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The alleyway was dimly lit and not accessible from a main street. And it was, by her count, at least a few hundred feet away from any kind of operating business. A perfectly discreet place for a working girl to do her bidding. Or a killer to do his. The thought drew a sick feeling at the pit of her stomach. They already had three bodies of working girls at the morgue, and if this one turned out to be the fourth one after less than a month, that meant things were escalating.“Goddess, that reeks!” Adil covered his nose with the arm of his jacket. The body was located at the end of the alleyway, but they already smelled it from here. Which confirmed Tally’s earlier observation that this place didn’t get a lot of foot traffic and a corpse could go undetected for days. She pulled out two handkerchiefs from her pocket and passed one over to Adil before nudging him forward.“When did they start sewing pockets into women’s dresses?” Adil asked as they both stepped around a puddle, his voice muffled under the handkerchief.“They didn’t. The pockets are courtesy of the House of Craven.”The sound Adil made landed somewhere between a laugh and a dry heave. “Sorry, I’ll never get used to the smell of a badly decomposing corpse.”“Spray some lavender on the handkerchief the next time. It’ll mute out the smell.”“What happened to these?”“I don’t want to miss anything from the crime scene, and that includes all the smells.”“Such dedication.” He bumped her shoulder.“Right, tell my mother that.”“Say, aren’t you supposed to be at some kind of ball right now?”“Yep,” she said and offered no further explanation. It was a known fact throughout the office that Tally held quite the aversion to frilly dresses and husband-hunting despite what her mother insisted was befitting of a young woman her age.“Look.” She pointed to a small bag next to the body. Some of the contents inside had spilled out, revealing several distinct-looking rubber patches of different colors and sizes. Using the handkerchief she lent him, Adil picked one up from the ground and examined it at different angles.“The average woman in Salem does not typically carry condoms in her bag,” he said, stating the obvious. “Another working girl.”“Doesn’t look like she was violated,” Tally added. Not with how neat her undergarments were. “She most likely bled out from the chest. The weapon had to be something sharp and small, like a knife, judging from the puncture wounds, but Scylla can confirm that.”“Same method as The Ripper.”“Yes, so it seems.” Tally checked the victim’s arms and hands. “Fingernails are all intact and nothing to indicate she tried to put up a fight. Either the killer sneaked up on her and killed her swiftly or they knew each other. Most likely the latter.” If this was indeed The Ripper’s doing, they’d definitely find no evidence of sexual intercourse of any kind. His victims were all women in their twenties and thirties. All prostitutes. But sex was never his target. He loathed these women and never touched them. That was clear from the twenty or so stab wounds he inflicted to his three victims. And a possible fourth now.“Everything points to him, but we should still be meticulous about this,” she reminded Adil. They needed Scylla’s report to confirm the details before calling this one The Ripper’s latest. The office had been as forthcoming about information with the public as possible without jeopardizing the investigation. But they mustn’t forget to be smart about it either, especially with the bloodhounds at the press waiting to jump on this.“Presented himself as a paying customer to get close to her and then killed her.” Adil’s voice was only slightly above a whisper, saying the quiet part out loud. Words that have haunted their whole division since the body of the first victim was discovered. Because The Ripper’s murders were too clean otherwise. Never a witness or any evidence left behind that could steer the investigation in a certain direction.“Who found the body?” She asked as she stood. There was a bin a few feet away that looked like the standard trash can one would find in any alleyway. She walked over and opened the lid.“Some kids playing. My guess is that the body would have laid here for another week if they hadn’t discovered it.”“Any chance they might have done something to disturb the crime scene? Or taken anything?”“No. I was told the sight of the maggots alone sent them running in the opposite direction.”Poor kids. Hopefully the maggots were all they saw. She returned to the victim’s side when her search for the murder weapon came up short, as expected. “What about Jane Doe here? Do we have an idea who she might be?”“Nothing yet. She doesn’t fit any descriptions of the missing persons we have on file. But then again,“ Adil looked down at the lifeless body. “No one ever goes looking for these girls.”Tally felt something like anger and regret stir inside of her. Over the last four months, the press made sure to keep The Ripper at the forefronts of the public’s mind. But his victims’ identities - their stories - have largely been condensed to a single sentence blurb under those sensationalized headlines. Oftentimes being dismissed altogether as another prostitute. She sighed. How was it that our society failed these women so terribly? Even in death, no one really cared to know them. “This is why we need to bring justice for these women. To remind society that they can’t just be discarded and forgotten this way.”“You’ve got a good heart, Craven.” He gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze. “But I don’t think a good heart can save you from your mother’s wrath. You should get going. I don’t think there’s anything else we’ll find here, and I can stick around to wait for Scylla to transport the body back to the morgue.”“Not you too.”“Hey,” he shrugged. “We’ve learned our lesson after the first time your mother chewed our asses out for working you overtime.”“Please, I’m still trying to forget that ever happened,” she grumbled. The incident was still mortifying till this day.“Well, for all of ours sake, you should probably try to make it to this ball.”“Fine, let’s talk first thing tomorrow morning. I’m sure Scylla’s report will shed some light on Jane Doe here.”—Tally did not own many dresses. Two, to be exact. And only one of them was considered functional by her standard after she fought with the seamstress for some pockets to be added to it. So when presented with the ultimatum of going home to change into the non-functional dress or arriving to the ball on time with the functional, albeit slightly dirty one, she chose the most logical decision. Sure, the hem of her dress had some mud on it, but no one at this ball would know it came from trekking through the field near a crime scene. A large part of Salem was currently under construction. They wouldn’t mind. Her mother would understand. Tally reassured herself of that the entire way there.“My Goddess…” She knew she was gawking when she took in The Grand Wembley Mansion for the first time. True to its name, The Grand Wembley Mansion was as grandiose as they came with four stories of exquisite architectural craftsmanship and a massive Greek fountain sitting in the middle of the courtyard. Growing up at Craven Manor, Tally had her fair share of grandiose. This was bordering on extravagant.“Good evening, Miss.” The footman politely greeted her before opening the door to let her in, not even looking twice at the mud on her dress. So far so good. Once inside, she was immediately approached by a more well-dressed man with thick eyebrows and a shiny, bald head.“Good evening, Miss. May I ask which party you are here with?”“Party?”“Yes,” The man’s eyes traveled down the length of her dress and landed on the dark mud stain that was much more noticeable in the well-lit room, “Your party. Or chaperone.”“I didn’t come here with a party, and I—““Did you have an invitation to attend the ball tonight, Miss?” He interrupted.Shoot. Her invitation was sitting on the drawing desk in her room. “Yes, but not on me. My mother should already be inside. If you would just let me go in and find her, I could get her to show you an invitation.”“I don’t think that’s necessary, Miss.” The man motioned for a brawny looking fellow at the corner. “Hector will show you out.”“Wait. I don’t even need to go in. If you could ask for Gwendolyn Craven then—““It has become quite clear to me that you were not invited to this ball tonight. And in the best interest of the our real guests, I will need to have you escorted out.”“That won’t be necessary, Charles. She is with me.”The man, so-called Charles, turned to face the irritated scowl of Madame Gwendolyn Craven. Who, despite her obvious annoyance, spoke low enough as to not draw attention to them in the presence of polite society. Charles looked between Tally and her impeccably dressed mother, clearly confused.“Do we have a problem?” She asked, a slender eyebrow arching in challenge. “You may speak freely and without restraint as you chose to do with my daughter just now.” The man adjusted the tie around his throat nervously. “No, not at all,” he conceded before dipping his head low to excuse himself. “My apologies. Have a good evening.”Well. Tally thought that if there was ever a polite way to publicly dress down another person, her mother did just that.“Come, Tally. We don’t need you making a bigger scene than you already have.” She slipped an arm into Tally’s and began walking. They passed by several other late arriving guests as they made their way through the foyer. Tally didn’t know whether these people were acquainted with her mother or not, but they all tipped their heads in quiet acknowledgment.“I’m sorry I—““Must you try to sabotage every opportunity to find a suitable husband?” Her mother held her gaze straight and smile tight, not letting on to this second dress-down of the night. “Your dress, Tally. People must think we have no money.”“Mother, I know this doesn’t look great, but I had a last minute work call. It’s…I can’t go into the details about it right now, but it’s serious. Plus, that man back there shouldn’t judge one’s honesty or character based on the cleanliness of one’s dress.”“Stop.” Her mother literally stopped walking and turned to look at her. Her expression leaning on the side of exasperation as she fought to reel it back in. “Everyone in this room thinks that way. One doesn’t get invited to a ball like this by being poor and dirty. No man wants a wife with a hero complex who spends her days on the streets chasing killers and bad guys.”Even if her mother’s assessment of society was true, it still didn’t make it right. But Tally knew that wasn’t an argument she was going to win anytime soon. Instead, she tried to defend her personal choice on the matter. “Seeking truth and justice, particularly for those who are under-served, doesn’t make me think of myself as a hero of any kind. It’s simply a job with a purpose I like.”“Again with this great cause you think you’re fighting for. Helping the helpless or whatever it is.” She waved a dismissive hand at the thought. “It’s bad enough these women are weaving their way into our polite society. I don’t need you giving them more leverage.”“I’m sorry, but you lost me there. Who are these women and what are they doing?”Her mother sighed, clearly growing impatient with the conversation. “It is nothing you should pay any mind to. I just ask that you please stop ushering in these radical ideas. This—“ Her mother motioned to the chandelier and the high ceilings, “This belongs to us, to our society. It is an exclusive right to be a part of this, and you should remember that. Now please go to the ladies’ room to make yourself more presentable.”