Chapter 21
I climbed down the crawl space. When I reached the trap door at the bottom, I knocked softly. It was pulled open from the other side. There stood Phillip Kendall, reassuringly solid in the lamp light.
"Ah, Madame, you are just in time." He helped me down, his hands lingering at my waist a shade longer than necessary. "By the way, what is your real name?"
I was grateful for the dim light that hid my flushed cheeks. "Penelope Hamilton."
He clasped my hand and bowed over it. "A pleasure to meet you at last, Miss Hamilton."
I pulled away. "If you please, Mr. Kendall, this is not an assignation. We are here to catch a murderer."
He held up his hands in mock surrender. "As you wish. The séance was successful?"
I nodded. "If the killer was among the company, he is sufficiently a
