Heiress for Hire (Duke's Heiress #1) - Madeline Hunter Page 0,112

just make sure she gets the message.”

At two o’clock, Chase tied his horse outside the building that housed the Home Office. Peel did not wait outside this time. The meeting would be more official than that.

Very official, it turned out. Peel waited in his office. Chase sat down and set a portfolio on the desk. “I have the preliminary report that you requested.”

“I requested it some time ago.”

“I had a few details that I needed to check for accuracy first.”

Peel set his arms on the desk and leaned forward. “How did he die? That is the detail that matters most.”

“He was killed.”

Peel sat back and closed his eyes. Chase imagined the man was picturing the problems and complications awaiting his office now.

“Who?” Peel asked after a deep sigh.

“I have not determined that yet. There are currently several possibilities.” He handed over his portfolio. “Each page is one of them, with the evidence for and against such a suspicion.”

Peel removed the sheets and began to look through them.

“You have not yet identified this woman who visited him that day?”

“No.”

“It could have been one of these two who have not yet been found.”

“Possibly.”

He flipped again. “Ah. The one who has been found. Miss Hepplewhite.” He read down the sheet. “Her husband’s death was ruled accidental, you write, but also that it might not have been.” More reading. “Good heavens, poor woman. Did she do it? She certainly had provocation.”

“I was engaged to make inquiries into my uncle’s death, not her husband’s. However, she did not.”

“How can you be sure? Once murder is done, it is easier to do again.”

That was exactly the reaction that Minerva had feared. “I know she did not because I know who did.”

He looked up, surprised. “You should inform the magistrate down there.”

“I have a verbal confession, but no evidence. Nor, as I said, was I engaged to make inquiries into the husband’s death.”

He accepted it, but with a frown. He turned the page and looked up again. “You are more honest than I expected, if you have included your own cousin in this stack of suspects.”

It sounded like a criticism, not a compliment. “It is the sort of evidence that is easily found, should you take this further. There was no point of trying to hide it. He was in England, and he visited Melton Park. The day before, he said, but since he was not seen at all, I can’t prove it either way.”

“He seems to have had motive, if he was denied funds for furthering their partnership. Business can bring out the worst in men sometimes.”

Chase just let that comment lie there.

Peel turned that sheet, revealing the last. He read it, expressionless. For a very long time.

He looked up, right into Chase’s eyes. Scrutinizing. Weighing.

“What led you to include my father in your inquiries?”

“Evidence presented itself to me that there had been a falling-out when the duke refused to agree to widening that canal that would benefit only two of the partners. Your father was one of them. He did not take it well, and sought to find information that might persuade the duke to change his mind.”

“They were friends.”

“Not recently, if such persuasion was being considered.”

“Who gave you this evidence of attempted persuasion?”

“Someone I believe and trust.” He had not included Mr. Monroe’s name. “I verified the information about the canal independently, however.”

Peel turned that last sheet, rested back in his chair, and closed his eyes again. Chase just waited.

Alert again, Peel leaned forward and patted the pages. “Inconclusive. All of it.”

“I think so. Preliminary findings. Enough for your office to continue, however, if you choose.” Or not, if you choose.

Peel pursed his lips, still looking at the papers. “Even your determination of the manner of death is inconclusive and not sufficiently supported by facts.”

Not really. “If you say so.”

“I do. If you had brought that alone to me a month ago, I would have saved you much time.” He stuffed the papers back into the portfolio. “Short of direct proof of a crime, it was an accident. I hope that you will accept that. It would not do to have agents spending months making further inquiries if a man of your abilities found so little to establish the death was a murder.”

“Then my assignment is over.” Chase stood. “Do you want to keep the notes, or should I remove them.”

“I will hold them for a while if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind. I make copies of all of my notes. Good day to