Page 87 of A Dangerous Vision

Electra tugged insistently at his sleeve, and Gideon turned toward her.

“This is the room,” she whispered. “And that is the man I saw in my vision.”

Gideon tried to make sense of that detail as Callister approached, all but blocking his view of Lance Pennington.

“Inspector,” Callister said in a grave tone, “the young Pennington is in no fit state to speak to anyone.”

“I said, did you find her?” Pennington cried, then attempted to push Callister aside. “I need to speak to her.” Pennington’s words were slurred, his voice too loud.

Gordon Callister said, “The man needs a rest.” He strode toward the bell pull. “Let us have Burton take him upstairs.”

“I’m not going anywhere!” Pennington lunged forward, and Callister rushed forward, only just stopping the young man from tumbling onto the floor.

Pennington was so drunk that his eyes were unfocused, his movements clumsy.

“The gentleman is no state to speak to anyone,” Callister began, “but I will speak to you if you wish, Inspector.”

“We found her,” Electra said from over Gideon’s shoulder.

Pennington, who’d been sagging in Callister’s hold, shot up to his full height. “Where? Tell me.” He pointed at Electra, and Gideon had the urge to send her out of the room entirely.

Despite the chaos of the moment, Gideon considered using the tactic he and Electra had discussed. He glanced at her.

“Tell him,” she whispered.

Gideon was a man of strategy. He preferred not to act impulsively. Perhaps he once had in his life, and that was why he worked so hard to school his emotions now. But Electra knew him well enough to see that he only gave the matter a moment’s contemplation.

“Have a seat, Mr. Pennington,” Gideon said, his voice steely. “What I have to say may shock you.”

Gordon Callister narrowed his eyes at Gideon, even as he led the blond man, who Electra was now certain she had seen in her vision when she touched Demeter Devlin, to a chair.

Pennington slumped down and pressed a hand to his head. “I am listening, Inspector. Now will you please tell me where she is?”

Callister stood next to Pennington’s chair and reached down to put a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “Inspector, you can see the state of grief and inebriation Lance is suffering. Is it not unethical to question him in this state?”

Gideon ignored Callister and kept his gaze trained on Pennington, who stared up at him, bleary eyed.

“Tell me,” he whispered.

“Mrs. Devlin has been taken into custody,” Gideon said.

“No!” Pennington tried to stand from the chair and reached out as if to pitch himself toward Gideon, but Callister restrained him with a broad hand on his shoulder that seemed to hold him in place.

“Calm yourself,” Callister hissed.

“Evidence has come to light,” Gideon said calmly, focused still on Pennington, “that Mrs. Devlin is responsible for your brother’s murder.”

While he spoke, Pennington shook his head and murmured, “No. No. No.”

Behind them, Miss Faraday burst into the room and rushed toward her uncle.

Electra thought she might attempt to comfort him. Instead, she stood in front of Pennington, facing Gideon.

“Please, Inspector, my uncle is most distressed,” she pleaded. “Might you go and allow us to care for him?”

Behind her, Pennington had begun to sob.

The man’s sorrow began to fill the room. Electra felt it, sensed it, like a painful weight pressing on her chest.