No Stone Unturned, page 11
part #1 of Lucy Lawrence Series
“Who was this man?”
“He introduced himself as Nathaniel Marsh.”
Stone’s eyebrows shot up. “Describe him, please.” Stone sat back and listened as Lucy described Marsh in detail, right down to the gold tooth.
“Unfortunately, I know of this man,” he said with a grimace. “He has many aliases. However, he doesn’t crawl out from beneath his rock very often. What did you do to anger him?”
“Nothing! At least, I didn’t set out to, but I believe my husband must have. How do you know of him?”
“We have crossed paths before. What happened when he visited you? Every detail, please,” Stone demanded.
“Initially, I was sure it was a visit of condolence, but he had hardly sat down when he demanded Charlie’s personal property, just like that. I was astonished. He claimed Charlie had something which belonged to him and owed him a lot of money.”
“Did he give you any details about their business partnership?”
“No, but I didn’t ask. I was too shocked by his demands. All he said was that his business was in jeopardy. He was desperate to find whatever it was Charlie had in his possession at the time of his death.” Lucy took a deep breath. “He is the reason I went to Somerville for Christmas. I assumed I would be safe there.” She gave a strained little laugh. “How wrong could I be? I hadn’t reckoned on my brother’s duplicity.”
“Why would you, indeed?” Stone replied. “A most unfortunate turn of events.”
Lucy shrugged. “The truth is I hoped by the time I returned to London, Mr Marsh would have forgotten all about me. I believed he was the kind of scoundrel that preys on vulnerable women, trying to trick them to hand over money, and when he hadn’t succeeded, he would move on to some other poor soul.”
Stone shook his head. “Have you any idea how dangerous it is to cross a man like Marsh?”
“Obviously not,” Lucy said, indicating upwards towards the study, “but I’m sure you are about to tell me.”
Mr Stone treated her to one of his challenging stares before he continued. “It is best you know what sort of man you are dealing with.”
Lucy dipped her head and took a deep breath.
“Very well, Mrs Lawrence, I won’t sugarcoat it.” Stone leaned towards her, his expression grave. “Marsh’s organisation, and I don’t use the term lightly, is involved in practically every criminal venture in this city from opium dens to racketeering and worse. The police and I have dealt with some of his underlings, but he has proven to be untouchable and invisible. The fact he showed up here could mean he is frantic to find whatever was in your husband’s possession.”
“I can confirm how desperate he was, for he scared me and my servants and paid no heed to my protests.”
Stone sighed and sat back. “If your husband was involved in any of his schemes, he was a fool of the first order.”
“How would I know? Mr Marsh was not forthcoming and Charlie never spoke about any of his business schemes,” Lucy said.
“But surely you must have some notion? Did Marsh not say what he was looking for?”
Lucy glared across at him. “No, he did not, and I was too afraid to ask.” She paused to calm herself. “There was one thing which struck me as odd, though. He said he hoped I hadn’t sold them. But why would I sell Charlie’s papers? It made no sense to me. I have no idea what he meant by that.”
“I believe I do,” Stone said, his eyes alight.
She glowered at him. “If you have known all along what this is about, why all of these questions? Why keep me in suspense?”
“To confirm my suspicions,” he replied.
“What suspicions, sir?” Lucy couldn’t take much more of this.
“Your husband had come to my notice. Both the police and I were investigating him in the weeks leading up to his death.”
“So that is how you knew of him … But Charlie wasn’t a criminal.”
He remained silent.
“Oh!” Her shoulders sagged a little. “What did he do?” Lucy placed both hands around her cup of tea. They were shaking.
“You may not like what you will hear.”
“Mr Stone, there has been no joy in my life since last October. Trust me, one more piece of bad news will not crush me.”
“You are a very unusual young woman,” he said.
“And you, sir, are procrastinating. Tell me!”
Stone laced his fingers where they lay on the table. “Do you know anything about Kashmir?”
