Bedford Street Brigade 01 - Where the Lady Belongs by Laura Landon Page A

wore a large brimmed bonnet with streamers of netting tied beneath her chin.
    Her gown was green and white checked, with full sleeves and an eyelet bodice and high neckline. Her wide skirt made her waist appear small and delicate. She looked clean and fresh, and the blush of excitement on her cheeks gave her a wholesome and healthy look. Her hands twisting at her waist, and her deep brown eyes, open wide and filled with terror, took away the look of contentment he expected to see on someone so lovely.
    Their gazes locked. She took a tentative step toward him, as if she wanted to reach out to him. As if she had something she wanted to share with him. But before he could call out to her, she turned and ran.
    “Quinn!”
    Within seconds Quinn was at his side, but it was too late to go after her. She was gone.
    He turned again to check the diamond and then looked at Quinn.
    “What the bloody hell just happened?” Quinn said, keeping his eyes on the few people still in the room.
    Mack shook his head. “I don’t know. Did you see anything?”
    “No.”
    The crowd was almost gone now. All that remained were several of the cabinet members Mack had spotted earlier. They stood in a small circle, with gazes lowered. When they shifted from where they stood, Mack saw what they were looking at.
    A man’s prone body lay on the ground, a pool of blood seeping into the boards that made up the floor.
    Several men knelt at the man’s side, attempting to help him. But from the dour expressions on their faces, it was too late for help.
    Mack immediately searched the group for the Prime Minister, praying he wasn’t the victim. The relief he felt when he realized the Prime Minister was unharmed caused a breath to rush from his body.
    “Stay here,” he ordered Quinn. Mack ran across the area to send every available policeman to help Quinn guard the diamond. When he was assured the diamond would be safe, he went to where the dead man lay on the ground.
    “Who is he?” he asked, kneeling beside the body.
    “His name is Robert Wells. He’s my Undersecretary.”
    Mack looked at the man who’d given the information and recognized Sir George Grey, the Home Secretary.
    Mack stood. “Did any of you see who fired the shot?”
    All shook their heads.
    “The shot came from behind us,” one of the men volunteered.
    Before Mack could ask more questions, several Exhibition commissioners rushed into the room. The frantic expressions on their faces left no doubt as to their concern.
    “What happened here, Mr. Wallace?” several demanded.
    It was obvious they considered the mishap his responsibility. Deep in his gut, Mack thought that it was, too. He’d been hired to keep the diamond safe. The fact that a man had been killed during what was more than likely a robbery attempt made the murder his responsibility.
    Mack turned to the commissioners. “The victim, Mr. Robert Wells, was shot and killed in what was either a robbery attempt, or an assassination attempt.”
    “Surely you don’t believe the killing was intentional,” Mr. Henry Cole, one of the Exhibition commissioners, said.
    Mack looked at the lineup of government officials standing there, including the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary, the Foreign Secretary, and the Leader of the House of Lords, and knew nothing was out of the realm of possibilities. “I don’t have enough information to make an assessment. Until I do, I refuse to speculate as to the motive.”
    There was a moment of silence, then Prime Minister Russell, stepped forward. “Can we rely on you to find adequate security for the Koh-i-Noor until the Exhibition ends?” he asked, pointing toward the diamond. “I am charging you to discover who attempted to steal the diamond or assassinate one of us.”
    “You can,” Mack answered.
    “Very good,” Lord Russell answered. “Do it. And keep me posted.”
    Mack nodded.
    The dignitaries waited until the authorities came for the body. When they left, Mack stood alone