I TOOK THE UNDERGROUND to the stop nearest Miss Kurtfield’s address and went looking for a telephone box. I found one in the post office, which hadn’t closed yet, although I could feel the clerk glaring at my back as I checked the directory. I was in luck. Miss Kurtfield’s address was listed as Greenly Boarding House with the street address I had found, and when I looked up the Greenly Boarding House, there was a telephone number listed. That meant it would ring either in the hall or the landlady’s flat. Hopefully, it would be answered by someone who liked a good gossip.
The receiver was picked up on the fourth ring and an out-of-breath voice said, “Greenly Boarding House. Mrs. Greenly speaking. The ground-floor room has been let, but the second-floor one is still available.”
“Could I speak to Miss Kurtfield, please?”
“She isn’t in.”
Mrs. Pomeroy had said she hadn’t come to the dinner because she was ill. “When do you expect her back?”
“Not for a few days.”
My mind immediately went to all the places she could go with her embezzled funds. If I could get a look in her rooms...but Inspector Hamilton would be furious with me. “I have a ledger book she left when she was here last week. I don’t like to keep something that I’m sure is confidential just lying about. Could I bring it over and leave it in her flat?”
“I suppose there’s no harm in that. It would be safely locked up in there. Ring my flat when you come. Who should I be expecting?”
I considered giving an alias in case Inspector Hamilton went there, but I didn’t have any cards for one, and if Mrs. Greenly gave a description, he’d know at once it was me. I tried to avoid the question entirely. “I’ll be there in a few minutes then. Thank you.”
The postal clerk was standing at the door with his hand on the closed sign as I left, and I could hear the lock turn as soon as I was on the pavement outside.
I had to try three stationer’s shops before I found one that sold blank ledger books; then I spent another fifteen minutes sitting on a park bench scribbling nonsense into it in case Mrs. Greenly looked inside. So it was almost half an hour later that I was standing on the front steps of the Greenly Boarding House, pressing the bell with Mrs. Greenly’s name beside it. The door opened before the sound of the bell had faded, and I realized Mrs. Greenly had been waiting for me. I wanted to get on her good side as quickly as possible. “I’m sorry. The Underground was crowded and—” I tried to come up with something else.
“I’m afraid the tea is cold, but please come in. Do you work with Miss Kurtfield?” She led me through to a sitting room used by all the tenants where she had laid out tea.
I hedged again, trying to tell the truth and give myself the best chance of finding information. “I’m not in book-keeping. I’m a typist.”
“I see. Well as I’m sure you noticed, we are very conveniently located near the main offices of Carrollton Steam and Co as well as the Underground stop and several shops. If you would like to see the other room on the second floor, I’d be happy to show it to you.”
So that was why she was being so helpful. “I’m happy where I am, but I might know someone who’s looking to change addresses. I’ll be sure to tell her about it.” I wracked my brain for a name I could give if she asked, but Mrs. Greenly handed me my tea and said:
“Then I’ll show to you anyway, and you can tell her how well-appointed it is.”
I sipped my tea. “I’ll be sure to. It’s a very nice neighborhood.”
Mrs. Greenly began enumerating the various advantages of her boarding house, all of which seemed to center on its location. I smiled and sipped my tea and listened for any clue that might help. When she’d wound down, I held up the ledger book. “It sounds like such a nice place to live, so easy to get everywhere.”
“Oh yes, it's very convenient to everything you could want. Now, you wanted to deliver that. I’ll let you into her room, and you can leave it on the table. You’ll understand that I have to stay with you.”
“Naturally. You can’t be too careful.”
Mrs. Greenly led me up the steep but well-carpeted stairs to the second floor and unlocked the door on the left. Miss Kurtland’s flat was a bedsit with a single bed and a sitting area that faced the back garden.
“As you can see, the available flat has a nice view of the street, perfect for watching London pass by.”
“I’ll be sure to tell my friend. I’ll just leave this on the desk.” The desk was under the window, which meant I had to cross the entire room to get there. Mrs. Greenly watched me constantly from the door so I couldn’t get a good look at anything, but I did manage quick glances. The room was neat and uncluttered. The furniture was nice but not expensive. The shoes lined up by the closet door were fashionable but fairly cheap except for one pair of good black boots. I didn’t see anything that suggested embezzlement, but then she might be very clever and wait to spend the money until she was well away. I made a space in the middle of the desk for the ledger, pretending I wanted to be sure she’d see it, and scanned the contents as I moved them: small bills that had been marked paid, a letter folded into its envelope, a few calling cards stacked on the blotter. I noticed a photograph of a young man. I was about to ask Mrs. Greenly about him, when I saw a business card stuck in the frame. Navin Sharma.
