Free The Evil That Men Do.(Inspector Faro Mystery No.11) by Alanna Knight Page A

be abducted,’ she added with a shiver. ‘And Grandmama had wicked thoughts about white slavers.’
    Gradual enlightenment dawned on McQuinn. ‘But you were - I mean, it was two little girls I found wandering—’
    ‘It was also years ago, when Papa was investigating the case of the baby in the wall of Edinburgh Castle.’
    ‘By all that’s holy, Miss Faro,’ said McQuinn. ‘Sure and who would have thought you’d grow into such a blithe and bonny young lady.’
    As Rose blushed under McQuinn’s appraising gaze Faro decided this had gone far enough. Hailing a passing hiring car riage, he bundled Rose into it with directions to Charlotte Square.
    ‘But, Papa,’ Rose protested. ‘I can walk there. This is non sense.’
    ‘It isn’t nonsense. And I won’t have you walking about Princes Street, a stranger unescorted.’
    ‘But - Papa—’
    ‘Do as you’re told,’ said Faro, nodding to the driver and slipping him a coin. ‘Now, off you go.’
    Watching them depart, he said coldly to McQuinn: ‘Haven’t you a train to catch?’ And without waiting for a reply, he hurried across the road and over North Bridge, murmuring angrily to himself that the last thing he wanted in his life at the present time was a daughter who was going to need watching.
     
    Rose was already abed asleep when he returned to Sheridan Place late that evening and found a very gloomy Vince awaiting him.
    ‘We’ve drawn a complete blank. Adrian and I have spoken to all the leading consultants in Edinburgh whom Cedric might have visited. Wiseman put in an appearance at the surgery, by the way, most anxious to help us. He’d met you at Charlotte Square and was baffled and rather hurt too, I might add. Feels that as a long-standing friend of the family, Adrian and Cedric should have confided in him and not gone above his head to consult another doctor.’
    Vince looked at him. ‘I was going to suggest that you cross Adrian off your list of suspects, then something happened to change my mind.’
    ‘And what was that?’ Faro demanded eagerly.
    ‘As you know he’s a good friend of mine and I thought I was in his confidence. However, Wiseman let slip an important piece of information during his visit. Freda came into the hall as he was leaving and he said: “I believe we are to congratulate you, Mrs Langweil.” Freda blushed and smiled shyly. “I hope so.” Then Wiseman said: “I trust your husband is taking good care of you. After all this long time, we don’t want any problems, do we?” ’
    ‘Well, there wasn’t any doubt in my mind what he was talking about. Freda was pregnant. I’d noticed that she had put on rather a lot of weight recently, but fool that I was and because Adrian never said a word, its possible significance escaped me.’
    ‘When Adrian and I were alone, I added my own congratula tions. He apologised for not telling me earlier and added somewhat hastily that as he hadn’t told any of the family yet he would be grateful if I’d keep it to myself. Early days still, and as they’d had a few false alarms. They intended telling the family at Barbara’s birthday party next week.’
    Both men were silent, aware that if Adrian and Freda produced a son, he would inherit the Langweil fortune after Theodore’s death. Only Cedric had stood in the way. And now Cedric was dead.
    ‘So only Adrian and Wiseman knew. You say Wiseman is a long-standing friend of the family?’
    ‘Oh yes. I rather guess from Adrian that the main attraction was Grace. Adrian suspected that he had hopes of her, even teased him a little about it.’
    ‘Surely she was a little young for him.’
    ‘ Not really, although she must have been a mere schoolgirl when he first went to the house.’
    I must be getting old, thought Faro. But doubtless that was why Wiseman seemed so embarrassed and discomforted by his presence. Knowing that Faro’s stepson was to marry Grace, he was afraid that the Inspector might be aware of his infatuation for