Marry the Man Today Read Online Free PDF Page B

possible?"
    "As Lord Mayor, I don't want to panic the population. After all, this is the third woman in four months to turn up missing. And we haven't been able to stop a single one."
    "A shame, isn't it?" came the unexpected whisper of sympathy from Miss Dunaway.
    But Ross hadn't heard a thing about any of it. "I'm sorry, Callis, I'm completely clueless. I've been on the continent. You'll have to fill me in."
    "Briefly then, all of the victims have been ladies. Every one of them. From wealthy families. Aristocratic titles. Three identical crimes."
    "Identical?"
    "Down to the time of day."
    "And the motives for these abductions?"   Ross asked, surprised that his prisoner had relaxed so completely.
    "Hard to say, my lord." Callis shook his head. "Very few clues left at the scene; though, as I said, each piece of evidence has been identical to the one before. Nothing to alert the passersby that anything is amiss."
    "And then what happens? A demand for money?"
    "Nothing, my lord. No ransom note. Nor any contact with the family at all afterward."
    "No bodies, neither," Robins added, in a whisper meant to exclude Miss Dunaway, though she was listening intently, "we can thank the good Lord."
    Three women vanished completely? Three identically orchestrated crimes?
    And not a single body?
    "Interesting, Lord Mayor." Ross eased his hold on Miss Dunaway's shoulder, trusting that she wouldn't turn and bolt back to her cell. "But how can I help you? I've been away, as I told you."
    Callis glanced down again at the becalmed woman. "If I could send over what we've got so far on the Wallace case. It's not muc h —"
    "I'll be at a dinner tonight until well after midnight, but, sure. Have your officer leave it at the club with Pembridge. I'll take it from there."
    "Excellent, my lord. Thank you." Callis breathed a huge sigh. "Three women in four months! Bloody hell, it's a crime wave! And it's liable to set the whole city into a fright, right in the middle of the social season, if we don't solve the crimes and put a stop to the criminal."
    "The press won't get wind of this from Scotland Yard," the captain said, "I can promise you that."
    "And you, Miss Dunaway?" Ross bent down to the sobered young woman, freeing her hands of his stock, but holding fast to her wrists and peering into her eyes. "Not a word from you either."
    "I promise, Blakestone," she said, her gaze glittering brightly with something he couldn't read. "Cross my heart. Not a single word, to anyone. May I go home now?"
    Home? Now that was a sudden change of direction.
    "I thought you didn't have a home." A bosom, she had said. But the woman definitely had a bosom. Shapely and soft-edged, he'd noticed that in particular. "Or have you tired of prison life, madam?"
    She shrugged and nodded slightly. "Just putting everything into perspective, sir. Hearing about those poor women. Makes one think, doesn't it?"
    "Indeed."
    "A paddy wagon, Miss Dunaway?" the captain said, eyeing the woman, his hands on his hips, his earlier hes-itance having vanished. "Or can I trust you in a hack?"
    "Thank you, I'll walk, Captain. I promise to go straight to m y —"
    "No. I'll see you home, Miss Dunaway." Ross heard the words escaping his mouth before he could pull them back. Before he had noticed his heart slamming around inside his chest.
    Before he realized that he just needed to know where she called home. Because he couldn't quite let go of all that fiery courage. Not yet.
    She lifted her eyes to his, searching his face, obviously assessing his motives. "If you promise not to bind my hands and drag me to my door."
    Ross glanced at Callis and Robins, who were watching the exchange as though expecting a bout of fisticuffs to break out between them.
    "A truce then, madam."
    Her smile filled her eyes with a kind of peace. Then she turned and reached out her hand to the captain as though she'd just spent the afternoon in his mother's parlor. "Thank you for your hospitality, Captain Robins. I'll