—Tally stared at herself in the mirror. She didn’t look entirely half bad. Her hair and makeup were fixed and the mud stains were scrubbed away. And it only took about twenty minutes. She made a face. The Ripper was still out there wreaking havoc on Salem’s streets. Probably stalking his next victim and planning her murder right now. And Tally was at this stuffy ball, primping herself up so an eligible man would ask her to dance.“Hi.”She turned around, startled by the presence of another person in the room.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to spook you.” The very pretty woman smiled apologetically at Tally. “I just saw you wrestling with your dress and thought you might need some help with that last stain.”“Oh. I—“ Tally twisted her body around, trying to find the spot in question, but failing. She groaned. “I thought I got all the mud stains out. Clearly I didn’t.”“May I?” She reached out for the washcloth in Tally’s hand.“Uh-sure.”The woman bent down and worked at a spot on her dress that Tally would have never gotten to on her own. “This is a lovely dress. The pockets are a nice touch.”“I-yes,” was all she managed. Tally was still surprised by this woman’s offer to help her. This was, after all, the polite society her mother regularly spoke of that was too rich and too proud to do a task this menial.“All done,” she said and handed the washcloth back to Tally. They stood closer now, such that Tally could make out the friendly green eyes that contrasted well with the woman’s blond hair. She wasn’t much older than Tally, no more than ten years if she had to guess. “Like it just came straight out of the dress shop.”“Thank you, I’m Tally Craven, by the way,” she offered, quickly finding this woman’s presence easy to be around.“It’s nice to meet you, Tally. My name is Elizabeth Price.”Price. That surname didn’t ring any bells. But, then again, she wasn’t as well-versed about polite society as her mother. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me with the mud stain. I don’t know if anyone else would have even bothered to tell me about it.”“I know very well what you mean,” she said with a knowing smile. “It costs me very little to offer my help.” She reached out and gave Tally’s arm a small, affectionate squeeze. “Should we get back to the ball now? It would be a travesty if your dance card remains empty for the rest of the evening.”Tally gave her a lopsided grin and shrugged. “Honestly, that’s not the worst thing in the world.” She didn’t know how this woman would react to her flippant comment because most girls her age did like attending balls. And they were usually very eager to garner the attention of single, wealthy men. “Sorry, you must think I’m mad for saying such a thing.”“No,” the woman responded with another kind smile. And there was no judgment in her tone. “I don’t at all.”—Tally was exhausted by her fifth dance. But she didn’t know if it was from the trivial conversations she was forced to maintain throughout the evening or from the jollier numbers the string quartet was playing. Either way, she had turned down all requests for the remainder of the night with the excuse that her card was already filled.“I saw you dancing with Gerit Buttonwood earlier. He’s a fine young man.” Her mother’s voice was lighter now, even joyful, when she spoke.“Gerit Buttonwood. Right.” They had a good view of the entire ballroom from where they were standing. And Tally tried to find him again. He was the…the one with the curly hair dancing with Mary over there? Was he Gerit Buttonwood?“What? Do you not find him handsome?”“I-“ Tally didn’t know what to say about this Gerit Buttonwood she didn’t even remember dancing with. Her eyes landed on a taller man who was idling in the corner. She remembered dancing with him. His name was Joseph.“Really, Tally. Show some more interest. What about Jonathan Bennett? Your second number was with him. I hear his annual income is respectable.”Jonathan Bennett. That name sounded familiar. She recalled a dark-haired man greeting her with that name. Something about a family business in the railroad industry. He wore a gray suit. She scanned the room again and found the only man who fit that description. He was chatting with the friendly woman from earlier - Elizabeth Price.“Such a waste,” her mother said, voice dripping with displeasure.Tally looked at her, feeling a bit of whiplash from the sudden shift in her mood. “What?”“Jonathan Bennett, one of the most eligible bachelors at this ball, is chatting with that scandalous woman over there. Clearly charmed by her easy ways despite her disagreeable past.”That woman. “You mean Elizabeth Price?”Her mother blinked, clearly taken aback by Tally’s surprising familiarity with the woman. “Are you acquainted with her?”“Vaguely. We met in the ladies’ room earlier and she helped me—““Tally, I ask that you stay as far away as possible from people of her ilk. I do not want our Craven name associated with people like that.”“Mother, what are you even talking about?” She looked back at Elizabeth Price again, whose face just radiated warmth and joy as she laughed at something Jonathan Bennett had said. Was there some kind of misunderstanding? This woman looked harmless.“I do not know the woman personally. But I do know that she’s another product of Sarah Alder’s reformation pet project. Another prostitute that Sarah has reformed and wants to insert into our polite society. Imagine the scandal.”Elizabeth Price was a former…prostitute. Tally’s head spun with that new information. Not that she thought anyone should be kept a prisoner of their past. It was just…an odd way for the universe to line up right now. “Who is Sarah Alder?”“A woman with too much money and time on her hands if you ask me.”—It was a quarter past eight and the ball was only starting to roar to life. To Tally’s surprise, the excuse that her dance card was already filled did little to deter men from seeking her out. Some were even frustratingly persistent about asking her to make an exception for them. Luckily for her, though, Petra Bellweather showed up just at the perfect time to distract her mother to allow her to sneak away into the garden.So on the steps she sat with her face in her hands, staring up at the sky. Her gaze landed on a particularly bright star. “January twenty-third.” Ellen Chao. First victim. She traced a path to a nearby star. “February twenty-eighth.” Susie Carmichael. Then to another. “April twelfth.” Sarah Reed. And then, finally, she landed on the fourth star. “April thirtieth.” Jane Doe. The same questions continued to play in her head over and over again. How did he choose his victims? Was there a connection outside of them being prostitutes? And why did it seem so personal?“Ugh,” she groaned and laid down, feeling utterly helpless. “Just give me one lead, universe. That’s all I’m asking for.” Closing her eyes, she ran through the details of the case again, everything from the victim’s clothes to where her body was found. Like she had done every single night in her bed. Fifteen minutes passed. Then another. And before she knew it, the peaceful sounds of the garden had lulled her to the edge of sleep.“I won’t stand for it.” Tally opened her eyes. A woman’s voice suddenly filled the patio, disrupting the tranquility of the night with an eerily high-pitched sound.“That sounds like a personal problem.”A second woman. Her voice was deeper and much richer than the first woman’s. There was also a hint of an accent that Tally couldn’t make out.“How could you be so blase about this? What you’re doing is so backwards and will cause irreparable harm. This will also affect you.”Interesting. Tally’s ears perked up at the first woman’s accusation.“Who others decide to allow into their inner circle doesn’t affect me in the slightest.”The first woman laughed. “You don’t think your name is affected by association? One would think you’d try harder to maintain it when it benefits you so.”“I think my family name will survive it. Though I’m not sure history will look too fondly on your exclusionary views of the world, Marie.”“Exclusionary views.” And then a scoff. “If by that you mean preventing these people from infiltrating our society.”“These people,” the second woman repeated, mocking her tone.“Yes. Would you prefer that I be more direct and call them common whores? Street walkers?”“Watch your tongue, Marie. Or I will show you exactly the reach that my family name has, especially when it comes to these soirees you’re so prideful about being invited to.”There was a moment of marked silence, before the first woman spoke again. Her voice little this time, such that Tally couldn’t hear what she was now saying. But their topic of discussion was undoubtedly one of popular interest these days. Everyone seemed to have something to say about the prostitutes of Salem - whether good or bad. She pushed herself closer for a better listen.“I just wonder, Sarah, to what end? What is this about?”Sarah? Was this the Sarah Alder that her mother had spoken of earlier? Tally shifted to correct the awkward way her dress tangled together.“Why are you so adamant about reforming these prostitutes?”Tally moved again. Just a little bit more to the right…so it wasn’t wringing her torso.“Unlike you, Marie—“Marie. She didn’t know of a Marie. Or did she? But before Tally could decide, an ill-determined shift of her leg suddenly sent her down two hard steps of concrete, effectively ruining any modicum of discretion she was trying to maintain. “Ouch.”“Who’s there?” Footsteps hurried her way. Tally did her best to regain her composure because the chance of an escape was nonexistent at this point. She had some explaining to do. “Who are you?”Tally rubbed at her sore elbow. “I’m—“ And her voice caught in her throat momentarily when she looked up and saw her. Past the frantic woman with the probing questions. In red. Her companion who stood there silently. Her strong, proud jaw like cut stone visible in the night. With a heavy, discerning gaze that watched Tally rub the dirt off her dress again. Tally thought she resembled some kind of Greek Goddess. She cleared her throat. “I’m Tally.”“Sure,” the first woman — she guessed, Marie — said dismissively. “But that’s not what I meant. I mean what were you doing sneaking into the garden tonight?”“I wasn’t sneaking into the garden,” Tally explained, for what felt like the umpteenth time today. “I’m a guest.”The woman looked the length of her and, like Charles, immediately concluded that she had no more than twenty dollars to her name and was, therefore, not worth the time. The disdain on her face as she honed in on the dirty spot of Tally’s dress said it all. “Could have fooled me.”“Wow, that was unnecessarily unkind. I’d imagine someone with class and education would have more grace,” Tally bit out, unable to help herself this time.“Why you—““Enough, Marie.”The woman scowled, the beginning of what was most likely a nasty retort dying early on her lips at the stern warning from her companion. Who was supposedly much more influential and powerful than her. Another stretch of silence followed.“Well, I should be getting back to the party anyway. I tell you, I’ve never experienced such humidity in Salem before. Must be a sign that not all is right.” Marie fanned her face and sighed, light and airy, as though her remarks didn’t have a deeper meaning to them.“I’m sure the party has been missing your sophisticated opinions about this week’s hearsay of who’s been sleeping with whom.”