“Gentlemen, if you will tell my associate your lodging addresses, I will let you leave. If you think of anything more, please send for me at Bow Street. I would advise you to put those night patrols into action soon.” He handed both Bell and the magistrate one of his cards.

Bell nodded, Landsem looked ready to collapse, and Mr. Tollar frowned. “This is bad for our town. I pray you can solve this quickly.”

Daniel did too. He returned to the manager’s office and the body. When Owen joined him a few minutes later, Daniel glared at him.

“Start gathering all this. Find a crate or box. We’re taking it to Bow Street.” Daniel examined the body again, turning the man onto his back to go through his pockets. The corpse resembled a plank, no longer supple.

“Paperwork again? Why do you always do this to me?” Owen scowled and grabbed a handful of sheets.

Daniel didn’t look up. “You should have done it when you cleared Montgomery’s office. And what did I tell you about following the paper?”

“That it’s the most important part of the job, that most leads come from correspondence and record keeping.” Owen employed a singsong voice. “But that’s just to keep me out of where the real action is. Examining bodies and questioning suspects. You never said to take the paperwork from the manager’s office. You said clear out Montgomery’s.” The office boy shoved some books into a pile. “You want to blame me for everything because you don’t think I’m good enough to do this job. You’ve never liked me, always treating me like a servant, always dressing like a toff and putting on airs and sneering like you’re better than the rest of us.”

Daniel’s temper rose. “Stop acting like a child. How I dress is no concern of yours. If you’re looking for someone who has spread dislike from the first moment, perhaps you should look at yourself. You’ve been insubordinate, rude, with a pointed disregard of doing as you’re told. If you expect to rise at Bow Street, I suggest you learn the craft of detection and also how to work as a member of the team. Now, gather that paperwork like you should have done the first time, and get it up the street to the carriage.”

Owen turned his back on Daniel, slamming papers and books, his spine rigid.

Daniel rubbed his neck, shaking his head. He’d inserted yet another wedge between them. What kind of leader was he that he couldn’t get through to the young man?

Dr. Rosebreen would hopefully give them a more accurate estimate of time of death. Sometime between three thirty and sunup was more than three hours. The blood was well dried, and the body was stone cold and stiff.