[Berkeley Brigade 10] - Shadow of Murder by Joan Smith Page A

last night. Tell them, Reg,” he concluded.
    “They know that,” Reg said, and didn’t reveal by so much as a blink that he had made sure Corbett wasn’t at home, to facilitate the search of his house.
    “We didn’t say you did the job yourself,” Luten said. “What we are trying to discover is if you are in league with a gang of thieves.”
    “Well I’m not!” Vance said angrily. “And you won’t prove I am because I scarcely know what you’re talking about. How could anyone get all those things out of here with the precautions you’re taking?”
    “Miss Lipman, I believe, informed you of the precautions when she brought you in here?”
    “What of it? It was interesting. I thought myself it would be impossible to get in unnoticed. I still can’t see how it happened.”
    Prance arose and said haughtily, “Mr. Corbett has given his explanation. Do you have any further questions for him, or may we now go to my house and resume our rehearsals?”
    The accusers exchanged a questioning look, more than half convinced Corbett was innocent.
    “Don’t fear he will run away,” Prance said, with his nose in the air. “It was pretty well settled last night that Mr. Corbett will play the lead when we open on Drury Lane. Come along, Vance. We’re finished here.” He left in high dudgeon, with an unhappy Corbett at his heels.
    Luten looked around. “Well, now what?” he asked. “Do we believe Corbett?”
    “He didn’t know he had a good shot at that role at Drury Lane till last night,” Black said. “It’d be too late to pull out of the deal with the gang then. All he could do is brazen it out, which he did, in fine style.”
    “You notice Prance charged us with not taking proper care,” Luten said. “The best defence is offence. I’ll have Corbett watched till we learn more.”
    “In any case, I don’t think he’ll peel off,” Coffen said. “I’m going out to look for clues. Let me know if the footmen find out anything about the carriage.” He picked up his hat and went into the garden.
    “I’ll hustle Miss Lipman into the little parlour,” Corinne said, and left.
    Luten turned to Black. “You mentioned some fellow called Nappy who knew about the gangs who rob houses. Any point having another word with him?”
    “I was just about to suggest it. There’s one other thing. It looks like the gang had inside information and if not Corbett, then who? I know you trust your own servants. Is it possible that Chloe girl or Sean might have ferreted out what goes on here?”
    Luten considered this idea for a moment with some interest. “My wife tells me Chloe has struck up a mighty friendship with Mrs. Ballard. She’s been up to Mrs. Ballard’s room on the pretext of seeing some mementos of the late vicar. Mrs. Ballard asked if she might give Chloe a tour of the house. It seems she’s always admiring it. Corinne said she could do it after the auction. I’ll ask Corinne to talk to Mrs. Ballard. She’d freeze up on me. She’s afraid of me.”
     Luten went to speak to his wife and Black went out to join Coffen in the search for clues.
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Chapter 13
     
    Black found Coffen searching the ground behind the bushes. “This is where they hid before they leapt out at you right enough,” Coffen said, pointing to the trodden bed of weeds and grass behind the bushes. “And they busted the lock on the little gate and moved the barrier aside as you said. You can see the trampled grass where they took the goods out the gate. I can’t find a single real clue. The only thing they left behind is the tramped down grass. Once out of the yard, they didn’t even leave that. There’s no way to tell which direction they took.”
    “It confirms what we already know, but don’t tell us anything new,” Black said.
    Coffen did find one other clue that morning, but it wasn’t much help. A crystal fallen from a chandelier told them the thieves had turned left when they left the back garden. One of the footmen