The Curious Case of the Clockwork Menace

Chapter 7

"THERE HE IS," Garrett murmured the next morning, nudging Perry's arm and tipping his chin toward the young lad who was making his flower deliveries.

The young boy had adapted a pneumatic steam-powered rickshaw into a flower cart that he could ride, and as they watched, he swung his leg off the seat and wheeled it up onto the kerb outside the theatre. He tipped his cap to the stagehand waiting for the delivery, his grin faltering when he saw the pair of them step out of the shadows near the back alley.

"A word, if we might?" Garrett asked, with a smile to set the boy at ease.

"Aye, what can I help you with?"

"You often deliver red roses for Miss Nelly Tate. Do you know who puts that order in?"

The lad scratched his head. "Pick 'em up from Welham's Florist. You'd have to ask him. He's the one as takes the orders."

Excellent. Garrett and Perry moved off, following the directions the boy gave. For the first time, Garrett felt as though they had a solid lead upon which to follow. Nelly received flowers all the time, but only two posies were sent to her regularly, which indicated someone – or two someone's - with a particular interest in her.

Welham's was set in the heart of the theatre district, where it did prime business. Flowers loomed and dripped from vases as they entered, and there was an air of sophistication and entitlement to the shop. Indeed, the man behind the counter examined them with a faintly arched brow as though wondering what they were doing there.

Garrett introduced them, flashing his credentials. "We're curious about an order of red roses that is sent weekly to Miss Nelly Tate at the Veil Theatre. Or more particularly, we're interested in the name of the person sending them."

Welham pressed his wire-rimmed spectacles up his nose. "A standing order for red roses? Yes, I know the one. A Mr. Hobbs, I believe. Once a week the order is to go through."

"Hobbs?" Perry blurted. "James Sterling Hobbs?"

Welham looked surprised. "Yes, that's the one."

Roses weren't cheap, but then, they already knew that Hobbs was making a small fortune from his side business.

"And is there a frequent order for peonies?" Garrett asked.

Mr. Welham shook his head. "Goodness, no. That's the sort of thing you can buy in Covent Garden."

Thanking Mr. Welham for his time, they turned toward the door. The bell rang as it shut behind them.

"Who sends the peonies then?" Perry asked, as soon as they were alone. "I felt certain they must have come from Hobbs. One of the stagehands seemed to think she was terribly excited to receive them. The roses however... Nelly kept them, but she didn't seem to make as large a fuss over them."

There went their lead. A dead end, like all the others. Garrett swore under his breath. "Rommell and Hobbs were both interested in her, for their own reasons. So was Lord Beckham, but he sent no flowers... I feel like we're missing something."

"You think there's someone else involved?"

"Maybe."

"We need to know what the connection is between Nelly and Hobbs," Perry said, "And who sent her the peonies."