Page 61 of Secrets in the Dark
Della wasn’t sure if he was joking or not; it didn’t matter. What mattered was grasping the fact that they didn’t need to pretend anymore, not with him.
And that Edmund’s abilities would enhance their own, possibly bringing them closer to solving the case.
When his footsteps could no longer be heard on the stairway, Mason looked at Della and said, “That took us long enough!”
She smiled. “You can’t blame him for wondering.”
“I don’t. I blame me for not being more observant!”
She laughed softly. “Want coffee? Tea? It’s been a long day and it is really late.”
“Tea, maybe. I always had it as a comfort beverage, lots of milk and sugar in it.”
“Sounds good to me,” Della said.
She headed into the kitchen. Mason leaned back for a minute and then joined her.
“I’ve checked all the video screens. No one in front of, in back of or on the side of the house. And I’ve still had the strangest feeling at times that we’re being watched.”
“Me, too,” Della told him. “Of course, that may be the nature of being us.”
“Paranoid?”
“Smart,” she argued.
He shook his head. “No one out there now. We have until two thirty. Oh, I sent a query to Angela early. She’s going to see what’s going on with archeological digs and such in the area. She’ll be back with us by the time we’re ready to go in the morning.”
“That’s great. So. Hmm. Two thirty. And I’m tired now.”
He smiled, leaning on the counter, looking into her eyes.
“How tired?”
“Well, first, a shower. I must have a shower.”
“Showers are good, definitely. After a day like this one. A shower and then...”
“Hmm. We’ll have to see if I have any adrenaline left.”
“Hmm...”
He went to get the sugar container and asked her how many cubes she’d like. Della went for the milk and between them they had two cups of sweet tea all set.
Mason checked the screens again.
“He’s not coming here tonight,” he murmured.
“But he has been out there. We both think so.”
“Maybe Abigail would stand watch tomorrow night for us. If she’s by the church, she can see if someone is standing across from the house and watching it.”
“How could he know that we’re here?”
“Obviously, the crew at Scotland Yard knows where we are. And who knows? In one of his many guises, he might have followed one of us here.”
Della nodded thoughtfully. “This is maddening! One man! One man, and he’s being as elusive as the real Ripper. And we have six dedicated individuals—not to mention the country’s law enforcement system—and he’s watching us!”
“At least we know it,” Mason said.
