Of Night and Dark Obscurity

“I don’t feel anything,” she said taking a step backward.

“Nothing?” He asked.

“Nothing.”

He nodded. “Nothing.” He took his hat and gloves and dimmed the gas light. “I’ll see you home.”

“There’s no need.”

“I insist.” He said politely.

In the carriage ride home, they said little at first. Caroline knew she had wounded his pride and she had not set out to do so.

“Would you like to go riding tomorrow?” He asked.

“I cannot. I have other plans.”

“I understand. You are busy with your housing project.”

“I am.”

“It’s almost complete?”

“Yes. It’s very exciting.”

“I should like to see it.”

“Would you?”

“Very much so.”

“Then when it’s complete, I’ll take you there. You can assess it for yourself.”

“I shall. Let me ask you another question.”

“Of course.”

“My note said very clearly to come tomorrow. The office would have been bustling with people. You would have been brought into my office by my clerk. Sergeant Felix would have seen you. And you would have been gone within five minutes most likely.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Instead, you chose to come at night. You chose to come when no one was around and you chose a time when you were alone with me.”

Caroline remained mute.

“The question is why.”

“I’m not one of your suspects Inspector,” Caroline bristled.

“No,” he agreed. “You aren’t Miss Derry. But maybe let’s just agree for a second that you came to see me. That you care about your friend, I’ve no doubt. But that you really wanted to see me.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

Val settled into the seat and smiled. “That is the question. Why would you want to do that?”

“I can answer that very simply. There is no why. I told you I was anxious to hear your findings.”

“Hmmm. Yes. And you could have sent a note asking me to come to you.”