“Look, I told her that they should go to the police, but Houdini wouldn’t hear of it. In fact he kept denying that there was anything to worry about, even after Bess was trapped in that same trunk and nearly suffocated.”

“And did the job really require you to parade around making a spectacle of yourself?” He was still glaring at me. “Do you realize what an embarrassing position this puts me in? At some stage I’ll have to admit to those men out there that the young woman showing her legs to the world is none other than my future wife.”

“Don’t be such a stuffed shirt, Daniel,” I said. “Plenty of eminent men have married chorus girls before now. Even English dukes, so you’re in good company.”

I was trying to lighten the mood with flippancy. When he didn’t smile I touched his arm. “You can also let them know that I was working undercover, as a detective,” I said. “They’ll admire my enterprise, I expect. And if it makes you feel any better, I would have been quite happy to have observed from the wings. But I was persuaded to take Bess’s part after she was almost killed. Believe me, I haven’t exactly relished the role, although I do believe I mastered the mind reading rather quickly.” I couldn’t resist a grin. “Including what was in your pocket.”

“Yes, that was quite impressive,” he agreed.

I saw his expression soften, then change. “My God, you look so alluring I could almost ravish you right here on this desk,” he said.

“As tempting as that might be, I think you’d find it hard to explain your methods of interrogation to your junior officers if we were surprised,” I said.

He laughed and let his arms slide down around my waist. “Damn it, Molly, how do you get yourself into these things?”

“The same way you do. It’s my profession.”

He sighed. “So what has the great private investigator managed to find out so far?” he asked. “Have you solved the case and can I send all my men home?”

“I have to confess I am completely at a loss,” I said. “I tried questioning Houdini but he revealed almost nothing to me, except that whatever was bothering him would be settled after tomorrow. He told me he was planning to take a trip and then he would have done his part. That’s what he said.”

“And do you have any idea what that meant?”