The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(71)

"To Mr. Clark from the Apothecary's Guild."

Clark! Oh my.

"Why did Clark want them?" Matt asked.

"I don't know, and I don't care. I do care that the documents for the sale were hidden and not on official hospital letter-headed paper. One must assume that Dr. Ritter profited personally. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with members of the hospital board."

"You're going to inform them of Dr. Ritter's activities?" I asked.

He slapped his hat on his head and smiled. "I'm glad we were able to help one another out, Mr. Glass."

"So am I." Matt shook his hand.

I tugged on the bell pull, and Bristow arrived to escort Dr. Wiley back down the stairs. "Good luck with the meeting," I said.

Dr. Wiley smiled and bowed. "Good day, Miss Steele."

"Well," I said, turning to Matt after the doctor left. "That turned out rather well for him in the end."

"And you doubted my methods." Matt clicked his tongue and a playful smile flirted with his mouth. "Have a little more faith in your partner, India. Sometimes I even know what I'm doing."

"Don't pretend that the outcome was according to plan, Matt. You didn't care a whit for Dr. Wiley's predicament."

"That's not true. I cared, I just didn't do anything about it. To be honest, I didn't think he'd go through with spying for us. I'm surprised that he did and found what we needed. I'm even more surprised that he's going to use the information for his own benefit. I didn't think he had it in him."

I settled my hand in the crook of his arm and walked with him to the staircase. "You're admitting that you misjudged someone? Well, well, this is a day to mark in our calendars."

He chuckled. "Are you ready to visit Clark now?"

"I certainly am. I want to know why he's interested in those bottles since his guild is against magic."





Chapter 14





The porter at the Apothecary's Guild hall must have been told not to let us in if we visited again. He slammed the door in Matt's face.

Matt hammered it with his fist. "Inform Mr. Clark that if he doesn't speak to us, we will take our information to the police!" he called out. "I'm sure they'll be very interested to know he bought a murder victim's medicine collection."

His threat was followed by several seconds of silence, then: "If you'll wait there, sir."

Matt leaned one shoulder against a column and crossed his arms and ankles. He looked as if he were waiting for a friend, not someone he needed to interrogate.

I checked my watch. It was five minutes past eleven. A minute later, I checked again.

"Time won't go faster, no matter how much you look at it," Matt said with a smirk.

I snapped the case closed and slipped the watch back into my reticule. "You're in a cheerful mood this morning."

"I had a good sleep and, more importantly, I feel as if we're finally getting somewhere. There's a piece of the puzzle still missing but perhaps Clark holds it."

"I hope so." I checked along the street, looking for someone who may threaten us, but none presented themselves. "Coyle seems to have given up."

"Nobody followed us from home," he agreed. "That's a good sign, but it pays to remain vigilant."

I pulled my watch out of my reticule again and hung the chain around my neck. Matt nodded his approval.

The door finally opened and Mr. Clark stepped out. "What do you want?" he snapped. "I'm busy."

"You wish to discuss this here on the street?" Matt asked.

"I have nothing to hide."

"Then why tell your porter to keep us out?"

"Because you're a liar, and I don't trust you. I know your name is not Wild. You're Glass and Steele."

"Did you learn that from Abercrombie after you told him that an American and Englishwoman came to your guild hall asking about magic?"

Mr. Clark bristled. "What do you want?"

"We want to ask you some questions about the medicine bottles you bought from the London Hospital."

Mr. Clark smoothed the side of his head with his palm, although his hair was already in place thanks to the oil slicked through it. "It's not a crime to purchase the belongings of the deceased."

"Not if sold by the heir, no, but you bought those from Dr. Ritter. They were part of Dr. Hale's private collection and didn't belong to the hospital. He sold them to you illegally."

"Then the police ought to speak to him, not me!"

Matt lifted his hand to warn Clark to lower his voice as a passerby eyed him warily then hurried on his way. "Are you sure you want to remain out here for the rest of this discussion?"

"I'd rather be in a public place where there are witnesses."

"What has Mr. Abercrombie told you about us?" I asked.

"Everything, Miss Steele."

I smiled but it was hard and bitter. "I doubt that very much, since Mr. Abercrombie doesn't know us at all. He made his mind up about me before he even met me. I'm not a villain, Mr. Clark. If Abercrombie has told you I am, then perhaps he is the villain."