It was surprisingly infuriating how unsurprisingly indifferent the inspector was. Her words dried up at his blank face.
“I hope that you will take our evidence into consideration.” Alexander stood and shook the inspector’s hand. Saffron shook his hand too, and they exited his office.
* * *
A dull gray cover of clouds darkened with every step, matching Saffron’s downcast mood. In silence, they stepped onto the bus to the university, and the sky gave way to rain. Umbrellas swelled to life, and the streets slickened through the dirty bus windows.
On reaching the Euston Square stop, she and Alexander sheltered under an archway of one of the lodges that flanked the circle drive of the garden. Saffron leaned on the cool brick, looking out at the fresh green grass. Alexander, partially shadowed beneath the arch, faced the memorial obelisk. His hair, black with rainwater, curled on his forehead.
Saffron looked appreciatively at him for a moment before recalling herself to the matter at hand. “Now what?”
“Not sure,” Alexander said, still gazing out onto the green. “I have a lot to do.”
“I suppose I do too. Are you going to the North Wing?” she asked hopefully. Perhaps he was ready to continue their work from the other day.
“I have to confirm with Blake that he received my equipment orders.”
“Oh, you’re meeting Mr. Blake. Perhaps I’ll come along and see what I can get out of him.”
Alexander’s brow creased in a frown. “You can’t just go about interrogating people. What reason would you give for speaking with him?”
“Well aware, Ashton,” she said sourly. “I don’t think there’s any harm in asking a few questions. I’ll figure out something.”
When the rain gentled, they made their way toward the tall columns of the Wilkins Building, where the administrative offices for the university had their home in the lower levels. Despite his objection, Alexander showed Saffron where Blake’s office was, and they parted company outside his door.
Saffron returned to the lobby, to contemplate her strategy for questioning the funding coordinator. Alexander might not think she had any business asking Blake what he knew, but someone had to look at the other suspects if the police weren’t doing it. Dr. Maxwell was still trapped in that awful room at the police station, and it didn’t seem like her experiment was going to get him out. It was frustrating how right Alexander had been.
The administrative offices were more polished than the rest of the university buildings. White and black tile shone in the many overhead gilt lights, and there were elegant red chairs situated around matching rugs for esteemed visitors. Saffron claimed a seat near the window, noting that the chair looked far better than it felt. From her perch, Saffron watched a woman stomp through the center of the Quad and veer off toward the door on Saffron’s left. A man scurried after her, clad in gray livery that was wet through, and holding up an umbrella, as if the woman wasn’t equally wet and clearly furious.
Eris Ermine stomped into the lobby. The young man dashed after her, desperate in his dripping chauffeur cap and apologizing profusely. “The crack in the pavement caused me to trip and I—”
“Just go back to the car, Brigham. Leave the umbrella. I can’t rely on you to hold the silly thing, apparently, so I’ll just do it myself,” Miss Ermine said. Brigham put the umbrella in the umbrella stand and walked away, tail between his legs. Miss Ermine looked furiously about her, her red hair damp and beginning to frizz beneath her wilted pink cloche.
“Miss Ermine!” Saffron called in a friendly voice. “How nice to see you again.”
Saffron noted Miss Ermine’s momentary slip of face before she realized who was addressing her. She saw for a moment an unsure young woman with wet hair before the ennui reassembled on her features.
Saffron smiled brightly at her. “Did you get caught in the rain too? I was just going to see what I could make of my hair. Maybe we can find the ladies’ together.”
“What? Oh …” She looked as if she were determining whether she should snub Saffron or actually go to fix her hair. Vanity won out. “Yes, I suppose, Miss …？”
“Everleigh, Saffron Everleigh. We met at the Leisters’ dinner.” Saffron showed her into the ladies’ room. “I was just coming in for a meeting when the rain caught me off guard. Do you have a meeting too?” It was a clumsy attempt, but Miss Ermine didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m meeting with a few of the Committee members, but they’ll have to wait,” Miss Ermine said. She immediately went to the mirror over the sink, where she removed her damp hat and patted her frizzing hair with annoyance.