Heart of Courage Read Online Free PDF

nothing that happened ever stayed secret very long.
    â€œYou can say what you have to say right here.”
    Bertram nodded, moving strands of his thinning brown hair. “All right, if that is your wish. As you are surely aware, your brother has fallen under police scrutiny in the matter of the Covent Garden murders. As he seems unable to tell us his whereabouts on the nights of either of the murders, we are hoping that you might be able to shed some light on the subject.”
    Her pulse kicked up. She told herself to stay calm. “My brother is a grown man. He goes about as he pleases. I can tell you that even if he happened to be in the area those nights, he is not a man with the sort of temperament to commit a brutal murder.”
    â€œAre you aware he knew both women?”
    â€œHe mentioned it, yes.”
    â€œAre you also aware that he was seen in the company of Miss Phoebe Carter, the latest victim, the very night she was killed?”
    The blood slowly drained from her face. “That…that isn’t possible.”
    â€œYour brother’s friend…” He glanced down at a scrap of paper he pulled from the pocket of his coat. “A gentleman named Thomas Boggs, says that Mr. Graham left his flat with the woman and did not return to the party.”
    Dear God, Rudy was with the murder victim the night she was killed? Why hadn’t he told her? She tried to remember exactly what he had said, I had…um…seen her shortly before. Great heavens, she had thought he meant days, not hours! Lindsey said nothing, just sat there trying to keep her emotions carefully controlled.
    â€œI realize we are talking about your brother,” Constable Bertram said, “but the law is the law and if there is something you know that you are not telling us—”
    Lindsey shot to her feet. “I know my brother is innocent of any wrongdoing. In fact…he—he couldn’t have been the man who killed Miss Carter because he came home early that night. He must have dropped the woman off somewhere and returned directly to the house.”
    Constable Archer lifted a bushy eyebrow. “Are you certain of this, miss? Were you awake when he came in?”
    â€œWhy, yes, I was. We spoke briefly but he had been drinking and I suggested he had best go up to bed.”
    â€œNo blood on his clothes? Nothing that might have looked suspicious?”
    â€œNot in the least.”
    Bertram pierced her with a glare. “What time was it?”
    â€œWhat time?” she repeated dully.
    â€œThat is correct. At what hour did your brother come home?”
    Dear God, what time had her brother left the party with the woman? She had no possible way to know. “Sometime after midnight.”
    â€œAnd you remember this particular night because…?”
    â€œBecause it was the night of the Kentwells’ ball.” That much was true. She had come to work the next day and read about the murder in the paper—the one Thor had borrowed. Which was probably the reason she recalled. Thor wasn’t easy to forget.
    â€œThere are laws against aiding a criminal, Miss Graham,” Constable Bertram warned. “If you are lying, you will only make matters worse for your brother.”
    â€œAnd extremely difficult for yourself,” Archer chimed in.
    She straightened. “My brother would never hurt anyone, much less do murder. That is all I have to say on the subject and I would appreciate it if you would now please leave.”
    She didn’t see Thor approach but suddenly he was there, towering over the policemen. “Miss Graham has told you all she knows.”
    â€œAnd who might you be?” asked Bertram.
    â€œI am a friend—one who can see that you have upset the lady.”
    â€œIf Miss Graham is a friend, it would be wise to advise her to be truthful in regard to her brother.”
    Thor said nothing. The quieter he was, the more intimidating he