“That’s a nice picture of Mr. Garland, isn’t it?” Mrs. Greenly asked from the door.
The other guest. Another connection. “Very nice. Does he call here often?”
“Certainly. At least twice a week. Of course, I make him wait in the parlor. This is a respectable house even if they — well, you being a friend, I’m sure you know about their engagement.”
“Of course,” I lied. “But they told you?”
“Oh, they didn’t want to, but he had to explain why he was calling so often. I think it’s rather romantic.”
“I suppose it is.” She was focused on me now so I couldn’t poke around anymore. I scanned the room as I made my way back to the landing, but nothing caught my eye. “Thank you for letting me drop that off.”
“Of course, my dear.” Mrs. Greenly turned to lock the door. She’d barely finished when she was almost knocked down by a young woman of about twenty running down the stairs.
“Mildred, how many times must I tell you, you must be careful on these stairs.”
“I was being careful. Fast does not mean I’m not being careful. Besides, I’m late.”
“For what?”
“Got to do an inventory at my job. Renting out Mary’s place now?”
“Just letting her friend drop something off while she’s out.”
The girl smiled. “Done a bunk, has she?”
“She has not ‘done a bunk’; she’s gone out of town for a few days. The rent is fully paid up, which is more than I can say for some, Mildred.”
The girl made a face and ran down the rest of the stairs.
“There might be a second room for let soon if you know of anyone else who’s looking.”
I smiled conspiratorially. “I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you for all your help.” I was hoping that, if I hurried, I'd be able to catch my next clue.
On the street, I looked for the girl from the stairs. I saw a young constable on his rounds. It couldn’t hurt. I tried to sound casual as I asked him, “Did you see Milly go by?”
“What did she forget this time? You might be able to catch her in the Underground. Are you Mrs. Greenly’s new lodger?”
“No, just checking her place out for a friend. Thanks.” I hurried to the Underground station.
The Underground station was small with only one line, so I only had two platforms to choose from. Thinking back to the girl, I chose the one that headed towards the center of the city. This late in the evening, the platform was mostly deserted, and I had no trouble spotting Milly leaning against a column. She spotted me as I approached her.
“You’re the one who was looking at a room just now.”
“That’s right. Well, I was at the boarding house. I was really dropping something off for Mary.”
“But you don’t really know her. Don’t try to lie to me; I know all the tricks. Anyone who knows her calls her Gilda. 'Cause she deals with money, get it?”
I smiled. “You caught me.”
“Not going to rob her, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“I was only teasing. This is my train. You coming?”
When we’d gotten into the car and found seats, Milly grinned at me. “What do you want to ask me? You followed me for a reason.”
“I’m getting transparent, it seems.”
“Naw, I’m just a better liar.”
I smiled. “I was just trying to ask her some questions. Something to do with the people she works with. Do you know where she is?”
“‘Fraid not. Her gentleman friend might know, though.”
“Mr. Garland?”
“That’s right. But don’t call at his house; try him at the office. He won’t tell you anything about her if you ask at his house.”
“Why not?”
“Has a mother there, that’s why.” She looked up at the station name as the train stopped then turned back to me. “They’ve got a minor title and even less auspicious finances, so his mum wants him to marry money or a title, not Gilda. I’ve been telling her this whole secret engagement thing is nonsense and they should just have it done with, but she insists he knows what he’s doing. This is my stop. You won’t mention it to Mrs. Greenly, will you? She thinks I work in a shop. She’d have kittens if she knew it was the Fox’s Den.”
I assumed that was a pub. “I won’t mention it. Thanks for your help.” A secret engagement to a man who needed money. Both working for Mr. Carrollton, one in the department of most interest to Mr. Sharma and one in Bookkeeping. And both of them now missing. I’d have to tell Inspector Hamilton about them. They were excellent suspects for the embezzlement. But how had they committed the murder? Without that, they were no help to Mrs. Pomeroy. I thought about it as I got off at the next station and mapped out the way home, but I still hadn’t come up with anything by the time I'd left the Baker Street Station and crossed over to Paddington Street. Hopefully, Inspector Hamilton would have more luck.