I laughed, lifting my face to the dry heat radiating from the building. No. They mixed perfectly with fire. But there was no smoke rising from the windows in the roof. They had been left open. How—

A scrambling, bumping tumult rumbled down the chute above my head. The one that led from the building to the river. Before I could turn to see what it was, something enormous splashed into the water.

I covered my mouth in horror. Had someone been inside?

I leaned over the edge, peering at the placid black surface of the water. I saw only the reflected flames behind me. Nothing disturbed the surface.

Perhaps something had been lodged inside the chute and been forced out by the change in air pressure. But the front door had been opened when I’d arrived. Who would have been there? Obviously no one was in the habit of visiting Victor. Maybe the drunkard from earlier in the day? But I had heard his splash. It was far smaller than this one.

Perhaps a jealous rival. Professor Krempe had seemed a little too keen to know what Victor had been up to since they lost contact. Had Victor secluded himself because he was being watched? But who would care about the lunatic theories of a man playing with stolen corpses and desecrated animals?

A more dangerous possibility seized me. The charnel house man, reminded of Victor’s debt by my visit, might have come to collect. I trembled, expecting him to arise with a roar and pull me into the water. But I could not turn away, could not expose my back to whatever awaited me.

I watched the water until my lungs burned from the smoke and I knew it was not safe or wise to stay at the scene of the crime. Nothing surfaced from the black depths of the river. It kept its secrets.

I would keep mine. And Victor’s, too.

Chapter Ten: To Lose Thee Were to Lose Myself

I HAD PLANNED TO slip out of Mary’s house at dawn so I could check in on Justine and then spend the morning with Victor. But my nighttime activities caught up to my body, and I slept past the sun’s rising.

Hoping Mary was a late sleeper or had already gone to open her bookshop, I pinned my hat, its stability precarious. I missed my lost pin but knew Justine would have extras. Then I rushed out of my room to grab my cloak.

Mary was sitting, holding it.

“Good morning,” she said brightly.

“Good morning.” I tried to imitate her tone to hide my annoyance that I would have to talk to her. I had things to do.