“Sarcasm. How original,” the woman scoffed as she passed her companion. Tally listened for the sound of the door to the party open and then close. Like earlier, a similar feeling of relief settled in the pit of her stomach. But something told her that most people at this party were, more or less, similar shades of Marie. And this encounter might be the first, or second if her earlier run-in with Charles counted, of many to come.“Tally.”“Hi--yes.” She was surprised to be addressed directly by Marie’s companion this time. And with the kind of assuredness that made Tally’s name sound familiar on her lips. Like they were well-acquainted and not just meeting for the first time tonight. “Care to tell me why you were eavesdropping on our conversation?”There was no point in denying it. She might have happened on their conversation by accident, but no one forced her to stay and listen like she did. “Sorry, I sort of dozed off on the steps and woke up to your disagreement. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. You see, I’m a detective.”“Really. I thought you were a guest.”“I—I am a guest. Tonight. Yes. But I’m also a detective. I’m working The Ripper case.” Tally typically didn’t like dropping his name so casually with anyone outside of the investigation. Her take on it was that any information about The Ripper should come directly from the Office. She didn’t need to put herself in the awkward position of fielding questions on behalf of the department. Worst, she didn’t want what she might have said to be misconstrued. But Marie’s conversation with this woman was, at the very least, tangentially related. And that made this a possible lead to her impossible case. “I heard you and your acquaintance — Marie — speaking. As you already know, The Ripper likes to target prostitutes, so my interest was piqued by your topic of conversation. Once again, I’m sorry for…snooping.The woman regarded Tally for several painstakingly long seconds before speaking again. “You must have been disappointed that our line of conversation never veered outside the comfortable confines of petty high society drama then, detective.”“Actually, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind answering some questions about this reformation..pro…effort that I keep hearing about. First though, I overheard Marie calling you Sarah. Are you Sarah Alder?”“You seem to know more about me than I do about you, detective. One thing you must have missed, though, is that I am very private person and am normally not keen on sharing information about myself or my business. Particularly with eavesdropping detectives who only give out their first names.” She started walking back in the direction of the party, and Tally put in a light jog to catch up to her.“Tally Craven.” This managed to stop Sarah in her tracks. Smiling, Tally offered out her hand. Sarah looked down at it and then back at Tally. And it was only then that Tally remembered women in polite society curtsied. Shaking hands was seen as a man’s greeting.“So you’re a Craven,” Sarah said, a contemplative hum to her voice. “How are you related to Gwendolyn Craven?”“I’m her daughter.”“Really.” Sarah reached out for the stray lock of hair that fell out of her bun and twirled it deftly around her index finger. “I would have never guessed with your red hair.”Tally’s hand dropped back down to her side. “Right. I get that a lot.” It was true. Where her mother had dark, black hair and bright blue eyes, Tally had bright, red hair and dark brown eyes. But people didn’t usually point it out in such an…explicit way.Sarah let the hair around her finger fall back down in its place. “I should get back to the party.”“Wait, can we talk about this?” She pleaded. “Surely you of all people should understand how important this is.”Sarah continued walking. “Get back to the ball, detective. You’ll find that there are people there who are more willing to speak to you.”“But I don’t care to dance. I just want to solve my case.”Sarah stood just close enough to the door now that the light spilling out from the party made her features more visible. And Tally realized with a slight flutter of her stomach how unfairly attractive Sarah was. “You’re in the wrong place, then,” she said, before pulling on the handle and letting herself back into the party.
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“Where did you run off to, Tally? Jonathan Bennett asked about you. I think he was hoping to ask for a second dance.”“I was just” --she pointed in a vague direction-- “getting some air.”“Well hopefully you’ve had enough of that.” Her mother patted her wrist and added conspiratorially, “I think he might come back around. For a second I thought he was a lost cause with that woman hanging off his arm.”She would hardly call having a friendly conversation hanging off one’s arm, but Tally doubted her mother could be reasoned with where Elizabeth Price was concerned. “Can you tell me about Sarah Alder?”The question seemed to catch her mother off guard as she pulled a serious face. “What is it that you want to know about her? And why?”Deciding she was going to have to lie straight through her teeth to get her mother talking, Tally shrugged and said, “Just curious. I keep hearing her name tonight, and you always tell me to be more focused on the workings of polite society.”Her mother’s eyes darted out into the ballroom again and then back to her, squinting. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she relented. “She comes from old money. Oil. Her grandmother started out as an assistant bookkeeper at a law firm and lucked out with some partnerships. Then she hopped on the oil bandwagon early, when very few people even heard of it. By the time Sarah inherited that money, the Alder family already controlled forty-five percent of the country’s oil.”“Forty-five percent?”“She’s since grown that share to eighty percent.”That was just outrageous. With how hot of a commodity oil was, Tally couldn’t even begin to fathom the amount of wealth that equated to.“Our Craven money pales in comparison to hers. The woman is richer than everyone in this room combined. By a lot.”Money talks. Tally finally understood why Sarah Alder seemed to get her way. Why Marie, despite how entitled she appeared, had to show a modicum of deference to Sarah. Because there was a hierarchy in their polite society and Sarah Alder was on top.“Jonathan Bennett, whose considerable family wealth is in the railroad industry, makes a lot of their money transporting Alder oil. You’ll often find them rubbing elbows at these parties. And, of course, with whomever Sarah decides to shuffle in on that moral crusade of hers.”Tally found Elizabeth Price in the crowd again. She was in the company of a stout, older man this time. Their conversation, like the one she had earlier with Jonathan Bennett, seemed to be just as jovial. Not surprising since Tally found her to be easy company from the few minutes they shared in the ladies room. It was probably best to steer clear of this line of discussion for now though, given her mother’s strong reaction.“Does Sarah Alder have a husband?” She asked, not knowing why she decided on that curiosity.“No, she doesn’t have a husband. Never did. One might imagine that she never decided to marry because her husband would be entitled to half her fortune.” Her mother paused, as though trying to carefully decide what to say next. “And then there are the other rumors about her. I’ll leave it at that.”“Other rumors?”“Nothing you should pay any mind to.”Tally didn’t know how to interpret her mother’s reluctance to divulge on the “other rumors” about Sarah Alder. But it was becoming pretty clear to her that she should probably disregard these rumors that polite society seemed to trade like a sport.Her gaze returned to the ballroom again, hoping to find Sarah Alder in the crowd, only to be left disappointed when she was nowhere to be found.—As they waited for their car to arrive, Tally’s thoughts returned to victim number four, Jane Doe. She wondered if Scylla found anything that could help them identify her. It had taken them more than a week to identify Sarah Reed, and that was after a lot of push and pull with Anacostia about how department resources were being used. She had to explain to her that identifying the victim was, in fact, not a waste of their time.“Let me guess, you’re thinking about one of your cases again.”Tally blinked, suddenly remembering where she was. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”Her mother stepped in closer and surprised Tally by stroking her cheek with the backside of her hand. “Tally, sometimes I just wish you would channel that good energy of yours into something more worthwhile.”“I am,” she croaked. “I’m doing what I love.”“Gwendolyn.”They both turned around at the sound of Sarah’s voice.“Sarah Alder. In the flesh. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Her mother cut her a challenging look.The notion of Sarah and Elizabeth together shouldn’t surprise Tally. She’d known that Sarah took Elizabeth to the ball as her guest. Several people made it a point that she did. But it was the first time Tally had actually seen the two of them within arm’s reach of one another. And, wow, she thought, was it possible for so much beauty to be collected in one place at the same time? Elizabeth was what one would consider conventionally attractive. Everything about her was feminine and soft. Delicate, even. It actually made Tally a bit envious that she embodied these traits so effortlessly. On the flip side to that, Sarah was…she was those things and then not. There were angles where there was also softness. Like gentle eyes to a strong jawline. A commanding aura to a slender, graceful form. And these things made Tally feel a completely different way. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she knew it wasn’t envy.“If I had to venture a guess, I would say both our chauffeurs, who are sitting close in the queue.” Sarah didn’t falter under her mother’s gaze like Charles had earlier. Or the countless people Tally’s met.“Sharp as always.” They traded air kisses on the cheek.Looking over at Tally, Sarah said, “Detective, we’ve already met tonight.”Her mother narrowed her eyes at the exchange, but before she could question the meaning of those words, Sarah spoke again, to introduce her companion. “This is Elizabeth Price.”“And we too have already met.” Elizabeth nodded at Tally, and the kind smile that she remembered from the ladies’ room earlier returned. Light and glowing. How anyone could dislike this woman was beyond her. Elizabeth Price was, to the naked eye, without fault. “But I don’t think we have met.” She looked over to Tally’s mother.“This is Gwendolyn Craven,” Sarah offered. “Detective Craven’s mother.”“The Craven family is in the paper and pulp business. Practically every stationary and book you own is made from Craven paper.” Despite their slightly contentious meeting, Tally detected a note of respect there when Sarah spoke about the Craven business. “Gwendolyn is also an avid reader and bibliophile. She is the proud owner of one of the country’s finest libraries. Though that part the public doesn’t get to share in.”Elizabeth curtsied at her mother, who absolutely refused to acknowledge her in any way. Not even with a nod or a forced smile. The rudeness made Tally’s cheeks burn. But Elizabeth seemed to take it on the chin, smile never faltering. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”Her warmth seemed to have surprised her mother momentarily even though she tried her best to hide it. But Tally knew her mother and knew better. The slight scrunch at the corner of her eyes gave it away. Voice pointed, her mother said, “Tally, I didn’t know you were such the popular figure tonight.”