Lucy shook her head in bewilderment at his question. “In northern India, is it not? Famous for its beautiful shawls. My mother has a particularly fine example.”
“Yes, they are treasured the world over, but it is not shawls I am interested in. There is a region in the north of the country known as Padar, but I doubt you have ever heard of it.” She shook her head. “Recently, it has become famous as a rich source of sapphires. The area where the sapphires were found is remote. It is high up in the mountains and unpopulated. Some say there was a landslide and the gems were spotted and picked up by passing traders. Others say they were found by hunters who traded them for food and shelter. Whatever the case, they turned up in Calcutta and when the maharajah learned of this, he immediately sent his men to retrieve the precious stones and return them to Kashmir.”
“Why was he so anxious to retrieve them?”
“Because they are the finest quality sapphires ever discovered and are priceless,” Stone said. “They are most prized for their hue and brilliancy with a texture like velvet. The maharajah, realising their worth, now controls the only mine, and it is heavily guarded.”
“They sound magnificent. I would love to see one of those sapphires.”
“Have you not?” he asked.
“No, I’m sure I’d remember seeing something so wonderful.”
“Hmm,” he murmured.
Lucy stared across the table, her anger and frustration building. “I am under the impression you believe I have seen these jewels. But I have never been to India. I do not see what any of this has to do with me or Charlie.”
Stone hesitated, regarding her with a strange expression. She knew he was taking her measure yet again. “Last year, the maharajah sent his most trusted courtier, Neeraj Khan, to London with ten of the uncut gemstones. He wished to have them set in various pieces of jewellery. One night, three of the stones were stolen from one of the commissioned jewellers in Hatton Garden and have never been found. I was called in by Bradford’s, the insurance company, the day after the theft. I spent months investigating and was on the verge of finding out who was involved when your husband died. The trail went cold upon his death.”
It was ridiculous. He seemed to be implying Charlie had been involved in a robbery. At worst, Lucy had suspected shady business transactions, but he had never done anything to her knowledge to come under the beady eye of the law. Clearly, she had been mistaken. “And you are searching for these missing sapphires?”
“Many people are looking for them. Our friend Mr Marsh is most definitely looking for them, as evidenced by his visit before Christmas and sending his men here while you were away.”
“I don’t understand. Why would he believe my husband had the maharajah’s sapphires?”
“My dear Mrs Lawrence, they were seen in your husband’s possession on more than one occasion.”
“No, that is ridiculous!” she exclaimed. “Charlie would have had nothing to do with stolen gems.”
“He may not have realised they were stolen at first, but I believe he did in the end. I think he was going to the police the day he died.”
“But he never reached them,” she said.
“No, his partner made sure of it.”
“Mr Marsh?” she asked.
“Yes. Logic would suggest he was responsible.”
“But that means Charlie was murdered!”
CHAPTER 14
Stone placed a glass of brandy on the table. “Please drink this, Mrs Lawrence.” Lucy’s hand shook as she picked up the glass. Charlie’s death, gruesome as it had been, had been bearable as a traffic incident, but to contemplate the notion he was deliberately dispatched was difficult to comprehend. And terrifying. Marsh’s parting words on the day of his visit rang in her ears with greater significance.
“I can’t believe it! Murdered!” Lucy glanced up, hoping Stone would contradict her. “But the police told me it was an accident and that he slipped on the cobbles. They never voiced any doubt.”
“It was certainly made to look like an accident and virtually impossible to prove otherwise,” he answered. “Drink, please.”
As she swallowed a mouthful, her eyes filled with tears. What could he have done to deserve such a terrible end? “Poor Charlie!”
Offering her a clean handkerchief, Stone returned to his seat. “I’m sorry, I should not have been so blunt.”
Lucy blew her nose. “No, Mr Stone. It’s far better I know the truth. But I … I don’t know what to think. Could you be mistaken?”
