‘And why did you do that?’
Poe didn’t answer.
‘Poe,’ she said, ‘why did you keep bringing me cases?’
‘Because I like working with you,’ he said.
‘Oh, you poor man,’ she laughed. ‘How long have you been worrying about this?’
‘Ever since you told us about Beck’s wife.’
‘Well, if that’s the case, I killed my father as well.’
‘I don’t understand. How did you—?’
‘Did it ever occur to you, Poe, that I accepted your cases, the ones you say were below my pay grade, because I like working withyou?’
‘Still, if I’d been a bit more profess—’
‘Did you shoot my father, Poe?’
‘That doesn’t—’
‘I don’t blame you,’ she said. ‘And I don’t blame me. Theonlyperson I blame is Frederick Beck. And that’s the last I want to hear of you feeling responsible. Are we clear?’
‘We are. Thank you, Estelle.’
‘That’s OK,’ she said. ‘Now, can we please eat? And after we have, I’ll do as you asked and tell you about my father. We didn’t always get on – he wanted me to become the lady of the manor and I wanted to study death – but it was never dull.’