Free A study in scandal by Robyn DeHart Page B

he’d perceive her words as mockery. He believed her. It would be difficult, but she’d keep her promise. Take her “position” seriously. Perhaps she would be useful to some degree.
    “I appreciate that,” he offered, and realized that he meant it. She might be distracting and annoying to a degree, and she might be fancying this case more of an adventure than it truly was. But he sensed she meant her word in the same way that he meant his own. A kinship of honesty. It was the best he could work with under the circumstances.
    It occurred to him that the so-called Ladies’ Amateur Sleuth Society members might not have been on the list Amelia had given him earlier that week. He had the sneaking suspicion that she wouldn’t have included them in a list of potential suspects.
    “Miss Watersfield, where do your Ladies’ Amateur Sleuth Society meetings take place?”
    “We meet here.”
    “For all your meetings?”
    She nodded. “Yes. My house has always been the most convenient for everyone. Charlotte’s household is far too full—she has three siblings, then her parents. Willow and her brother care for their mother, but their home is modest, and Willow’s never been too keen on us meeting there. Meg is simply too unorganized for us to meet at her house. She has, on occasion, forgotten to attend the meetings here.”
    “I see. Were their names included on the list you brought me?”
    She thought for a moment, her brow scrunched up and her nose wrinkled. “I don’t believe I did include them. But rest assured there is no reason to question them. They are dear friends I’ve known practically all my life. They would no sooner steal from my father than I would.”
    “You are quite certain.”
    “Absolutely.”
    He nearly smiled. In Miss Watersfield’s naïve world, no one would dare steal from her father. She was one of those people who saw the good in everyone, someone people would take advantage of. Lucky for her, he could protect her from such a thing, if only for a little while.
    He wasn’t in the business of protecting unsuspecting females. Instead he tended to see his work as preventing miscreants from their evil behavior. He’d seen the dark side of life. Seen the wretched things that people could do to one another. Had seen what had happened to his father after his mother had recklessly left him to pursue a life of passion.
    Colin knew what could happen when people indulged their desires to their fullest—when they gave themselves over to their needs. He would not live his life in such a manner.
    Clearly, Amelia Watersfield had not seen that part of the world.
    “I still might want to question them,” he said.
    “Very well. I should think they would be most pleased to make your acquaintance. They were as excited as I that we’d hired a professional inspector for this case.”
    “I gather these friends of yours are also fans of the Sherlock Holmes stories.”
    “Indeed. I introduced them to the stories shortly after they began, but now we all equally love them.”
    “I suspected as much.”
    “You do not read them, do you, Inspector?”
    “No, I do not. I do not find much time for that sort of reading.”
    “Your research? It must take up quite a bit of your time.”
    “It can.” He silently cursed her for raising the subject. Now the thought of his research brought with it the memory of her lips pressed to his. All the more reason to solve this case, so he could return to his research with a clean and focused mind, free of the tantalizing thoughts of Amelia’s soft lips. With that memory so readily on his mind, he knew he not only needed to solve this case, he needed to solve it quickly.
    He looked up to find her studying him, her cheeks pink and her eyes bright. Perhaps she too thought of their kiss at mention of his research. Or perhaps she regretted being so forward with him.
    “I find your research quite fascinating,” she said.
    That surprised him. Intrigued him. Excited him.