The Vanishing Thief Read Online Free

hall.
    In the dim illumination coming from the fanlight, I saw a closed door on one side of the hall before a flight of stairs that rose steeply upward. Next to the stairs, the hall leading to the back of the house was barely wide enough for one person to walk. The walls were painted, not papered, and the coat tree held one short garment. Mrs. Cummings’s, I guessed.
    â€œI believe you told Miss Carter that Mr. Drake has gone to visit friends in Brighton.”
    â€œThat’s right.” The housekeeper smelled of cabbage and bread dough, but the hallway smelled of polish.
    â€œCould you give me their name and direction, so I can verify his safe arrival?”
    â€œWhy would I do that?”
    Wonderful. She was as obstinate as Miss Carter. “So I may put Miss Carter’s fears to rest.”
    â€œHer? An impossible task.”
    â€œYou find Miss Carter to be excitable?”
    â€œAye, and a busybody, too. Mr. Drake didn’t mind living next door to her, but I can tell you, she’s a difficult sort of neighbor.”
    I’d had quite enough of hearing about Miss Carter. “Did you do Mr. Drake’s packing for him?”
    â€œNo, he took care of that the very evening he received a message from his friend. After he returned from dinner with some lord.”
    â€œDid you see the message from this friend?”
    â€œNo. He must have taken it with him.”
    â€œWhy would he do that?” I gave her such a look of concern she must have forgotten I’d never met Nicholas Drake.
    â€œI don’t know. And there was such a mess.” She glanced up the stairs. “There were plenty of things out of place, but I’m certain that was just from Mr. Drake packing in a hurry for his trip. He’s like most gentlemen. He expects you to pick up after him.” She made a move to open the front door to show me out.
    â€œAnd the pool of blood in the front hall? Is that part of the normal packing process for most gentlemen?”
    She stopped, her shoulders slumped. “Miss Carter told you about that?”
    I pointed at a dark stain on the floorboards. “What if the disorder was caused by his abductors?”
    She shook her head. “It couldn’t have been. Mr. Drake must be all right.”
    I tried another line of inquiry. “When did Mr. Drake tell you he was traveling to Brighton?”
    â€œThe same morning Miss Carter came over in a state, saying Mr. Drake had been abducted. She had a nightmare, silly woman.”
    If she saw him that morning, the blood in the hall wasn’t Drake’s, and Edith Carter had lied. I was furious at the dishonesty of my client, and my fury came out in my tone. “You saw him that morning?”
    Mrs. Cummings shuffled back in surprise. “No. He left me a note. He often did when he’d be gone before I arrived.”
    â€œOnly Mr. Drake was in the house that night?”
    â€œAny night.”
    â€œAre you the only one who looks after Mr. Drake?”
    â€œAny help I need, he’s given me permission to hire from the neighborhood.” She put her hands on her hips and gave a sharp nod.
    â€œIf Mr. Drake were in any danger, is there any family or friends that he would go to?”
    â€œHe’s alone in the world as far as family goes. He has two friends, Mr. Harry and Mr. Tom, he’s worked with on occasion.”
    â€œWhat are their last names?”
    â€œMr. Drake only used their Christian names. I’ve never heard last names.”
    â€œWhat line of work are they in?”
    â€œI don’t rightly know. From what I overheard, they did some of this and that.”
    They didn’t sound like a law-abiding trio. “There was no sign of a disturbance at any of the outside doors?”
    â€œNot that I saw.”
    I put sympathy in my voice. “He must have fallen on hard times if he lives here and dines with lords.”
    â€œIt’s only right he eat with lords,