Page 2 of Corpse in the Canal

“Your son is a young man of independent means?” Solomon asked.

Harvey glared. “He is, and I know what you’re thinking. But he came here to propose—” He broke off and cleared his throat. “Look here, Grey, this may not be the kind of edifying tale you would want your wife to hear.”

Constance never knew whether to laugh or stick her tongue out at such assumptions. Instead, she smiled amiably and let Solomon answer.

“We are partners, sir. My wife needs to know everything I do. You are unlikely to shock her.”

Extremely unlikely. Although the other way around would be very easy indeed…

Harvey regarded her with a hint of distaste, then shrugged his shoulders. “Very well. My son is a healthy young man who enjoys his pleasures. Who doesn’t, at that age?” he asked indulgently. “However, he also has an understanding with Lady Phoebe Styles, the Earl of Dashworth’s daughter. Percy came to London to propose to her formally. However, on Monday, the day after Percy left, I discovered That Woman was also in London. I know what she was up to!”

“What?” Constance asked. “And—er… Who is she?”

“Adelaide Jenkins,” said Harvey, his voice dripping with scorn. “A widow who has taken up residence in the neighborhood of Channing. She has caught Percy in her wiles, although he was never going to be foolish enough to marry her! No, he meant to do his duty by Lady Phoebe, and she followed him to London to put a spoke in the wheel!”

“Did she manage it?” Constance asked.

“What? No, of course not!” Harvey scowled, then sighed. “That is…perhaps. I called on Lord and Lady Dashworth, of course, but neither they nor Phoebe have seen Percy in a fortnight.”

“And Mrs. Jenkins?” Solomon asked. “Has she seen him?”

“How the deuce would I know? I’ve no idea where to find the woman!”

“So, you’re afraid they’ve disappeared together?” Constance hazarded.

“I put nothing past That Woman. Nothing.”

Constance, who had been That Woman for all her adult life, could not resist. She nodded sagely. “Then you would describe Mr. Percy Harvey as a weak-willed kind of a man, or naïve, perhaps? The sort to be taken advantage of?”

Harvey immediately looked affronted, harrumphing into his beard. “Hmph, hum, no, I would not! But she has wiles, Mrs. Grey. Wiles! She could have made it seem his duty to spend time with her, marry her even! That is my greatest fear, that he was inveigled into marriage with such a creature and is now stuck with her! And he such a bright young man with his whole life ahead of him! It would break his mother’s heart.”

This time Constance did glance at Solomon, who sat forward in his chair.

“Mr. Harvey, it is our policy never to undertake cases that involve trust between husbands and wives. Your case comes so close—”

“This is not a matter of trust!” Harvey exploded. “I neither need nor want you to investigate That Woman. I know exactly what she’s like. I just need to know where my son is! Is that beyond your capabilities?”

Constance regarded him thoughtfully. Although he was something of an arrogant blusterer, not above bullying people into doing his bidding, the anxiety in his face and voice spoke of a genuinely painful concern. Whatever his reasons, and whatever their validity, he feared for his son.

“Probably not,” Solomon said. He met Constance’s gaze for a moment. They understood each other. “At this point, we will make only preliminary inquiries. If we believe there is a case, we will talk about business. For now, tell us your son’s address, the names of his friends, his clubs, his favorite haunts in town, and where you have looked already…”

*

“Have we just been flimflammed?” Solomon murmured in the brief moments between Harvey leaving the office and Hat showing the next client in.

“I don’t know. But with or without cause, he’s afraid for his boy. I expect parents always are…” Her mouth went suddenly dry. She didn’t like to think of that kind of worry, though she’d caused more of it than she’d once understood in her own mother.

Their next client, who had written to them about discovering the cause of a major disturbance in his neighborhood, turned out to be upset by a barking dog none of his neighbors would admit to owning. But since he wasn’t put off by the fees, they took him on and got him to sign a contract.

“Riveting,” Solomon remarked when the client left.

“I daresay Janey and Lenny could deal with the barking dog. If we find Percy Harvey today, then we can take on the next client tomorrow.” It was good to have a business so brisk that they had a healthy waiting list.

“You think it will be that simple?” Solomon asked.

“A wealthy young man kicking up larks in Town? I should imagine so. But I want to know why his father is so alarmed.”

“So do I,” Solomon confessed.