“Unfortunately, I do not think so. The street was busy and most of the witnesses swore he slipped on the cobbles as he crossed over. But it is too much of a coincidence particularly as he was entangled with Marsh and his gang. He would not be the first man to meet such an end. In a moving crowd it would be easy to shove someone unnoticed. It wouldn’t take much with the roads always so greasy under foot.”
“Would Marsh have done it? He looked capable of it.”
“No, he would not risk being implicated. One of his associates would have carried out his orders. Mr Lawrence most likely would not have realised he was being followed or recognised who it was. Marsh’s network across the city is vast.”
“Tell me the worst, Mr Stone. What was my Charlie involved in?”
“Are you sure you want to hear this? Why not get a night’s rest and we can talk about it tomorrow?” he said.
“Yes, I’m sure!”
Stone looked at her with concern. “Very well. From the outset, the police suspected Marsh was behind the theft of the sapphires, but no one knew what he did next. It was even speculated he had taken them abroad to sell. I spent weeks on the Continent making enquiries but to no avail. But Marsh was clever and bided his time. Then he set up an ingenious scheme to defraud. Slowly his syndicate began to work the scheme. How your husband first became involved no one knows. Perhaps he was one of the first men approached to buy shares.”
“I don’t understand, Mr Stone. Shares in what?”
“They used the stolen sapphires to convince investors they had a working mine in Padar. Most people aren’t aware there is only one mine and it is controlled by the maharajah. Before long, your husband was the frontman. A gentleman of charm, I understand, with good connections, so they had him approach his acquaintances in the clubs. If it’s any consolation, I am of the opinion he considered it was all above board in the beginning. The funds he invested in the scheme were substantial.”
“So that’s where our money went!” she exclaimed. “He mortgaged the house. I only discovered it a few days ago. It must have been to raise extra money to invest.”
“More than likely, Mrs Lawrence. Your husband must not have realised the scheme was fraudulent at that stage.”
“How could he have been so foolish?” She sighed. “My husband could be gullible, Mr Stone. He would have been easy to recruit. His impetuous character had drawn him into many a dubious undertaking, though, to my knowledge, nothing of a criminal nature. This I have found out from mutual acquaintances since his death for he never admitted it to me. If told the scheme was a quick way to get rich, he would have been hooked straight away. No doubt he was a wonderful ambassador for the criminals without even realising what he was doing … until it was too late.”
“Yes, and he was successful. The investors numbered over fifty. Two days before your husband died, a meeting had been arranged in a small hotel in Soho where all the investors were to meet. For some reason, your husband failed to appear.”
“And you think it was because he had found out about the trick … the scheme?”
“Maybe, or perhaps he threatened Marsh he would reveal it all to the police or demanded his money be returned.”
Lucy’s heart sank. “Which signed his death warrant.”
“Yes. Marsh is utterly ruthless. He would not stand for betrayal. The investors were concerned when no one turned up at the hotel that day. A great deal of money had already changed hands and some of them even had share certificates for the new mining company. Suspecting the worst, two of them went to the police. They only knew one person connected to the scheme and that was your husband. They had never met any of the others involved.”
“And the police informed you,” she asked.
“Correct. They suspected the gems the men had seen were the stolen ones, and they knew I was working for the jeweller’s insurance company. I tried to track your husband down and even called here and at his club, but was told he was away on business. There was no trace of him.”
“And I thought he was in Edinburgh visiting his parents.”
“I doubt it. More likely he was hiding out somewhere in London, scared for his life.”
“Why didn’t he confide in me?” she asked.
“Perhaps he was honourable enough not to put you in danger.”
“But he has!” Lucy exclaimed.
“To be fair to your late husband, he must not have realised the danger he was in or he believed he knew how to handle Marsh. However, it would take someone far more experienced and clever to outwit London’s most wanted man.”
Lucy gulped. “He is that notorious?” Stone nodded. “And untouchable?”
