They set out, Doug Tanglewood in the lead, Margo and Shahdi Feroz bringing up the rear, while Dominica Nosette and Guy Pendergast, voices low, deadlocked in a debate with Conroy Melvyn of Scotland Yard as they walked through the dark, rainy streets. Pubs had just closed down and houses were mostly dark, gas lights turned out while the working poor found what sleep they could before dawn sent them reeling out once more to earn a living however they could manage.
“There’s a lot of evidence against Frederick Bailey Deeming, isn’t there?” Pendergast asked softly.
“A small-time swindler with brain fever,” Conroy Melvyn said with a dismissive air. “Killed his wife and children, slashed their throats. They hanged him in ‘92.”
“Didn’t the press dub him the official Ripper, though?” Dominica Nosette pressed the argument. “And Scotland Yard, as well? For years, the Yard exhibited his death mask as the Ripper’s.”
Conroy Melvyn shrugged. “Well, he was a right popular chap at the time, so he was, violent and known t’be in Whitechapel during the murders. Carried knives, so witnesses told police. Not,” the up-time Scotland Yard inspector added drily, “that anybody had any real evidence against him. Prob’ly just an epileptic, drunken lout of a sailor with a violent temper and a nasty habit of killing off family when they got inconveniently expensive to support.”
“Nice guy,” Margo muttered, earning a sardonic glance from Shahdi Feroz.
Dominica Nosette, who had secreted a miniature video camera system under her clothing and bonnet, turned to glance at the Scotland Yard inspector—thus adroitly filming the “interview” as well.