Butterfly Palace (9 page)

She pointed. “Uncle Everett, get down! There’s a gun!”

Uncle Everett looked up and paused. He smiled as if to assure her, but his smile faded as the gunman rose with the weapon in his hand.

There had been two policemen inside, and Belle shouted, “Help, police!” Unable to tear her gaze away, she took a step toward her uncle.

The bushes shook, and the gun became easier to see. A shot rang out, and Uncle Everett dropped to the ground. Aunt Camille leaped to her feet and screamed. The gun disappeared from the bushes, and a man rushed across the open park area. Other people screamed, and several men gave chase to the shooter.

Belle rushed toward her uncle, who began to stand and brush himself off. “Uncle, are you hurt?”

He embraced her. “No, no, my dear. Thanks to your warning, I escaped injury. Lucky for me you saw the scoundrel.” He released her to hug his wife. “Don’t fret, Camille, I’m fine. The police will soon catch the culprit.”

“I knew this would happen.” Camille pulled her hanky from her sleeve and dabbed her cheeks. “Ever since you announced you planned to support women’s suffrage. You must stop, Everett. I don’t want to be widowed.”

Belle nodded. “It’s not worth it, Uncle Everett. We don’t want to lose you.”

“You’d both have me forget my convictions? What kind of man would I be?”

Convictions. The word struck a chord in Belle’s heart. Did she have any convictions of any sort? Her existence had been rather aimless and self-centered. But it was what was expected of women in her station of life. She didn’t have to be some kind of crusader. Especially if it immersed her in danger or prevented her from achieving her goal of marriage.

She fell into step beside her aunt and uncle as they headed back to the candy store. “Do you know who these men might be, Uncle?”

He pulled out a chair for her aunt. “I’ve heard a few rumblings, but we have no proof. Was he familiar at all, Belle?”

She shook her head as he pulled out her chair. “I didn’t get a good look at him. I saw only his back as he was running away. His hat obscured his face as he turned.”

She looked across the street at the park. A couple caught her attention, and she frowned. Was that the new kitchen maid with a man? Narrowing her eyes, she studied the two in the shadow of the great live oak. Surely that wasn’t Mr. Hawkes. She couldn’t be
positive with the sun in her eyes and the two of them half hidden by the leaves.

The police approached her, and she answered their questions. When they were through, she rose. “I think I’ll take a walk in the park.”

Her aunt caught at her hand. “Oh no, Belle. Not with that man still on the loose.”

“I’ll stay in the open area. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes. Uncle Everett, you can have my gem. I haven’t eaten any of it yet, and it’s melting.”

Shaking off her aunt’s hand, she stepped into the street and dodged a lorry. All she needed was to get a little closer to see.

EIGHT

D
rew remained seated when Lily sprang to her feet and paced the grassy space under the tree. She had never been good at hiding her emotions. He probably shouldn’t have told her the truth, but he couldn’t let her betray him to her employer.

She spun around and stared at him. “The fire was set?”

He nodded. That night was so embedded in his memory he could almost smell smoke right now. He well remembered the look on Lily’s face when she realized her father wasn’t walking out of that inferno, as well as her mother’s wails. A deep sense of responsibility still gnawed at him. The killer was still walking around. Justice had not been served.

Lily clutched his forearm. “But why? Why would anyone kill them? How were they involved in this?”

He stared at her hand on his arm. The familiar heat from her touch would only distract him. He stood up so her hand fell away. “A saddlebag of money was accidentally left in the livery. Your father was smart. He realized it was counterfeit and wrote a letter to the Secret Service. But before anything could be done, the money vanished and the fire occurred. That’s when I was pulled into it.”

Her blue eyes shimmered, and she blinked rapidly. “How close are you to putting the men responsible behind bars? It’s been four years.”
His gaze traveled over her perfect skin and luminous eyes. “Ballard has an uncanny ability to sniff us out. Every time I’ve gotten close, he’s vanished. I tracked him here three months ago.”

