Stalking Jack: The Hunt Begins... (Madeline Donovan Mysteries Book 1) by Madison Kent Page B

done in many a good man. He says when he was still patrolling; he’d like to have locked up the lot of them, but no jail being big enough for the likes of them, all the coppers gave up.”
    “Thank you, Tommy, do you know where we might find Mr. Motts?” said Madeline.
    “He done go to the Queens Head almost every day I sees him there when I’m selling me papers.”
    “Perhaps we can look into that also before we leave for Wickham’s,” said Hugh.
    “We’re near the market where Roxanne works.”
    As they approached, Hugh said, “There is a client of mine at that fruit stand. I have been trying to contact him for several days. Would you mind waiting for me while I speak with him?”
    “If you don’t mind, I would like to continue to the butcher’s, it just a block down this way. Could you meet me there when you finish?”
    “That would be fine. I don’t imagine anything could happen to you within that short distance.”
    “Hugh, you are kind to worry so after me, but I am a grown woman, and I can manage these things. Please, do not concern yourself over me.”
    “That will be difficult because…let’s just say, I’ll try.”
     
    Madeline was within a short distance from the market when she saw Rocks on a side street, yelling loudly at a scrawny young girl with red hair. She hurried her steps to see what was happening. Rocks had the girl’s arms pinned behind her, calling out that the girl was a thief. She and another gentleman momentarily collided, and he said, “Beg your pardon, Miss, I’m trying to get to that lady, she seems to be in distress.”
    “Yes, let’s go,” Madeline said.
    As they arrived, Rocks had her butcher knife gripped in her hand and was holding it near the girl’s throat. The stranger beside her grabbed the knife while Rocks struck him in the face and began cursing at him. Madeline restrained Rocks grip on the girl, and she ran screaming away.
    Rocks yelled after her, “You dirty, thieving whore, you not be seeing the last of me!”
    So angry, she was spitting out her words, she said to Madeline, “You, you’re the one asking me all those questions.”
    She pulled away from the man she struck and said, “Leave me alone, you dirty mongrel. Don’t you ever put your hands on me again, or I’ll call the constable.”
    “Roxanne, what happened, what did she do?” asked Madeline.
    “She done stole a package of good meat, my best cuts I had wrapped for one of my customers. I seen it in her bag.”
    “What is the cost to reimburse you for it? I will pay for it; the poor girl looked as if she hadn’t eaten for a while.”
    “Them whores, they gots money to eat all right. They gets enough money from their whoring, but they use it to buy the liquor and the drugs.”
    “I’m sure you know more about that than me, but I will pay for what she stole.”
    Rocks held out her hand as Madeline put the coins in it to cover the theft of her food.
    “Maybe you ain’t so bad,” Rocks said to her with a feeble half smile. “I wasn’t going to cut her, just threaten her,” she then continued speaking to the man who had taken her knife.
    “Beg your pardon, Mum, but you looked serious about it and I was worried,” he said as he handed her back her knife.
    “My name is Harry, Harry Nelson.”
    “I’m Mrs. Donovan, and this is Mrs. Thompson.”
    “How do you do? I’m sorry for interfering Mrs. Thompson; please accept my apology.”
    “It’s all right governor; things gets rough ‘round here all the time. Most people here that knows me would know better than to steal from me,” she said with a laugh.
    “Mr. Nelson, you seem to be flushed. Are you well? Please have a seat,” said Madeline.
    He sat down on a hard wooden chair outside one of the storefronts.
    “I think you are right. Maybe it is just the work on my farm. It is long hours I keep, and it is hard on the body.”
    Hugh was approaching them with a quizzical look on his face and said, ““Madeline, what’s