Sweet Things Dying - Prologue II

Instalment five has us return to Cole's first meeting with Heather Bloom...

Prologue II

London

October 1886

“You must be the detective father hired.”

“I am,” he said, smiling from the doorway of Heather’s room in the garret of the Bloom household. “Private, not police. And my name is Cole – Adam Cole.”

“I’m Heather Bloom. But being a detective, you would surely have figured that out by now.”

“If nothing else about you.”

She blinked. “Oh. I assume my parents sent you to speak with me?”

“Well…” He took a step inward: “May I?”

She stood, brushing back a crimson strand that had fallen like a streak of blood across her cheek. “You may as well since you are here. But I’ve little interest in speaking to an agent of my father’s.”

“Would you prefer I sent for your father?”

“Not particularly.”

“Your mother?”

“No.”

He’d hoped she’d say as much. “Good. I’m here on behalf of neither,” and explained the way he’d slunk up to see her.

She said nothing at first. Did she believe him? Wonder if he was truly so bold as to defy her father?

He took another step inward, stopping by her bed. She remained by the window, half staring out into the darkness beyond, half looking at her reflection in the glass. Cole pointed to the table where the pages were still wet with ink:

“I hope that isn’t another goodbye note,” he said.

“It isn’t. Just… something else.”

“I’m glad for that. Your last note left everyone frightened. After a day they began to believe it. They were worried they’d never see you again.”

“It was never real. I doubt I should ever truly kill myself.”