“Has he seen you? Are you in danger?”

He shook his head. “I’ve kept my distance. If he knew I was here, he’d vanish. The problem is I don’t have enough hard evidence to convict him.”

“Not even of murder?”

“Especially not of murder. What I’ve got is circumstantial. I need to catch him with the goods.”

“Mr. Vesters is involved in the counterfeiting, so you’re trying to get close to him?”

Her perception caught him off guard, but he wasn’t going to lie to her. “That’s right.”

“Where is Ballard now?”

He could see her thoughts churning. “I don’t want you anywhere near him, Lily. He’s ruthless and has no conscience.”

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll ask Mr. Vesters myself.”

“You’re going to tip my hand and put yourself at risk! Stay out of it,” he said, sitting down on the bench again.

Her lips flattened, and she narrowed her eyes. “Then tell me where he is.”

“Why? There’s nothing you can do about this.”

“If he killed my father, I have a right to help bring Ballard to justice.”

Maybe she had a point. He felt the same. But she didn’t know the type of man they were up against. Drew suspected Ballard had put more people in the grave than they knew. He didn’t intend for Lily to be another victim. “I’ll keep you informed, how’s that? It’s the best I can do, Lily.”

She sank onto the bench beside him. “That’s not good enough,
An—I mean, Mr. Hawkes. I want to help. I’m in a position to hear things. I could be of tremendous service to you.”

He curled his hands into fists. The thought of her in harm’s way was unacceptable. “No, Lily. Not going to happen.”

“Then I’ll do it on my own.” She rose and took a step toward the sidewalk.

He couldn’t let her do anything reckless. He caught at her hand before she could leave him, then tugged her back onto the bench. “People are noticing our argument. Smile. Try to relax like you’re having a good time.”

“No one is paying a bit of attention to us.”

He nodded toward two men smoking cigars by the creek. A young woman sat on a boulder with a child in her arms. “Those two were watching with great interest.”

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at them. “Who are they?”

“I don’t know, but we can’t afford to take any chances.”

“You’re just saying that to try to keep me from getting involved.” She gave a small gasp. “That’s the woman who was attacked the other day. Jane White.” She stood and started toward the group.

Drew reached for her but missed. He leaped to his feet and hurried after her. They were too close to the group for him to stop her from speaking. He had noticed the men watching his discourse with Lily from the first moment. The young woman had a gruesome cut on her forehead, still purple and swollen.

Lily smiled when she reached the young woman. “Miss White, how lovely to see you up and about. Are you quite recovered from the attack?”

The woman gasped when she saw Lily, and she rose unsteadily. “M-Miss. How unexpected to see you.” She glanced at her companions, then shifted the child to the other shoulder. “Yes, I’m fine
now. Still a little stiff and sore, but very thankful to be alive. And please, call me Jane.”

“Only if you call me Lily. I’m Lily Donaldson.” She leaned close to look at the baby. “Who is this little one?”

“This is my little Hannah. She is six months old.” A tender smile lit the woman’s pale features with an unexpected beauty, and she brushed her lips across the baby’s forehead.

“She’s beautiful.” Lily glanced at the grass. “What’s this?” She picked up a glass globe containing a butterfly.

Miss White winced. “I received that a couple of days ago. The butterfly was alive, and I wanted to break the globe to set it free, but I was afraid I’d kill it. By the time my brother, Nathan, got home to help me, it wasn’t moving. I probably shouldn’t have brought it, but Hannah loves to see it. Even though the butterfly is dead, it’s still beautiful.”

Drew took it from Lily’s hand. “Did you tell the police?”

Miss White shook her head. “I didn’t think to mention it.”

The taller man stared them down. He was about twenty-two with a trim brown beard and piercing green eyes. He was neatly dressed in brown pants and a white shirt. “Who are you, and why are you bothering my sister?”

Jane turned toward him. “This is the young lady who helped me after the attack, Nathan.”