“So far, he has proved difficult to link to any of his criminal activities. I hoped to get to him through your husband. But when Mr Lawrence had his accident on Regent Street, all hope of implicating Marsh died with him. When the police suspected the accident victim was your husband, they contacted me as they knew of my interest in him. I went straight to Dufour Place.”
She took another sip of brandy. “Where we first met.”
“Yes. I’m sorry you had to be the one to identify him. An unpleasant duty for anyone.”
She shrugged. “It was appalling and still gives me nightmares. But most of his family are in Scotland, so there was no one else. Do you believe Charlie still had those gems when he died?”
“Yes.”
“Could they have been on him when he was killed?” she asked.
“Highly unlikely. The police did not find anything of that nature. Your husband must have hidden them somewhere safe.”
“And Marsh is convinced I have them?”
“Or know where they are to be found.”
Lucy rose from her chair and walked around to him. “I don’t wish to end my days in that awful mortuary, Mr Stone.” He took her outstretched hand with a surprised look on his face. “Would you be so good as to help me? Someone must convince this Mr Marsh I don’t have his precious sapphires.”
He shook her hand. “It would be my pleasure, Mrs Lawrence.”
Lucy awoke to the sound of the doorbell. She bolted upright, her pulse wild. At least it was daylight. There it was again. She crept across the room and peeped out. To her delight, her maid Mary was standing on the front steps looking up at her. Lucy gestured for her to wait and flew down the stairs.
“I am so glad to see you, Mary,” she said, closing the door quickly and slipping the bolt back in place. “How did you know I had returned?”
“Nuala—Nuala Cassidy, the maid next door—sent me a message first thing to say you were back. I’ve been staying with my sister since leaving your service. Anyway, I thought I’d chance it and see if you’d take me on again.”
“I’d love to, Mary, but the truth is I’ve very little money. That hasn’t changed.”
Mary smiled. “Pay me when you can; it don’t bother me much. Once I have bed and board, I’ll manage.”
Lucy wanted to hug her. “Come in to the drawing room. There’s something I need to tell you before you make any commitment.”
Mary’s eyes widened, but she followed her in. “Good Lord, what a mess! What happened in here, ma’am?” Mary asked, looking around the disordered room. She righted a small table and shook her head.
“That’s what I wish to talk to you about. Take a seat.”
Her mouth open in amazement Mary listened as Lucy recounted the events of the night before.
“Holy God, ma’am. That’s awful, that is. Poor old Horace—I was very fond of ’im.” She paused as if suddenly struck by an awful idea. “And you’re sure there’s no one hiding out in the attics?”
“Yes. Mr Stone checked the house thoroughly before he left. There is no need to be nervous. Do you remember the gentleman? He called here shortly after Mr Lawrence died.”
“Yes, I do. Very insistent he was, but I was having none of it and sent him off. Bothering a widow like that ain’t right. Are you sure he’s up to scratch?”
“Yes,” Lucy replied, smiling to herself. If Stone could only hear Mary’s comments, he would be horrified.
“He shouldn’t have left you all alone last night, ma’am.”
“Mr Stone did offer to stay but I’ve enough scandal in my life as it is, Mary. Besides, he had secured the house; I was no longer in danger. I insisted he went home.”
Mary didn’t look impressed. “How did they get in?”
“Through the window in the washroom at the rear of the kitchen. We locked the internal door, and Mr Stone was able to drag the small dresser across it. Now you know the worst. Will you stay?” Lucy crossed her fingers.
Mary beamed at her. “I’d like to, ma’am. Sure I love a bit of excitement, me.”
Mary announced Mr Stone three hours later. Immaculate as ever, it was hard to believe he had only left her home at two in the morning. It was deflating to see him so dapper; Mary had done her best to help her disguise the dark circles under her eyes but she knew she was barely presentable.
“Good afternoon, Mrs Lawrence. I hope you managed to get some rest last night,” he said, removing his hat and taking a seat opposite. He looked towards the door. “Where did she spring from?”
