Page 91 of Secrets in the Dark
She was alone.
Heading into the candy shop.
He smiled to himself again.
Close, oh, so close! Yet...
No. They couldn’t possibly discover the truth. Not in time. Because he’d carefully made his plans, carefully planned for every contingent.
His time with his “Mary Kelly” was coming, so much sooner than they might imagine. Sometimes, a man had to reinvent history, just a little.
And “Mary Kelly” had to be dealt with immediately.
He smiled, leaning against the building across the street from the candy store, the clothing shop and the pub. He could see her at the counter in the candy store, talking to the young woman right behind the candy canes.
She was a pretty thing, too. Naturally, a whore. Since he was doing things a bit differently, she just might suffice as his Catherine Eddowes.
But all that could come later. He had only one interest at the moment.
His Mary Kelly.
Beautiful, with those startling green eyes, sweep of soft pale brown hair. Her laughter was musical, her walk was a dance...
He couldn’t wait to see her eyes, those emerald eyes, staring into his when she knew that it was all over, that nothing could help her, nothing could save her.
She was his.
Time...yes. Patience was one thing, necessary for him. But there was that time when patience was no longer necessary.
And ifshewas back, the others would return soon. They would sit and share what they had learned—none of which would help them any—and then they would order their dinner.
And he was here. Right here. None of them could see him. None of them was around to see him, to see that he was always near, so close, watching them running around, chasing their tails.
But soon...so very soon!
They would know.
Fifteen
“Quite honestly, I arrive when something has been discovered, and, of course, I’m an American, a guest here,” Professor Goodridge told Mason. “I would, of course, help you in any way, and, naturally, I know about many important discoveries, but... I’m sorry. I’ve heard nothing about a cache of ancient bones in your area, or fragments of the Roman or medieval past. The buildings you’re asking about were largely constructed after the Great Fire—not to say that there wasn’t history occurring after the 1600s, that’s ridiculous, of course. And not that discoveries haven’t gone on forever! Most people believe that Richard III had his nephews murdered soon after his elder brother, Edward’s death in 1483. Richard managed to get the princes declared illegitimate and housed them in the Tower and then...voila. They disappeared! In 1674, workmen at the tower discovered the bones of two young men or boys. Some say the princes might have escaped their uncle, some say someone other than Richard murdered them, but the bones exist and sadly, it seems likely to me that they are the bones of the murdered princes. They lay hidden for over a hundred and fifty years and finding them was almost sheer accident. That is often how the past is discovered—by sheer accident. And... Sorry, you don’t much care about the princes in the Tower,” Goodridge ended, appearing worried and chagrined as he looked at Mason.
“No, I imagine your lectures are fascinating,” Mason assured the man. “It’s just that right now—well, I’m trying to prevent other murders.”
“I wish I could be of greater assistance. Of course, I will look through all my resource materials and see if I can find something, anything, that will help you. Of course, Lucretia is filled with all kinds of knowledge as well—”
“Della has gone to see her, so we’re hoping, between the two of you, one of you may find something. And, of course, we thank you for your time,” Mason told him.
As he walked up the embankment from the dig, he heard his phone ringing. It was Della.
He answered it more anxiously than he would have liked.
“Hey. Are you all right? Everything okay?”
“Yes, fine, I’m back by the house—”
“You called the patrolman?”
“Mason, I didn’t think that a random driver would be after me. I called a rideshare and I’m by the house, safe and sound. I went to the candy shop—down in the basement, there’s the exact same room. A paneled supply room.”