“It seems Detective Craven has a flair for introducing herself in interesting ways.” Sarah locked eyes with Tally again, her expression unreadable. She wasn’t sure if she was being teased or mocked.“Okay, so I’m a bit of a klutz, but that aside, I just want to talk to you.” Sarah’s perfectly arched right eyebrow twitched at the clumsiness of her words. “About the case.” Tally paused, inhaled deeply, and then calmly corrected herself. “I just want to talk to you about the case. So if I could just ask for some of your time when it is convenient for you.”“If you would just excuse us,” her mother interrupted. “Tally, dear, we should get going.” She was suddenly pushed toward the door despite their number not being called by the valet.Without much time to think, Tally fished for her card from her dress pocket and pushed it into Sarah’s hand. “Please consider it.” Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest from her sudden stroke of boldness and the way Sarah’s eyes seemed to grow even bluer as the night went on.—“Really, Tally,” her mother began. “Are there any other secret meetings that I should be aware of?” Her mother kept her gaze on the line of cars that slowly moved through the driveway, stopping to pick up their owners and then leaving again.Tally chewed at the inside of her cheek. “I don’t understand why you’re so against me speaking to these people. Aren’t they a part of high society?”“The people attending the ball tonight are not here to be questioned by you, Tally. That shouldn’t be so hard to understand.”She took in a deep breath and felt the cool night air fill her lungs. The temperature outside seemed to have dropped by a few degrees since she was outside in the garden earlier. “Right.”“And that includes Sarah Alder, despite how unconventional she may appear to be.”“It never hurts to ask,” Tally said. She turned to look at her mother, wondering when the disconnect started to happen between them. Was it when her father died? No, sooner than that. It was around the time that she had come of age. “Wasn’t that what you taught me as a child? The worst someone could do is say no.”Tally heard her mother’s defeated exhale before her features softened. She looked at her with sympathetic eyes this time. “That…is something only a child can get away with. You’ll quickly learn that there are repercussions to asking certain questions to certain people as an adult.”“If the repercussions are just gossip about me, that’s hardly anything to lose any sleep about.”Her mother considered her words silently and then looked away again. And just when Tally thought they had a breakthrough, she changed the subject again. “Our car is here.”Their car slowed to a stop where it was perfectly aligned with the valet attendant standing there. “Have a good evening,” the man said as he opened the door for them. Her mother gracefully slid in first.“Detective Craven.”Tally turned around to find Sarah standing there and Elizabeth deliberately a few steps behind her to give them some privacy. She didn’t expect the woman to come around to the idea so quickly.“Have a good night,” Sarah said and offered her hand. Oh. Tally was finally getting her handshake.Her heart beat wildly in her chest at the sight of slender, elegant fingers and soft skin. Taking Sarah’s hand in hers, she gave it a light shake. And just as quickly as it happened, Sarah’s hand slipped out of hers.“Wait,” she called out after Sarah’s disappearing form but got no response in return. She then looked down at her own hand when she felt something rough in her palm. Her card. Frowning, she slid into the car where her mother sat witness to their whole exchange.“I guess you got your answer,” she said as the door closed behind her. Tally stared out the window silently for the entire ride home.--Tally walked through the front door, holding a stack of papers in one hand and a chocolate croissant in another. She’d spent all of last night going over the files again to prepare for Scylla’s report today as she wanted every detail fresh on her mind. Rejection be damned.“Hey, how was the ball last night? Found a husband yet?” Adil had his legs propped up on his desk, the morning’s paper in one hand and a hot cup of coffee in another.“No, thankfully not.” She craned her neck to try to make out the paper’s front headline. “Please tell me there wasn’t a leak about Jane Doe.”Adil turned the paper in his hand and read it to her. “Mayor of Salem, clothes disheveled, seen leaving woman’s residence in the early morning.”“Oof.” That one was going to hurt Hearst, who’s been embattled in a long string of scandals since taking office. She unloaded the items in her hand on her desk where a cup of hot tea was already waiting for her. “But I’m glad it’s not about The Ripper. Has Scylla released her report yet?”“No, but she should be any minute now.” Adil looked in the direction of the double doors leading to the morgue. “Speak of the devil.”In that exact moment, Scylla strolled through in her white coat with a folder in her hand. She made a beeline for their desks when she spotted them. “Your report on Jane Doe,” she said, and handed the folder to Tally. Adil leaped out of his seat and rounded the desk.“I practically dreamed of this last night,” Tally said, as she flipped open the cover and absorbed each word carefully. Female. Estimated age: Mid to late twenties. Manner of Death: Homicide. Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds to the chest. “Twenty three stab wounds. Again.” Like the other three victims of The Ripper. That wasn’t information they had released to the press. And unless someone in the office blabbed, the only person who was privy to this detail about the case was The Ripper himself. Damn.“He’s very consistent. Each wound measured more than three inches deep, which meant that—““He never relented.” Tally dropped down in her chair, feeling that familiar rise of anger. This shouldn’t surprise her. Why would it? Tally walked into the office this morning believing that they would get confirmation from Scylla’s report that this was indeed The Ripper’s doing. But to see the gruesomeness of the murder laid out in full detail in front of her like this…Tally clinched the crisp paper in her hand tightly and then released it when she remembered that they’d have to submit Scylla’s report to Anacostia soon. “She must have suffered terribly…to lay there as he killed her in such blind rage.”“He was angry, for sure. The knife he used was a small one. Based on the size of the wounds, the weapon couldn’t have been longer than four inches. Each stab basically went to the heel of the knife.” Scylla balled her fist together and made a gesture to her chest to illustrate.Another detail that was similar to the other three cases. Just brutal, unadulterated fury that was somehow at the same time controlled and meticulous. “Are you saying that it’s likely the weapon used to kill her was the same one used in the other three cases?”“More than likely. Measurements of the wounds compared to the other three cases are nearly identical,” Scylla said.“Right.” Tally’s voice sounded mechanic even to her own ears. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Tally handed the report over to Adil, who read over it silently.“Let me know if you get any push back about this report and need me to speak to it.”Tally nodded, keeping her gaze ahead.“Hey.” A hand laid gently on her shoulder, breaking Tally out of her reverie. She looked up and met Scylla’s worried gaze. “It’s not your fault. This lunatic is just very thorough.”“Yeah, a bit too thorough,” she sighed. “And we can’t get any information on the streets because none of the girls want to talk to the police.”“You can thank our new mayor for that one.” Adil dropped the report down on Tally’s desk, his boyish features twisting into an irritated scowl. “He’s been trying to criminalize prostitution since last November. These girls run the opposite way when they see us on the street now.”It was another tactic by Hearst to deflect from his own, personal scandals and cater to the high society folks. Before him, the girls and police had an unspoken understanding that they wouldn’t be arrested for their work unless they posed a risk to society. With the outreach the office did on safe sex education, Salem saw its STD numbers drop significantly the last ten years. But the city’s since devolved into this under Hearst’s directive, where the girls no longer wanted to cooperate. And Tally didn’t blame them one bit.“Ever heard of a Sarah Alder?” She asked, still feeling that twinge of rejection a little bit too personally. But she knew she had to bring up the name eventually. The woman might be integral to their investigation.“Alder oil. Sure,” Adil said and leaned against the desk. “Lots of money. But how is she related?”“I met her at the ball last night and overheard some information about her. Apparently, she’s a bit of a polarizing figure in high society.”Scylla folded her arms in front of her chest, seeming unimpressed with the information. “A rich person with skeletons in their closet. Seems par for the course.”“Well, I’m not sure about the skeletons. But I hear that she reforms prostitutes and some high society people don’t like that.”Scylla’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Now that’s definitely interesting.”“And something worth investigating,” Adil added. “Perhaps she can help us get some information.”“I tried, but she’s not too keen on sharing.” Tally hoped she didn’t sound too bitterly disappointed. She kicked the floor with her shoe.“That’s never stopped you before,” Scylla said, smiling.Right. It was her job to be a pain in the ass sometimes, Tally told herself. Why should she let an apparent rejection shake her confidence like this? She looked back at Adil. “Grab your coat.”—Tally didn’t know what to expect of Alder Mansion. If judged solely based on the owner’s wealth, one would have expected something like the Grand Wembley with perhaps a golden driveway or gaudy fountain to show off their wealth. But Tally knew the owner, and even with the limited time she spent with Sarah Alder, she was sure the woman did not like to flash her wealth that way.So Tally was not surprise one bit when their car pulled up to a property overlooking an almost quaint courtyard that looked like it was carefully tended to. Roses bushes dotted the surrounding area in shades of pink and orange. “This is it,” Adil said as he put the car into park. “Not too shabby.”Tally hopped out and stretched her legs on the cobble stone driveway. “Ready?” She asked him. They ascended the short flight of stairs to the front entrance together and rang the doorbell. Tally listened as the sound reverberated on the other side of the door. And it was only for about a short few seconds that they had to wait before a tall woman answered.“Good morning, I am Detective Craven, and this is my partner, Detective Moonshine.”The woman nodded at them politely but didn’t seem too keen on their unannounced visit. “I don’t recall Madame Alder saying she was expecting guests today. May I ask why you are here?”Tally looked at Adil, who removed the cap from his head before answering. “Our apologies for just dropping in unannounced, but this is a pressing matter, and we were hoping to speak with your lady of the house. Is she in?” It was a tactic they developed over the years. If the suspect seemed more receptive to the calm, mild manner way of questioning, Adil would speak.“Our lady is in,” the servant said, slowly. “But I will have to ask her if she’s willing to take guests today.”She showed them to a standard waiting room and offered the customary tea choices, to which they politely declined. “I will be back shortly then,” she said, and left the room.