Perhaps Saffron’s relentless interest in Mrs. Henry’s poisoning had gotten to him. There was something going on, something with Berking and Henry and now possibly Blake. But damned if he would admit that to Saffron.
He saw his own name at the front of the row of files, as it always was, and moved on to Berking. He pulled out his ten or so forms, flicking through each page as quickly as he could while still taking in each item. Nothing odd there, just plates, a travel microscope, some general supplies.
“Not this one then,” he said with an embarrassed smile, looking at the receptionist. She wasn’t watching him particularly avidly, but instead looking at a map on the wall, idly running a finger along the blue line of the Amazon.
“You’re going on the expedition, then, dear?” the receptionist asked in a dreamy sort of voice.
Alexander looked up from his shuffling through the papers. “Yes, I am.”
She smiled at him. “How very exciting! Must be a grand sort of adventure.”
Alexander returned her smile and went back to the “H’s” and found Dr. Henry. His file was thick with forms. He quickly found all the forms for this expedition and found that there were nearly thirty, all of which had already been marked as fulfilled.
Odd, he thought, then odder still. Rather than one telescope, Henry had requested five. He’d also ordered two dozen bags of emergency supplies, two hundred boxes of pens, and at least ten more exorbitant amounts of supplies. Perhaps it was a realistic amount of supplies for the six months in the jungle. But that wasn’t right; his department head had said they’d order more supplies from locals once they got there and settled in. They definitely had pens and bandages in Brazil.
Realizing he was lingering, he chose a few of the forms with more ridiculous amounts to take with him.
“Did you find it?” the receptionist asked.
“Thank you, yes,” Alexander said, now anxious to get away. “You’ve really saved my neck.”
“Now, don’t make it a habit!” She locked the door again and started back down the hall, imperturbable sour expression firmly back in place. “That’s twice in as many weeks that I’ve had to let someone in to Mr. Blake’s office. He’d be furious if he knew I’d let that woman in, let alone you, but I try to do what I can …”
Alexander barely heard her, hardly believing his luck. According to the forms, Dr. Henry was making unreasonable orders of supplies. That could mean one of two things: Henry was a wildly incompetent leader and possibly losing his grip, or he was doing something with the supplies. Perhaps selling them on the side or giving them away for some reason. Selling was more likely. Dr. Henry had faced pushback for this expedition and therefore had trouble funding it; maybe he was going to stash the money for the next one. Or he was simply greedy. Either seemed possible.
Perhaps this was what he’d overheard Berking speaking about. This could be the unsavory way that Henry got his funding, not by seducing Miss Ermine, although that had apparently happened regardless. It had to be connected to the poisoning. Blake and Henry’s involvement left no doubt in his mind about it.
* * *
Saffron reached the greenhouse before Alexander. She traded out her gloves for a working pair and went to check on the saguaro cactus in greenhouse three, which had unfortunately developed more spots. Kneeling near the base, where a new dark circle marred its prickly green skin, Saffron considered telling Mr. Winters to perhaps move it to a drier area, or maybe water it less. Really, Dr. Parson should have given better instructions to the caretaker for the care of his specimen.
A pair of polished black oxfords came into view. “What seems to be the problem, Doctor?”
Saffron stood up quickly, brushing dust and dirt off her skirt. “I’m not sure. A mystery for another day, I suppose. Now, why did you want to meet in the greenhouse?”
“I thought it might be prudent to speak away from the North Wing, considering how often eavesdropping has revealed interesting information.” Alexander started through the crowd of cacti, and she followed.
“You think we might be overheard in the office?” Saffron asked, suddenly worried. They’d discussed the whole investigation in the North Wing.
He shrugged. “Better safe than sorry, especially in light of what I’ve just discovered.”
“Well, go on!”
Alexander told her about the forms as they made their way into the next greenhouse, then the next. She was pleased he’d taken the initiative to sneak into Blake’s office, and relieved that someone else was taking her ideas seriously. When they stopped in front of the wall of xolotl, he offered her several folded papers from his pocket. Saffron quickly doffed her gloves and examined them, her lips pursed in thought.