Nathan’s gaze softened, and he took off his hat. His longish hair curled over his ears. He was probably attractive to the ladies with his soulful eyes and muscular form. “I thank you for that then, miss.” He glanced at Drew. “This your fella?”

Lily colored and shook her head. “Just an acquaintance.”

The pang at her words took Drew by surprise. He’d chosen his course long ago.

Nathan studied him. “I saw you talking to Vesters. Just a
friendly warning since you helped my sister. He’s dangerous and you’d do well to stay away from him.”

Drew lifted a brow. “Dangerous in what way?”

Nathan turned away. “I’m not saying anything else. Just be careful.”

This might be the break Drew was looking for. He fixed his gaze on the other man, a fellow in his forties with a straggly blond beard and a rumpled white shirt. “And you are . . . ?”

The man shrugged. “Just a friend. This is none of my business.” He folded his arms over his chest.

Lily turned to Jane. “We believe Vesters is associated with the man who killed our fathers. We need to know anything that might help us.”

Jane put her hand on her brother’s arm. “Please, Nathan. She was good to me.”

Nathan turned back to face them. “I’m not surprised he would stoop to murder.” His gaze went past Drew’s shoulder. “We must go.” He seized his sister’s arm and propelled her into the trees. The other man followed them.

Drew turned to see Belle walking toward them with purposeful steps.

Belle had never seen the people with Drew and Lily before, but they slipped away into the lush green shrubs that lined the gurgling brook. They appeared to be of the unsavory sort, so she paid their departure no mind as she marched through the tall, damp grass toward the wayward maid. The chit would pay for the dampness on the hem of her new dress. Her slippers were soaked as well.

Drew’s gaze caught hers, but his expression was inscrutable as
he turned to greet her. He was so handsome in his gray suit that he nearly took her breath away. And it made her all the angrier that he was consorting with the
maid
.

He took off his hat and nodded. “Miss Castle, what a surprise to see you here.”

“I’m sure it is.” She stared at her maid. “Lily, I must say I’m quite disappointed to find you not attending to the duties I gave you this morning.”

Lily didn’t appear discomfited. She held up a book-shaped package wrapped in brown paper. “I completed my duties.”

“Then you should have gone home!” Belle waited for her to explain her appearance with Drew, but the young woman kept her chin up and didn’t appear to fear the tongue lashing she was about to get. “Who else were you with? I saw the other men.”

“And woman,” Lily said. “The young lady was the one I helped after she was attacked. I wished to make sure she was doing well.”

“And I accompanied her,” Drew put in.

Belle’s gloved fingers curled into her palms. Why was he taking up for Lily? Was he one of those men who liked to trick maids into bed? But no, it was much more likely Lily had set her cap on him. “I see.”

“Miss Jane is doing fine,” Lily said. “She is still bruised but alive. Which is more than can be said for some of the villain’s other victims.”

Belle shuddered. Perhaps she would agree to having Lily for her maid after all. At least she would have direct contact in controlling her. “It’s hardly a topic for polite company. Go back home at once, Lily. I’m sure Mrs. O’Reilly has other duties for you to tend to.”

“Of course, Miss Belle.” Lily’s long lashes swept down, obscuring the expression in her eyes. “I’ll see you there.”

She didn’t look at Drew, which was just as well, because Belle
had had all she could take of the girl’s impudence. How dare she even look at a cultured man like Drew? Once she got Lily alone, Belle intended to make it clear there would be no more of this type of behavior.

Once Lily hurried toward the street, Belle composed herself and smiled up at Drew. “I hope she wasn’t too much of a nuisance. Thank you for taking care of her. I know it was your way of helping me and my uncle as well. We can’t let any rumors fly about the integrity of one of our maids.”

He offered his arm. “I’m sure you need to return home.”

“My uncle is waiting for me at Lammes Candies.” Drew smelled most divinely of bay rum as she took his arm. Her bad mood evaporated, and they strolled back toward the café. “Someone tried to shoot Uncle Everett.”