“I’ve got to say, Sarah Alder is the first billionaire I know with good taste.” Adil leaned back in his chair and surveyed the room, which was understated like the outside of the house. His attention then shifted to the swirly patterns on the couch. “So you never told me what Sarah Alder was like.”“Well…she was cagey with information. A bit of an enigma.” That was a good word to describe Sarah Alder. She was an amalgamation of pushes and pulls. Sometimes, it felt like they were on the verge of something. Like when she surprised Tally by finding her after the ball and shaking her hand. Other times, it just felt like she didn’t want anything to do with her. Like when she returned Tally’s card to her.“An enigma,” he repeated thoughtfully. “That doesn’t bode well for our case. But when has anything ever been smooth sailing.”Tally made her way over to the fireplace where a miniature windmill sculpture sitting on the mantel caught her eye. It was quite an odd addition to a room like this, she thought. Almost playful. Tally ran a finger along one of the blades, deciding that she liked its presence. The windmill gave the room character. A touch of human element. “Quite an enigma indeed.”“I asked around the department and couldn’t get any information about Sarah Alder’s involvement with the prostitutes of Salem. No one knows a single thing,” he said, still busying himself with the patterns on the couch.“I’m not surprised.” High society probably liked to keep information contained amongst themselves, even if gossip ran rampant on the inside. Just like the prostitute circle. “Let’s just hope she agrees to speak with us.”“It would have served you better to call ahead.”Tally’s head snapped around at the sound of Sarah Alder’s voice as Adil just about bounced off his seat.“Detective.” Standing at the door in a red dress that was a shade lighter than the one she wore last night, Sarah Alder looked the picture of class and wealth. Her hair was held up in a tight bun, with every prominent feature of her face on full display, not hiding behind a ton of makeup or made-up hair. Just absolutely flawless, Tally thought, even if she appeared a bit miffed by their presence. Tally withdrew her hand from the windmill and wiped it down the front of her pants like she was just caught red-handed doing something she wasn’t supposed to. The action drew Sarah’s eyes to it.“We apologize for the sudden visit, but we really needed to speak to you,” she said, talking a little bit faster than usual.Sarah’s eyes darted back to Tally’s face. “I thought I made it clear last night that I wasn’t interested.”“I understand your reluctance in speaking with us, but—“ Tally paused, wondering if she should share the new information with Sarah. Knowing Anacostia, she’d want to hold a press conference sooner rather than later. The news would reach the press by the end of the day. “There’s been a fourth victim.”Something like shock crossed Sarah’s face momentarily before she schooled her expression back to neutral. “Who?”“We don’t know yet. And we were hoping you’d be able to help us,” Tally said. But Sarah’s face remained unmoved by her plea. In her periphery, she spotted Adil ambivalently reaching into his jacket pocket for his notepad. It might have been a bit optimistic to think she’d cooperate.“Very well,” Sarah said, and stepped further into the room, surprising Tally. “You’ve’ got ten minutes.” She sat down across from Adil, and Tally returned to her original seat without much thought, running high on Sarah’s non-rejection for now. It was only when the subtle smell of roses hit her that she realized she’d taken a seat beside Sarah on the couch.“The fourth victim was another working girl,” Tally said to Sarah’s side profile. Even up close, Tally mentally noted, there were no flaws. “We hear that you have somewhat of a presence in that circle. And we wanted to know if you had any information pertinent to the case.”Sarah turned her head to look at Tally, blue eyes so bright Tally felt like she was under questioning herself. “What kind of information are you alluding to?”“None of the prostitutes of Salem wants to talk to the police. We’d like to know if you’ve heard anything from any of the girls about anyone suspicious.”“I fund two halfway houses in Salem and have people running them for me. You’re mistaken if you think I have a direct line to the girls on the streets.”“Then you’ll allow us to speak with the ones staying at the halfway house? Surely they still have their connections.” And then Tally suddenly remembered something. “Oh! What about Elizabeth?”“I agreed to ten minutes,” Sarah pointed out. “Not an entire investigation.”“Then what can we do to make you agree to help us out with our investigation?” Tally asked before thinking better of it. She was wading into dangerous territory here - one that Anacostia would never sanction if she knew.Adil cleared his throat. “Detective Craven, maybe we should leave and come back another day when it is more convenient for Madame Alder.”Sarah seemed to consider her offer seriously as she sat there and looked at Tally. “There is one thing,” Sarah said thoughtfully, with almost a purr in her voice.“Alright, we should really get going.” Adil stood from his seat. “Detective—“Tally shushed him with a raised hand. Holding steady Sarah’s gaze, she said, “Name your price.”Sarah’s lip quirked up at Tally’s boldness. Without removing her eyes from Tally’s face, she handedly dismissed Adil. “Detective Moonshine, Alder estate boasts one of Salem’s largest gardens that I think you’d be happy to tour. Eloise will help you.” She didn’t give him a chance to respond and called out for the woman who answered the door earlier.Adil turned to Tally, the unmasked anxiety clear on his face as Eloise reappeared in the room.“Settle down, Moonshine. I will not be asking Detective Craven to take a blood oath or do anything that would jeopardize her career.” But the wicked smile on her face almost said otherwise.“This way, sir,” the woman urged, and Adil’s eyes widened at Tally.I’ll be okay, she mouthed, hoping that he’ll trust her judgment on this. They’ve been partners for more than two years, and he should know by now that Tally would never sacrifice her integrity for a lead. His gaze shifted between her and Sarah before settling back onto Tally again. She nodded assuringly at him, and he huffed out a hard, long breath before agreeing to follow Eloise out the room.“Detective Moonshine seems to think you can’t be left alone with me,” Sarah said coolly.“He’s my partner and is just looking out for me. I’m not supposed to be making any kind of bargain for a lead,” she quickly clarified.“Are you sure that’s all it is?”“What do you mean?”Sarah stood from her spot and took the seat previously occupied by Adil, adding some distance between them. Tally found herself unconsciously leaning toward Sarah’s side of the couch, trying to chase that lingering scent of flowers she left behind.“Nothing,” Sarah hummed. “Let’s talk about what you can give me in exchange for my cooperation.”“Just so we’re clear,” Tally said, “This means access to the girls at the halfway house. You’ll allow us to speak to them.”“I can only open the channel of communication. I can’t guarantee you’ll get all the information you need. Whether they supply you with that information is still entirely up to them.”“That’s better than where we are now.” Which was at a dead-end. But Tally was no fool, and this wasn’t her first day on the job. She wasn’t about to sign off on a blank contract and hand it to Sarah. “Now about your terms.”Sarah inclined her head and repeated the words back to her. “My terms.”—Tally remembered Adil’s surprised reaction on their drive back when she told him what Sarah had asked for. True to her word, the woman didn’t expect Tally to go to the moon in exchange for her cooperation. But what Tally had agreed to wasn’t exactly nothing either, or at least where her mother was concerned. She tried to not let the prospect of an irate Gwendolyn Craven ruin the only goods news they’d gotten about the case in a long time. Sarah had given them permission to visit both halfway houses to interview the girls, with the caveat that she would be present during all questioning. That wasn’t a problem for Tally. She understood why Sarah Alder would have her reservations, considering all that was happening right now. She almost seemed protective of the girls, which oddly reassured Tally in a way. Hopefully, her mother would understand that it was truly a small price to pay for this opportunity.“Here we are.” The cab stopped in front of Craven Manor. “That will be two dollars, Miss,” the driver said.Tally fished the money out of her wallet and handed it to him. This was not her usual mode of transport home, as Tally normally liked to walk home from the office most days to get in some exercise. And it should have been particularly true today after they were stuck pushing papers back in the office after the visit to Alder’s home. A bunch of paperwork needed to be filed for Jane Doe, and with Anacostia’s press conference, it was all hands on deck at the office. But Tally knew she had to make it home early today because of what she’d agreed to earlier, so she opted out of her thirty minute walk for a five minute car ride home instead.A servant greeted her at the door as soon as she stepped out of the cab. “Miss Craven,” she said, a little anxious.“What is it Maddie?”“Your guests have arrived, and Madame Craven is attending to them.”Oh no. The look on Maddie’s face said it all. Tally thought she’d make it home in time to speak to her mother, but it seemed she was too late. “Where are they?” She asked.“The living area.”“Thank you.” She rushed inside, past two other servants who greeted her in the corridor. As she approached the entrance to the living room, the talking from inside became clearer. Stopping just outside the room, she patted down her hair and ran her palms down the front of her top to catch any wrinkles, just in case. Then, she stepped inside.“Hi.” Tally tried for casual, given how tense the room felt.“Tally,” her mother said. “You did not inform me that you were expecting guests today.”Tally’s gaze turned to the other two people in the room. Sarah Alder looked absolutely pleased with herself for the calculated intrusion. The damn woman. They agreed to five o’clock. Tally narrowed her eyes at her. At least Elizabeth Price tried to look somewhat apologetic.“Detective Craven. Have you not informed your mother that you’ve given myself and Elizabeth here access to your home’s library?”“No, she did not inform me of that,” her mother said pointedly and shot Tally a glare that could burn a hole into the ground. “I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t have run that past me first before agreeing to it. It is, after all, my library.”“A very fine one at that, with the largest selection of scientific journals and literature that would aid us in our research,” Sarah added.“Right!” Tally tried for a nervous smile but felt it slipping the longer her mother’s eyes stayed on her. “You see, mother, Madame Alder has agreed to help me with my case in exchange for a…a favor. She asks that she and her assistant, Miss Elizabeth Price, be able to use our library for their research for the next six months.”“Research,” her mother repeated. “What kind of research are you looking to do, Sarah? Another pet project?” Her mother’s gaze then turned to Elizabeth. It was mean, and it was clear in its intention.“It is related to my business. That is all you need to know.”“And what’s the reason why she’s here?”