance in that safe, I’d like to know about it.”
“Of course,” we said in unison, looked at each other and smiled.
Chapter 28
LATE ON NOVEMBER 8
A spot of safecracking.
It was quite dark by the time we left Sir Jeremy’s and Darcy hailed a taxicab. Luckily I had Bobo’s key in my purse. Darcy had the cab drop us on Park Lane rather than outside Bobo’s block of flats. I felt rather proud of myself when I led Darcy around to show him the back entrance, but the pride vanished when we found the entrance locked for the night. I tried both my keys but neither worked.
“Bolted from the inside for the night. That’s torn it,” Darcy said. “Now we have two options. Either we go away and try during the daytime tomorrow or we bluff our way past the doorman.” He looked at me and grinned. “I say the latter.”
“You do the talking,” I said. “That Irish blarney of yours might get us past.”
“As it happens, I don’t even think we’ll need too much blarney,” he said. “Come on, let’s go and present ourselves to William.”
We went around to the front of the building and Darcy marched ahead of me through those glass swing doors and up to the doorman’s cubby. A ginger-haired man started to come out when he heard us, then stopped.
“Good evening, William,” Darcy said, going up to him with a jaunty stride. “It’s been a long time. How are you?”
The man’s face lit up. “Mr. O’Mara. How nice to see you. It has been a long time. In fact we were just talking about you the other day and saying that we had expected you to come and stay when Miss Carrington was away during the summer.”
“Unfortunately I couldn’t make it this time, although I always enjoy staying here,” Darcy said. “I was in America, as it happens.”
“America? Fancy that. Is it all that they say it is?”
“And more,” Darcy said. “But a terrible depression is going on there just like here.”
William nodded. “There’s not a day goes by that I’m not thankful I’ve got a job, Mr. O’Mara. When you see all those poor wretches on street corners, don’t you? And at the soup kitchens in the stations.”
“You do indeed.” Darcy paused for an instant. “You’ve been keeping well? And the family? Growing up fast?”
“Indeed they are, Mr. O’Mara,” William said. “Eating us out of house and home.” Then his smile faded. “But I’m afraid Miss Carrington isn’t in residence, if that’s who you’ve come to see, sir. Hasn’t been home for days now.” He leaned closer to Darcy. “And between ourselves, there’s something funny going on. Frederick says the police were here. They didn’t identify themselves as police, but you can always tell, can’t you?”
“That’s exactly why I’m here,” Darcy said. He moved over until he and William were standing very close together. “I heard about the police, you see, and it occurred to me that I might have left some items in Miss Carrington’s flat. Now, I suspect the police raid must have something to do with drugs. We all know that Miss Carrington has a nasty little habit, don’t we? Well, I’ve never touched a drug in my life and I don’t want the police putting two and two together and making five, if you get my meaning. So I thought I’d take a quick look around and make sure there’s nothing of mine up in the flat. If that’s all right with you, of course?”
William wrinkled his nose, deliberating. “I’m not sure about that, Mr. O’Mara.”
“Did the police actually tell you nobody was to go up to the flat?”
“It was Frederick they talked to, not me. But he didn’t say that.”
“So then there would be no reason for me not to take a quick look, would there?” Darcy said. “If you don’t feel comfortable, you can always look the other way, you know. I’ve still got my key, so theoretically I can let myself in whenever I want.”
“So you can, Mr. O’Mara.” William nodded. “Why not?” Then his gaze turned to me. “But the young lady—I don’t think Miss Carrington would like that.”
“This is my fiancée, William. Lady Georgiana Rannoch. The king’s cousin. Quite beyond reproach.”
“Blimey, so it is,” William said. “Well, then, in that case . . . you ain’t the first royal we’ve had here.”