[2022 WATTYS WINNER] | Tracey Higgenbottom, Mr. Porter's witty assistant, finds herself at a dead-end when constables dismiss a case of his possible kidnapping. With the unexpected help of a spunky adventurer, a chimney sweep boy and his sister, and...
Tense seconds passed in the foyer as Mr. Bentam Berkley stood in the doorway. Tracey froze, Mittie, Charlie, and Harriet stared, and Mrs. Pinot observed all of this unfolding before her. Mr. Berkely stared in disbelief. "I was not aware that you were of acquaintance to Mrs. Pinot," he finally said.
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"Well...no," Tracey replied. "Actually, I was here inquiring after Mr. Porter."
"Ah yes. Mr. Porter," Mr. Berkely sighed. "I presume that you did check his residence—."
"Yes and I steamphoned him as well," Tracey retorted. She could hardly stand the first meeting she and Mr. Berkley had, and this current meeting appeared as if it were going to end even worse than the last one.
"Hm," he sniffed. "And who are these," he said, almost in a dismissive tone, his hand barely waving over to the others.
"Witnesses," Tracey said evenly. "Mittie here had seen Mr. Porter when he was kidnapped from the shop, and Harriet saw him in this area last night."
"To which I said that she was mistaken," Mrs. Pinot interjected, fixing her unfriendly gaze on Tracey.
Mr. Berkely looked around at each person. "Witnesses, you say?" He shuffled a stack of papers that Tracey had just noticed he was holding. "Hm."
More tense seconds passed as he seemed to debate with himself. Tracey sighed. First another dead end, and now this! she thought. At this rate, we'll never find... She shook herself, stopping the train of thought, and looked up again. Mr. Berkely's icy gaze was fixed on her.
"Wait outside for me please," he finally said. "I have some business to attend to here first." With that, he abruptly turned and walked into the parlor.
"Good day," Mrs. Pinot said suspiciously, closely watching the group as they shuffled out.
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"Are we really gonna wait for that rusty man?" Charlie said as they stood by a lampost near to Mrs. Pinot's residence.
"Watch yourself!" Harriet said, pinching his arm. "We don't call people rusty."
"Well it's true!" he retorted. "I neva saw a stiffa man in my life!"
"Do ya know each other, Trace?" Mittie asked. All eyes turned to Tracey. To Tracey, it felt as if every passerby turned to stare at her. She swallowed.
"Yes, and no," Tracey said. "I've only met him this morning. When I was trying to report about Mr. Porter."
"Port'a?" Charlie piped. "Is that who we're looking for?"
"Do you know him?" Tracey asked.
"No," he slowly said, "But I've seen his shop a few times 'ere and there..."