“Elizabeth is my assistant and she will be helping me with my research. More often than not, she will be the one taking down the notes and parsing through the dense literature for my benefit.”Her mother scoffed at the words, and a muscle ticked in Sarah’s jaw.“Gwendolyn, a word in private, please.”Tally looked between her mother and Sarah with the panicked realization that it might not be safe to let them go at each other in private. But the window to intervene proved to be a short one when her mother immediately instructed Tally and Elizabeth to remain in the room as she led Sarah away.“I really hope Craven Manor doesn’t become a crime scene,” she muttered to herself.Elizabeth laughed at her words. “I’m sure they’ll find a way not to kill each other.”Tally looked at her, remembering how much she enjoyed Elizabeth’s presence. “So what kind of research will you be helping Sarah with?”“Renewable energy.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sarah picked up her cup of tea and sipped on it. At her request, Gwendolyn had led them to an adjourning room for some privacy, leaving Tally and Elizabeth well out of earshot if not out of sight. The little red-headed detective was currently chatting animatedly with Elizabeth on the couch in plain view of them.“What matter did you want to speak on privately, Sarah?” Gwendolyn asked coolly from the other side of the table.She set her cup down and regarded Gwendolyn for a moment. “I ask that you don’t speak about Elizabeth that way again.” “Is that why we’re here, Sarah? So you can reprimand me privately for embarrassing your flavor of the month?” “Of all people, Gwendolyn, I expected more from you.” For a moment, Sarah almost questioned whether her late husband’s death caused her to be so bereft of any kind of compassion or sensitivity. George Craven was a good man. And Gwendolyn Craven, despite some of her flaws and stubbornness, was an exceptional woman whom Sarah always thought dignified the high society standards.“You know I can’t just sit by and let you run afoul of the rules of polite society.” “High society folks sure do think the same. You are not the first person to express her opinion in, more or less, those same words.” “Perhaps there might be some truth to it then. Did you consider that?”“Yes.” She feigned disinterest by checking her cuticles. “And I have concluded that there was no merit to it.” Gwendolyn shook her head, clearly done with the topic for now. “What is it that you’re getting up to, Sarah? What is this research of yours about anyway?”Sarah looked back in the direction of the other room and found Craven again. Her big eyes and bright smile were still working their charm on Elizabeth. She remembered how the detective was so fascinated by the tiny windmill sculpture in her home earlier. “Renewable energy,” she said, returning her gaze to Gwendolyn.That surprised her. “Why? You control most of the country’s oil. It seems contrary to go look for something else.” “Oil is strong and I believe it will continue to stay so during my lifetime. But it’s bound to run out at some point.” “I can’t help to think you’re partially doing this to irk me. Of all the libraries in Salem, you had to choose mine.” “It was actually Tally who knocked on my door this morning with a bargain.”Gwendolyn pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. “My daughter has been known for her unconventional methods.” Unconventional. Sarah remembered hearing that somewhere. “So what are you saying here, Gwendolyn?” She inclined her head. “Are you agreeing to abandon your principles and let us into your home?”“It seems I don’t have a choice on the matter as it’s already been decided for me.” She rose to her feet and looked in the direction of the adjoining room. “Should I be expecting any other reformed prostitutes in my house aside from the one you brought in?”Sarah stood to meet her height. “Her name is Elizabeth. You can say it. Despite what your feelings about her are, she deserves that bare modicum of respect.” She walked back in the direction they came from, wholly uninterested in what Gwendolyn’s response would have been. —“I’m glad to see that the both of you made it back in one piece,” Elizabeth whispered to her. “Tally was really concerned that she’d have to intervene.”Sarah’s lips twitched. “Gwendolyn’s bark is worse than her bite.” She slowed her pace to put some distance between them and their hostesses leading them through the home. “Don’t take what she said to heart.”“I didn’t,” Elizabeth assured her. “I’ve learned to drown it out.”Sarah hummed. “I wish I had been half as forgiving as you when I was your age.” For all that Elizabeth had been through, she was remarkably resilient and good. Sometimes Sarah wondered if the experience truly did shape the person Elizabeth turned out to be or if she would have been this agreeable, life situation, notwithstanding.“Most people could only wish to have a fraction of the character that you have, Sarah. You’re being too kind to me.” Sarah chuckled. “I think Gwendolyn might be in for a surprise if she thinks she can continue on this path of scorn against you.” Elizabeth’s gaze landed on Gwendolyn’s back and her expression turned thoughtful. “For some reason, I’m not sure there are many things that can still surprise her. I doubt I’ll be part of that exception.” They stopped in front of a set of double doors and Gwendolyn turned to them, face serious. “I’ve informed the servants of your access rights, but please don’t consider this an invitation to come here at odd hours of the night.” “Of course not,” Sarah said and caught Craven staring at her with that overly curious gaze again. She arched a challenging brow back at her. “Yes, Detective?”“Oh-nothing.” Craven snapped her head back around and stared at the door handle. From where she stood, Sarah could make out the divot of that deep dimple.“Well,” Gwendolyn sighed, “here we are.” She gave the doors a light push, and the air from the hallway coursed in with a swoosh. “Brace yourself,” she said to Elizabeth as they stepped inside. Long ago, when George Craven was still alive, Sarah had the one-time pleasure of seeing the Craven library. And even then, before the winding staircase and second story were erected, their library was worthy of praise. Today, what stood before them was a paragon of excellence. For all the misgivings she had about Gwendolyn, it was clear that this library was a labor of love and a love of knowledge. “This is spectacular, Gwendolyn. You’ve done quite a job.” Gwendolyn nodded at her and guided them past a long line of shelves. “This section here,” she pointed to four rows, “is what you’re interested in.” Then, she turned her gaze upward. “There are some journals up there too, but I am in the process of having them moved.”“Thank you. We’ll start some time this week.” By no means was her research a race, but it’d be wise to start sooner rather than later. Sarah looked at Elizabeth, who was still rendered speechless from the sight. Her assistance will be much needed.“Madame Alder, can we speak?” Craven stepped close to her and whispered, “About my case.” Sarah wondered when the overly eager detective would approach her. Craven looked ready to combust the whole evening. “As you wish.” They moved to a discreet corner of books that smelled strongly of parchment paper and leather. “You weren’t supposed to arrive before me.” Craven rested a hand on the shelf, frowning up at Sarah.“No?” She reached for a book next to those long fingers with neatly trimmed nails and pulled it out of its slot. Craven withdrew her hand. “I distinctly remember agreeing to a bargain with a six month time frame. I don’t recall any agreement about today.”“Fine, but it’s now your turn to uphold your end of the bargain.”Sarah studied the title of the book for a moment before putting it back on the shelf. “15 Franklin Street. Tomorrow morning at ten.”—Craven and Moonshine were already waiting outside the halfway house on Franklin by the time Sarah’s car pulled up. The detective was in trousers again, like the ones she wore yesterday. It was not the most fashionable statement for a young woman and certainly a sharp contrast from the pretty dress she wore to the ball the other night. But Sarah found that there was something almost remarkable about this casual, comfortable in her own skin Tally Craven. As the car slowed to a stop, she instructed her driver to do rounds about the neighborhood. “If you must park, don’t do so in front of the house.”“Yes, Madame.” As soon as Sarah stepped out of the car, Craven eagerly approached like she had something interesting to share. “We pass by this house quite often and never knew it was a halfway house.”“Good morning to you too, Detective,” Sarah said. “And, yes, that was purposeful and I expect it to remain that way.” She gave them both a knowing look. Since the whole calvary wasn’t here, Sarah assumed they were smart enough to be discreet about this information.“Of course. It’s just Detective Moonshine and me. No one at the office knows about this.” Moonshine tipped his cap at her. “Madame Alder.” She nodded at him and then walked to the front door. Craven and Moonshine quickly followed behind her. “Raelle is the person I’ve tasked with overseeing the home. I’ve sent her a note to expect our presence today. The girls should also be aware of your visit,” Sarah said. She stopped on the front step, finger hovering over the doorbell. “And, Detectives,” Sarah turned around to remind them, “I reserve the right to end this visit should your questioning become inappropriate.” Craven, standing on the step just below Sarah’s, nodded up at her with big, earnest brown eyes. “We make it a point to be respectful of everyone we speak to.” Sarah held her gaze for a few seconds, looking for any signs of insincerity. But it seemed Craven’s earnestness was entirely characteristic of who she was, no matter the time or place. “Very good,” Sarah said, and quickly turned back around. She rang the doorbell, and moments later, the door opened.“Alder, good to see you,” Raelle said. Her hair was different from when Sarah last saw her. “Likewise. I see you’re still experimenting with your hair color.” Raelle held up a lock of pink hair between her fingers. “Like it?”Sarah hummed her agreement before stepping aside to introduce her two guests. “I’ve got Detective Craven and Detective Moonshine here with me. I assume you’ve told the girls about the intention of our visit today?”“Yep, the girls know.” Raelle leaned against the door frame and narrowed her eyes at the two detectives. “Though if they act like a bunch of assholes, I might have to kick them out.”“No worries, Sa-Madame Alder already gave us a fair warning beforehand.”“Detective Craven and Detective Moonshine have given me their word to be on their best behavior,” Sarah assured her.“Alright,” Raelle said cautiously. She pushed herself off the door frame and turned so that her body wasn’t blocking the entrance anymore. “Please come in.”They stepped into the home, which smelled sweetly of baked goods. “Aaminah just made some cookies, so they’re all in the dining room right now.” Craven and Moonshine wasted no time to study the house, clearly impressed with how tidy and spacious it was. “This house is very nice,” Craven said. As she turned, her leg accidentally brushed against Sarah’s hand. “Oh! Sorry.” She cleared her throat and put two steps between them. “Watch your step, Detective,” Sarah said coolly. She flexed her fingers, the feel of those wool trousers now irritatingly real on her skin. “So how do you guys want to do this? Do you want to speak to them all at once or separately?”Craven looked at Moonshine. “We’d like to introduce ourselves to the group first. But we find that one on one conversations normally yield better results, mainly because some people are less likely to talk if they feel others would judge them.” “Hm, smart,” Raelle remarked. “I like you.” She led them through the corridor and briefed the detectives on the women of the house. “They were all prostitutes at one point but are no longer working as such. Sarah’s rule is that in order to stay here, each woman must be working or actively looking for work. Currently, there are seven girls that reside here. Last month, we had eight and a child, but Tiffany found a good job as a secretary in a different town so she and her daughter moved out.” “A child, really?” Moonshine asked, incredulous.“Surprised to find that these women are real people and actually have real lives?” Raelle shot back.“No I—“ he fumbled for a response before apologizing.Raelle smirked at him. “You’re not bad either, Moonshine.” They reached the dining room where the women were sat around a table. “Ladies, Alder and the two detectives are here.” The women all stood from their seats. “Hello Madame Alder.” “Good morning, ladies. I apologize for our intrusion today, but there are two detectives here working The Ripper case that want to talk to you. Your cooperation would be much appreciated, but by no means is it mandatory if you don’t feel comfortable speaking with them.”
