Back Malice at the Palace
Chapters (37)
  1. Cover
  2. Berkley Prime Crime Titles by Rhys Bowen
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Chapter 1
  7. Chapter 2
  8. Chapter 3
  9. Chapter 4
  10. Chapter 5
  11. Chapter 6
  12. Chapter 7
  13. Chapter 8
  14. Chapter 9
  15. Chapter 10
  16. Chapter 11
  17. Chapter 12
  18. Chapter 13
  19. Chapter 14
  20. Chapter 15
  21. Chapter 16
  22. Chapter 17
  23. Chapter 18
  24. Chapter 19
  25. Chapter 20
  26. Chapter 21
  27. Chapter 22
  28. Chapter 23
  29. Chapter 24
  30. Chapter 25
  31. Chapter 26
  32. Chapter 27
  33. Chapter 28
  34. Chapter 29
  35. Chapter 30
  36. Chapter 31
  37. Historical Note

Darcy stared down at it. “I suppose it’s possible if she was ruthless enough.”

“Oh dear. That’s exactly what the royal family feared,” I said. “Now he’ll seem to be a suspect again.”

“The only thing against that is that he would never have dumped her body outside the very place where his bride-to-be was staying. Even good old George wouldn’t be that stupid or that insensitive.”

“That’s true.” I felt a little better. I liked George. I liked Marina. I didn’t want this complication to blight their marriage and I certainly didn’t want to believe that George could be a killer. “The person who did this wanted us to jump to the conclusion that it was Prince George and thus divert suspicion from himself,” I said at last. I leafed through more photographs. Faces seemed familiar but only vaguely, the way one recognizes distant acquaintances at parties.

“We should close the safe and go,” I said. “William will get suspicious if we stay up here too long.”

Darcy closed it, then took out his handkerchief and wiped it free of fingerprints. “Can’t be too careful,” he said, grinning. He put back the picture, then looked around the room. “It seems an awful shame to waste the one time we’re quite alone and won’t be interrupted,” he said.

“Darcy O’Mara,” I replied indignantly, “if you think I’m going to allow any hanky-panky in a room where you’ve been with another woman, you can think again.”

He chuckled. “I wasn’t suggesting a full-blown roll in the hay, but a little kiss and cuddle would be nice.”

“I’ve nothing against a kiss and a cuddle,” I said, slipping my arms around his neck, “just as long as you don’t get carried away.”

“I’m not the only one who gets carried away,” he said. “I think you can be quite a hot little piece at times, young woman. But you’re wasting time talking.” And he shut me up very effectively. His kisses were as wonderful as ever and I felt desire welling up in the pit of my stomach. I did want him, badly, and I think I would not only have given in, but even encouraged him at that moment, had it not been for the glimpse of his dressing gown hanging behind Bobo’s door. I pushed away from him. “We should go,” I said. “I don’t feel comfortable here. Whatever Bobo did, however she lived, you liked her enough once to make love to her, and she didn’t deserve to die.”

Darcy nodded solemnly and we left the flat, closing the door behind us. In the lift on the way down, Darcy had the foresight to tuck the evidence inside his greatcoat.

“Any luck, Mr. O’Mara?” William asked. “Find anything?”