Inspector Green sidestepped her. “You claim that you were in the hallway with Mr. Ashton while the first round of champagne glasses were passed around.”
“Mr. Ashton can confirm it,” Saffron replied confidently.
“The trouble is, Miss Everleigh, that your relationship with Mr. Ashton is such that he could say whatever suited the situation to ensure your alibi.”
“My relationship with him? We’re colleagues. We work in the same building.”
“You were seen with him at the party.”
“We were introduced at the party. And as I’ve said, we’re colleagues. It is natural to converse with one’s coworkers,” Saffron said, working hard to conceal the anger she felt. Gossip seemed to follow her everywhere she went!
The inspector cocked an eyebrow. “In a dark hallway, for example? Seems an odd place to converse with a man you met that evening. You must have become very fast friends, to have been seen around campus and each other’s offices so often.”
From behind her, Simpson made a noise like a stifled laugh. Inspector Green shot a quelling look over her shoulder.
Saffron tried to restrain her indignation, her hands clutching together in her lap. “As I said, we work together. We just began collaborating on the work for the expedition. Mr. Ashton is my department’s representative, as botany sits under biology. Dr. Maxwell’s tasks for the expedition have been assigned to Mr. Ashton, and they require preparation, research. As you have detained Dr. Maxwell,” she added with a glare, “I have to do more to assist Mr. Ashton.”
“As you say,” Inspector Green demurred.
Unsatisfied, Saffron continued. “I still fail to see the relevance of my unfortunate experience with the professor.”
Without blinking, Inspector Green said, “Dr. Maxwell threatened Dr. Berking when he heard of Dr. Berking’s behavior toward you on the sixteenth of March.”
Shock rolled through her, followed by a warm glow of gratitude. Saffron doubted Dr. Maxwell would seriously threaten anything apart from an insect eating his exotic specimens, but that he would pit himself against Berking on her behalf was enough to make her willing to drink down xolotl for him all over again.
“According to who?” she asked, determined to bolster Maxwell’s defense. “Dr. Berking? He can hardly be trusted to report accurately.”
“That may be true, but we have alternate sources to confirm it,” said the inspector as he stood. “I must ask you to stay in London for the duration of the investigation. Thank you for your time, Miss Everleigh.”
Closing the door after the policemen, her anxiety rose. Why did the inspector think her capable of murder? What did he know about her—or rather, what had people said about her?
It seemed as if she’d only managed to get herself in more trouble. Now, it looked like she was under just as much suspicion as Dr. Maxwell.
CHAPTER 10
Alexander arrived at the office determined to cross a few things off his to-do list. Staying busy would keep his mind where it belonged—on the expedition and ensuring he was ready for it.
The prospect of the expedition left Alexander feeling restless, as if he needed to immediately be in motion. Six months in the jungle would break up the monotony of lab work nicely. His last expedition had been more than a year ago. It was time for another. He’d managed to convince himself—or rather, his mother had convinced him—that staying in London was a sound decision. The guilt of her worry and heartbreak over him, during and after his service, meant he found it next to impossible to deny her. In the end, he was relieved that he’d been asked to step in. He enjoyed the single-mindedness of an expedition; one was there to do the job, and that’s all there was to it.
First among his tasks was ordering equipment. Dr. Henry’s assistant, Snyder, had provided him with instructions for gear and the dates of the voyages and a rough itinerary, being sure to point out on multiple occasions that it was likely to be dangerous and uncomfortable. Between his previous travels and his experience in the army, Alexander was used to both, so he didn’t find Snyder’s wide-eyed warnings disconcerting.
Alexander spent an hour going over the study designs from various professors and jotting down notes on what he’d need to order. He followed this up by going to each professor and double-checking everything before turning in the equipment forms to Richard Blake’s office.
Of course, all this took longer than it should have because Saffron Everleigh and her determination to save Dr. Maxwell would not leave his mind. Even though she’d seemed fine yesterday, apart from when her flatmate had thoroughly scolded her, the urge to make sure she was all right hovered in the periphery in his mind all morning.