“Goddess, The Ripper. I heard there was a fourth victim.”
“That’s just terrible.”
Craven stepped forward. “Hello, my name is Detective Craven, and this is my partner, Detective Moonshine. We’d like to speak to you to understand if you have any knowledge of The Ripper and his connection to the girls on the streets.” “Were any of you still on the streets when The Ripper started his spree?” Moonshine asked. One woman raised her hand. Elena Stowsky, if Sarah’s memory served her correctly. “I was still on the streets when the first killing happened. But we didn’t know that there was a serial killer targeting prostitutes until the second murder of Susie Carmichael. Everyone just thought it was a one off.” Craven and Moonshine nodded along. Sarah remembered when word about the second victim made the press. It didn’t take long before the police made the connection that there was a serial killer on the loose and informed the public. “We’d like to speak to each of you individually if you’re willing.”The women stared at one another nervously before someone spoke up again. “We left that life behind a long time ago and don’t keep our connections to the streets. It’s a way…to start a clean slate. We’re sorry, but that’s all the information we have. We don’t think we would be of any help to you, detectives.””If we could just have a few minutes of your time—“”Detective. Your promise.” Sarah cut her a warning look.
Craven visibly deflated. This was something she should have been prepared for. Asking these girls to dredge up their past, even in the name of an investigation, was a hard sale. Sarah made it clear from the beginning that she couldn’t make any promises. “Like I said, we won’t force you to speak against your will,” Sarah assured the group. “That’s alright, ladies. The detectives will understand.” Raelle clasped her hands together and excused them out of the room. “You all have a shopping date in the town square today. We don’t want to be in your way.” —Craven was silent next to her as they slowly made their way to the exit.“You have another opportunity. I did promise you access to both of the halfway houses.”“I’m concerned we might run into the same kind of resistance,” Craven said.“Wait.” They turned around at the sound of Aminah’s voice. The woman looked back in the direction of dining room, obviously nervous about someone seeing. She gestured for them to move to an adjoining room for discretion.“Sorry, I didn’t know if I should let the other girls hear.”“You have information related to the case you’d like to share,” Sarah said. She had noticed something peculiar about Aminah during the questioning earlier. It was the way she couldn’t hold their gazes that told Sarah she knew more than she let on. “Raelle, close the door.”She then pointed to the seats at the center. “Sit.” The five of them occupied the seats around the table, with Craven’s knee brushed against hers. “You’re safe to speak here, Aminah.”Aminah nodded. Sarah looked at Craven and Moonshine. “Detectives, you have the floor.”Craven pulled out her notepad and flipped through a few pages. “Hi Aminah,” she said, and looked up with those big earnest eyes again. “That’s a very pretty name, by the way. It means honest and faithful in Arabic, right?”“Yes, yes it does,” Aminah replied, clearly impressed by Craven’s knowledge. Who would have thought this well-to-do young woman knew of the world outside of her mother’s high society circle. “We appreciate you willing to speak to us. So you’re telling us that you might have information about The Ripper?”Aminah wrung her hands together nervously. “I…I’m not sure. But I have a friend from my days working on the streets. Her name is Maria Mendoza. I don’t let the girls know that I still keep in touch with her because I don’t want them to judge me. But we would meet for tea once a week in a little shop in the square.” Aminah’s voice began to crack. “Maria missed our last date. I tried calling and stopping by her residence, but there’s no one there. And then just yesterday, I saw the press say that there was a fourth victim. I’m just really worried that it might be Maria.”“Can you give us a description of what Maria looks like?”“She’s about five foot four. Brown hair and brown eyes. She has a scar on her right arm from a childhood accident that almost looks like a heart.”Craven exchanged a look with Moonshine, like Aminah’s words were the confirmation they were looking for. “Would you be willing to go back to the station with us to help identify the body?”Aminah gasped and covered her hand with her mouth. “I was hoping my suspicion was wrong. Is she really…dead?”Moonshine spoke up this time. “Unfortunately, your description exactly matches the one of our fourth victim. We’re not saying it’s Maria for sure, but it’s very likely it’s her. And we won’t know until you’ve identified her.” “Raelle will go with you,” Sarah said. “Yes, of course.” Raelle nodded and gave Aminah’s knee a reassuring squeeze. “Thank you…” Aminah said, dazed. “Maria’s always had a challenging life. I was constantly worried about her and the people she chose to hang around.” “What do you mean?”“She talked about a man she was seeing. I think she was in love with him. But from what she told me, it sounded like he wanted to keep their relationship a secret from the world because he was a very influential figure in our society. Didn’t want people to know that he was sleeping with a prostitute.” “Did she give you a name?”“She said his name was Haz, but I think that was a nickname she used for him.”“Haz,” Craven repeated. “Spelled H-A-Z?” she asked, scribbling it down in her notepad.“Yes, I believe so. I saw his name on a letter she wrote to him once.” “I’m guessing Maria never said anything about a last name.” Aminah shook her head. “That name doesn’t ring any bells, but we could ask around. First, though, let’s get you to the office to identify the body. Is right now a good time?”“Right now would actually be best. I have a shopping trip at the square planned with the girls later. Let me just go back to my room to get my hat.” Raelle stood with her. “I’ll come with you.” She wrapped an arm around Aminah’s shoulders as they left the room. Craven stared down at her notepad again. “Haz.” She tapped her pen on the name and repeated it. “Haz.” Then she looked up and met Sarah’s gaze. “Would you happen to know a Haz?”“I do. And so do the both of you,” Sarah said. Craven turned her entire body so that she was now facing Sarah. “It seems Salem can’t go a day without hearing about him. He’s our mayor.”“Alban Hearst is Haz?”Sarah inclined her head. “That’s not information the average person is privy to. Only those high in society and close to the mayor call him that.” It seemed Craven’s investigation was getting more complicated by the day. Hearst was a buffoon, but he was still technically Salem’s mayor. Expanding their investigation to include him was a different kind of trouble she wasn’t sure the plucky detective could even fathom.“Isn’t he leaving Salem this afternoon to sign some kind of sister-city agreement?” Moonshine asked.“Yes, he is.” Sarah said. “And he’ll be gone for a week.” Craven closed her notepad, a dogged look in her eyes. “We have to speak to him before he leaves.”“Tally, we haven’t even identified the body yet. At most, what we have going to his office right now is an accusation that he slept with a prostitute.”“That’s why you’ll take Aminah to the office to identify the body. I will go to Mayor’s office and ring you from there. Once I get confirmation that it is indeed Maria, we’ll have more leverage.”“How about we just wait this out and speak to Anacostia.” “Detective Craven wants to avoid speaking to your police chief first. Because what will probably happen is that the accusation will just get buried and you two will be told to look the other way. Craven wants to question Hearst and let whatever fallout that will happen occur while he’s away on this trip.” Sarah looked at Craven, whose mouth just about hung open. “Right, Detective?”“That’s,” Craven blinked and shook her head a bit, “that’s exactly right.” “Tally, this-this isn’t a good idea. Anacostia will not be happy about this.” “She’ll lecture us for a few hours and then send us on our way.”“I don’t think so. He’s not our average suspect, Tally. He’s the mayor and he has a lot of reach. Just think about what he’s able to do to your career while he’s still in office.” “Which is why I’ll come with you, Detective.”Craven looked at her, clearly surprised by the offer. “You…will?”“Yes, we will consider this an informal visit.” —They departed the halfway house on Franklin Street at the same time, but taking divergent paths. While Sarah and Craven headed north for the Mayor’s Office, Moonshine’s group traveled south. The latter route being a lot shorter. “Speak your mind, Detective. I suspect if you hold your thoughts in any longer, you might implode.”Craven considered her thoughtfully. “Why are you helping us? Don’t get me wrong, I’m really grateful that you are. It’s just…I don’t know why. Especially since you were so reluctant initially.”“Must you always have an explanation for everything?”“There’s always a reason behind someone’s actions. I’d just like to know.” “The reason is that I’ve been roped into your investigation by association, whether I like it or not. And I’d rather act on my own terms than have others decide for me.” “Oh.” “Oh,” Sarah repeated. “Disappointed that I didn’t have a more noble reason for assisting?”Craven didn’t answer and looked out into the passing landscape like a forlorn puppy.“Your going behind your police chief’s back wasn’t going to work. Hearst was not going to let it go, in a week or a month’s time. You needed a better plan.” Sarah gritted her teeth, annoyed that she felt compelled to correct path for Craven’s delicate feelings.-- They stopped at a payphone just outside The Mayor’s Office so Craven could ring Moonshine. The sun was hanging high in the sky by then.“Hello, it’s Detective Craven. Can I speak to Detective Moonshine?” Craven fiddled with the cord while the person on the other line supposedly went to fetch her partner. Moonshine and his group should have gotten to their destination before Sarah and Craven did. Hopefully that was enough time for Aminah to make the identification.