34

THE PAYOFF

KATELYN PRODUCED A HOUSE KEY from her silk purse. The stately Savannah mansion was, after all, still her home. There was no need to knock for Moxie to answer the door. As they entered the spacious vestibule, Andrew’s back stiffened, remembering how the baroness made a mocking show of their previous visit. He felt a sense of dread entering that oppressive home.

“Is that you, my lady?” Moxie’s high-pitched voice echoed through the hallway as she darted from the kitchen, expecting the baroness. “Oh, it’s you, Lady Katelyn.” Her countenance sank with disappointment at the sight of the couple now entering the library.

Without greeting her, she turned to the servant. “Please get Jasper so we can discuss the problem at hand.” Katelyn spoke with new authority, and Andrew noted the surprise on Moxie’s face.

“Do you have news of Lady Genevieve?” Moxie’s face lit up with anticipation.

Katelyn’s dark blue eyes remained unyielding as she stared at the indentured servant. Andrew sensed she was sizing up Moxie with a new perspective. It had occurred to him that Moxie had something to do with Lilly’s disappearance. Katelyn finally spoke with a voice that sounded cold and indifferent. “Don’t ever speak her name in my presence again, or I’ll send you back to Ireland so fast your head will spin.”

Moxie’s face turned red as she darted from the room in a huff.

Katelyn turned to Andrew. “She never liked Lilly. She resented that I treated her as my younger sister. It’s a pity she never knew the beautiful soul of that child. It’s her loss, and I will never forgive her if she’s a part of her demise.”

Andrew decided to hold his tongue about the spiritual ramifications of unforgiveness. “Is it possible to get some tea?”

Katelyn glared at him. “How can you think of tea at a time like this?” Her eyes blazed, and he felt embarrassed by the request.

Jasper came rushing in. “Lady Katelyn! Oh glory be, you’re here! This has been a terrible fright for all of us. This is all my fault.”

Katelyn looked surprised. “How so?”

“I should have been there to protect her.” He had taken off his hat and stood looking forlorn.

“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s a grown woman with a mind of her own. You aren’t responsible for her disappearance.” Katelyn glanced at Andrew and rolled her eyes. “The police have done a thorough investigation, and I am satisfied with their report.” She sniffed with an air of indifference. “Unless you didn’t tell them everything. Is there something you need to tell us about that night?”

He shuffled his feet and stared at the ground. He gave Andrew a dubious look and refused to speak.

Katelyn became irritated. “Jasper, it’s okay, Mr. Dempsey is our family attorney. He is well aware of what’s been going on in our home. You must tell us the truth.”

He finally looked up with tears in his eyes. “She made me promise.”

“Promise what?” Katelyn sounded irritated by the man’s obvious grief over her aunt’s disappearance.

“She had me stop at the Traveler’s Inn before going to the Keystone that night. A man met her on the terrace. He gave her some money.”

“How do you know that? Did you see the man give her money? Did you see what he looked like?” Katelyn’s voice was rising to an anxious pitch.

“It was the same man I see comin’ and goin’ at the Keystone. He’s part of that there gambling crowd. His hair is the color of straw, and I once overheard him speak—he has a thick Scandinavian accent. I hear tell he’s a slave trader.”

“How did you know money was exchanged?”

“She gave me the bag of money to hide and warned me not to tell anyone.”

“So afterwards, you drove to the Keystone and dropped her off at the entrance as usual?”

“Yes, that’s how it happened all right. That gambling gang is always all ’round about talking and such. No place for a lady if you ask me. Mr. Sites, well darn, he don’t open those doors till eight o’clock, so that crowd grows in number and anxious by every minute they have to wait.”

Andrew stepped in. “So let me get this straight.” He faced the man, looking directly into his eyes. He spoke distinctly, with no emotion. “You’re telling us that you dropped off the baroness a little before eight o’clock? There was a crowd gathering in front of the Keystone, and the last you saw of her is that she disappeared among all the people waiting to enter?”

“That sounds ’bout right. It must a been before eight cause the doors were still shut.”

Andrew sensed he was nervous being questioned by someone who knew the law. His face was etched with fear.

“That night, I returned for her lady at our usual time, but Mr. Sites said the baroness didn’t play her cards that evening. But I went in searchin’ all through the restaurant for her anyway. I left real quick-like cause that slave trader must have done away with her to get all his money back. I came back here to see if Lady Genevieve might-in’ be home. I told Moxie what happened . . . and about the money. I drove all through the streets of Savannah lookin’ for her. When the light of day broke, my wife and me went to the police. Moxie warned me not to tell . . . um . . . about all that money, sayin’ the baroness would deport us if we told. I gave the constable my honest account. He wrote out everythin’ I spoke. I told him everythin’.”

He paused, looking sheepish. “Everythin’ but the money part.”