“So?” Craven asked into the phone. “Got it. Thanks.” And then she placed the receiver back into place. “Let me guess, Aminah identified the body.” Craven nodded. “Very well. Let’s proceed, shall we?” They made their way to the top of the steps and Sarah stopped and turned to Craven. “I forgot. I’ll hold on to this while we're in there.” She reached for the badge fastened on the belt buckle of Craven’s wool trousers.Craven grabbed her wrist. “Wait, why are you taking my badge?” “Have you forgotten? This is not an official visit. You shouldn’t be flashing this badge around.” “Sure, but…” “Hands, Detective. We’re in public.” Craven looked around and flushed before letting go. Sarah loosened the strings to her purse and dropped the badge inside, noticing the coolness of the metal under her skin.They walked into the building and was greeted by a receptionist with big round glasses. “Hello, what business do you have here today?”“We’d like to speak to the mayor.” The receptionist inclined her head. “I’m sorry, but do you have an appointment? The mayor doesn’t take walk-in visits.” “Tell him that Sarah Alder is here to see him.” The receptionist eyed her curiously before smartly picking up the receiver. “Let me give him a call.” She dialed four numbers and waited. “Sir, there is a Sarah Alder here for you. She doesn’t have an appoint—yes, sir. I’ll walk her up.” “Tally, let’s go.” Craven seemed surprised to hear her call her by her first name. Sarah leaned in and reminded her, “Unofficial visit, remember?” “Right. Unofficial.”—“Alder, what a pleasant surprise.” Hearst jumped out of his seat to greet her halfway in his office. His eyes shifted to Craven, who was already preoccupied with studying the room. “And you bring a guest. I don’t think we are acquainted, Miss--” “Tally Craven, sir.”“My, a relative of Gwendolyn’s. It’s a pleasure. Please sit.” He guided them to the seats in the room. “Would you like some water or coffee?”Sarah waved off the offer. “No. I know you’re departing on a trip soon, so I will get straight to the point. This morning, I found out some interesting information that I wanted to share with you.” Hearst inclined his head. “Oh?”“Yes, Tally, you were there, right? It was something about a Maria Mendoza. Why don’t you refresh my memory?” Hearst’s face turned sober almost immediately. He straightened his back and narrowed his eyes at Sarah.“Maria Mendoza. A working girl. We heard that you were intimately involved with her,” Craven said.A muscle twitched in Hearst’s jaw. “What are you trying to get at, Alder?”“That’s the question we were going to ask you, sir.” Hearst narrowed his eyes at Craven. “Who are you?” “A detective,” Craven supplied, undaunted. So much for being discreet, Sarah thought.Hearst laughed. “That’s rich.” He leaned back into the couch cushion, fingers tapping on his knee. “Does your police chief know you’re here interrogating the mayor?”“She doesn’t. As this is an informal visit to pique my,” Sarah inclined her head, “curiosity. I wouldn’t want it to get out of your office that it was anything other than that.” If Hearst was smart, he’d keep their visit under wraps because Sarah had the means and connections to bring to light every single skeleton in his closet. “Have I made myself clear?”The muscles worked at his jaw again, and he blew out a hard, agitated breath. “Alright, fine. Let’s say I might know of a Maria Mendoza. What’s it to you?”“Maria has been missing the last few days,” Craven said. “She’s an adult. How should I know about her comings and goings?” Hearst said, not missing a beat. “When was the last time you saw her?”“Sarah? What is this? Spending your free time finding missing persons now?”“I think you should answer the question, Mayor,” Sarah warned.He gritted his teeth. “Two weeks ago.” “Where?”“My house.” “Can anyone attest to her being alive when she left your home?”Hearts growled and jumped out of his seat. “This meeting is over. Martha will show you out.” He walked over to his desk and picked up the receiver to his phone. “Martha, please come and escort our guests out.”Craven stood and stared directly into his eyes. “Maria’s dead. Murdered by The Ripper.”Knuckles white, Hearst brought the receiver close to his lips again. “Immediately.”—The car was already waiting for them when they stepped outside. But the hood was popped open as her driver hovered over the engine with a serious face. “Thomas, is there a problem?”“Madame Alder, it seems we are having some car issues. I’m afraid it might take a set of hands more skilled than mine to get it running again. I’ve called for Lawrence to come pick you up, but he is getting the other car serviced and won’t be able to get here for another hour.”“Very well. We will have to find a different way to get home, detective. Alder Manor is just a short walk from here. I take it you’ll be heading back to work, which is a little bit of a way’s out.”“Forty minutes, but I don’t mind.” She stuck her thumb in a vague direction. “I actually walk home from work most days.”“Good. How about you tack on another twenty minutes to that and walk me back to my residence first? There are things I’d like to discuss with you.”Craven nodded. “Thomas, see to it that this gets taken care of.” Her driver tipped his cap at her. “Have a good afternoon, Madame.”They walked away from the building, keeping on the cobblestone path. Craven remained silent as she walked beside Sarah. “Tell me your thoughts, Detective.” “We got confirmation that Hearst was in fact involved with the fourth victim.” Sarah made a sound of agreement. “What is your gut feel of Hearst?”“He’s not to be trusted. I can tell that he’s hiding something about Maria.” “I got the same impression.” She looked ahead. They were entering the town square. “Hearst is a dangerous man. You ought to be careful in your investigation of him. That’s assuming your investigation didn’t just end where it began.”Craven inclined her head and stared at Sarah silently for a long time. “What is it, Detective?” Sarah could practically feel Craven’s smile bubble up to the surface. But she kept her stare straight ahead.“Nothing,” Craven said.They moved through the town square, passing by busy shops bustling with people on a temperate Friday afternoon. Briefly, Sarah wondered if Aminah still had the energy to go shopping after she made the identification. Seeing a dead friend on a table was not for the faint of heart.
“Why do you help these girls?” Craven asked after a while. The crowd had slimmed to almost none as they approached the edge of the square.“You like asking ‘why’ a lot.”Craven shrugged. “It’s a pretty innocuous way to get to know someone.”Ah, was this what Craven was trying to do? Get to know her. She considered Craven’s answer seriously. “My great-grandmother was a working girl when she met my great-grandfather.” Craven snapped her head around, surprised, but she didn’t say anything. “It wasn’t your typical love story, but they had a loving marriage that endured sixty years.”“Do—“ she sensed Craven’s hesitance, “people in high society know this?”“No. They moved to Salem after they were married. Society didn’t care about the Alder name until my grandmother’s generation.” Craven stopped walking. “You have my word that I’ll keep this information to myself.” And she said it with that usual level of earnestness like she was on the verge of ripping her heart out for the person to see. “I’m not ashamed, Detective,” Sarah said. “I don’t look at it as a smear on my family name. Everyone has a past.” While it wasn’t information she made any efforts to publicize, Sarah didn’t see it as a long-held dirty secret either. But it surprised her that she freely offered the information up to Craven. “Sarah—“The sound of a woman’s scream nearby immediately buckled any semblance of peace around them. “The alleyway,” Tally declared and quickly made off in that direction. ”Craven!” Sarah was already chasing Craven’s backside before she could respond. Was this what she thought it was? Here? In broad daylight? Oomph. She collided straight into Craven’s back right at the entrance of the alleyway.The horrified woman with a bag of trash in her hand looked at them. “There was a rat,” she whined. “Unbelievable,” Sarah muttered. And she felt Craven’s body shutter against hers. Whether that was from the absurdity of the scene in front of them or something else, she did not dwell on the answer as she stepped back to give them some space. “We…should uh…continue.” Craven pointed back to their path, with Alder Mansion now in view.Sarah nodded. “It seems that’s all the excitement I care to have for the day.”They continued their walk in silence for the last few minutes before Eloise emerged from the residence to greet her. “I will uphold my end of the bargain and allow you to visit the other halfway house. Tomorrow won’t be good for me. I’ll send a note with the address and time.” Eloise approached them, smiling. “Good afternoon, Madame. Mr. Jonathan Bennett is waiting for you.” “Is he?” Sarah asked. “I was not expecting his presence.” “He arrived ten minutes before you. I informed him that I wasn’t sure when you’d get back.” “Very well. Let him know that I will see him shortly.” Eloise nodded and excused herself. “Detective,” she said, “thank you for walking me back to my residence.” She opened her purse and drew Craven’s badge out. “I believe this is yours.” “Right.” Craven took the badge and fastened it back on her waistband.“Very well. Have a good afternoon, Detective.” “You too. And thank you for….everything.” —Eloise was waiting for her at the door when she entered. “Is he in the waiting room?”“Yes, Madame.” This was an unannounced visit. She wondered what business he had seeking her out. Sarah made her way over, forgoing a fresh change of clothes after some time spent in the sun.“Ah, Alder, hello.” Jonathan turned his attention from the windmill on the mantel and smiled at her when she entered the room.“Jonathan, I’m surprised to see you here.” She took a seat on the couch and beckoned him to do the same.“I apologize for the intrusion,” he said and took the seat opposite her.“Is this about your new rail line through Salem?” She asked. His company just procured enough funding, and last she heard, the project was coming along nicely.“No, although I did just catch some vandals earlier trying to unfasten the rail anchors on the tracks we recently laid down. It was a hard lessoned learned for them. I think they’ll find that a few nights spent in jail will curb their delinquent activity.” “Indeed.” He shifted in his seat a little and Sarah noticed the smell of sun on him too. “I just came to speak to you about Elizabeth.”“What about her?” Sarah asked. “Well I’ve had the pleasure of making her company recently. And I wanted to seek your opinion on getting better acquainted with her.”“Really.” Jonathan was an eligible bachelor by society’s standards. And Sarah liked him enough from their business partnership. Elizabeth, for her part, seemed to get along with him fine. But—Sarah wondered if they were compatible in that way.“Yes,” he said, mouth stretching into a wide grin.“You obviously know my opinion of Elizabeth. Any man would—“Their conversation was interrupted by Eloise, who hurried into the room with a grim expression on her face. “I’m sorry for interrupting Madame. I just thought you’d like to know that there’s been some kind of incident a few blocks away.” Her thoughts immediately went to Craven. “Tally?”Eloise blanked on the name.“Detective Craven,” Sarah amended, “the one who was with me earlier. Is she in trouble?”“No, no,” Eloise said. “But I hear she was the one who found the body. Someone said they heard her call out a name…Aminah?”