Madison was not a patient woman, especially when it came to her visions and trying to help others. Then again, this particular case had already waited so many years, and she didn't think it could wait a moment longer.

She shouldn't bother Cameron while he was confessing to his superior, so she tried to remember what Alice had told her about the case of the missing child the elder Mr. Westland had been working on and couldn't solve. Apparently, the mother, Lady Hanover, had been shopping in town. Her daughter had been tired, and so went to lie down in one of the back rooms. That was the last time they'd seen the girl.

Having no idea which shop to visit first, Madison walked from building to building, asking questions. None of these places had been around for many years, and they hadn't heard anything about Lord Hanover's missing child.

The middle of the afternoon's sun shone brightly, and not even a slight breeze could disturb the lovely day. No clouds hid the perfect powdery blueness of the sky. To those people in town, Madison probably looked like a woman who was just enjoying a leisurely stroll, and yet, her leisure was a bit hastier than the others doing their shopping this fine day.

A delicious scent wafted through the air from the nearby shops. It smelled like sticky buns. Her stomach rumbled slightly, and her mouth watered, anticipating the taste of the cinnamon. Unfortunately, she couldn't stop for refreshment. Not until she found some answers.

She entered a clothing shop and glanced around the opened space. An older woman moved around behind the long desk in the back as she folded yards of cloth. A man—who looked to be around the woman's age—sat in a chair with his head leaned back against the wall, eyes closed, mouth opened as light snores escaped him. There were only two patrons in the shop, but they were closer to the window.

Madison strode toward the older woman with pure white hair. When the woman noticed her, she smiled, which brought more wrinkles to the corner of her eyes and around her mouth.

"Good day," the woman greeted.

"Good day to you." Madison smiled. "I hope you can help me with something."

"I would be delighted." She left the yards of cloth on the long desk and walked toward Madison. "Is there something special I can show you today?"

"Actually, no. But if you don't mind, I need to ask you a few questions."

"All right."

"First, I'm wondering how long your shop has been here."

The smile on the woman's face withered slightly as her expression turned to confusion. "We have been in business about ten years. Why do you ask?"

"I'm trying to find a place that has been in business for a long time. You see, I'm trying to track down a missing person that was taken from a shop many years ago. I'm sorry I don't have a specific year this happened, but I know the girl was taken from a shop, and that there was a room in the back of the building where she'd been kidnapped."

The woman's eyes rounded and she gasped. "Are you asking about Lord and Lady Hanover's missing daughter?"

Madison wanted to shout in relief that this woman remembered. "Yes, that's the one. What do you know of this?"

"Well, I don't know as much as my sister, Gretchen. She owns the Millinery shop across the street. That was where the little girl was taken."

Excitement rushed through Madison, and she clapped her hands. "That is wonderful! I shall go there posthaste. I thank you for giving me directions."

"Best of luck, my dear. My sister's getting on in years, and so her mind roams quite often, but I'm sure she will remember about Lord and Lady Hanover's daughter."

"Thank you again." Madison rushed out of the shop and stopped before crossing the street. Buggies and single riders on horses filled the street, but she could see the shop well enough to know where she was headed. Good fortune was finally on her side today. She prayed it stayed with her as she searched for clues to the Hanover girl's disappearance.

As she waited for the buggies to move so she could pass, an eerie sensation slithered all over her body. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and quivers passed over her. Someone was watching her. She just knew it.

Slowly, she moved her gaze up the street, scanning everyone she could, and then she shifted her focus down the street, repeating the same movement. Nobody looked familiar. Of course, she wasn't used to this section of town since it was completely opposite of the Metropolitan Police station where she was very used to visiting.

She tried listening if anyone called her name, but because of the noise in the street—people talking, wheels of the buggies crunching on the road, and the neighs of horses—she wasn't able to focus very well. Perhaps she was just imagining her feelings. But...that never happened before. For certain, someone out there was watching her.

Shaking off the feeling, she watched again for when she could cross the road. Finally, a break came in between a carriage and a horse, so she lifted her skirt to just above her ankles and ran. She made it in front of the shop without any problems, and so she breathed a sigh of relief.

Madison looked up at the large sign hanging on the store that read simply, Gretchen's Millinery. Now that she studied it, the structure did appear a little older than the other shops around it. Hopefully, the old woman's memory was clear enough for her to remember the details about the kidnapping.

She took a deep breath as excitement rushed through her. Helping people was indeed her lot in life. She couldn't imagine doing anything else.

As she reached for the door handle, fast boot-steps clamored her way, startling her. Before she could look over her shoulder to see what the commotion was all about, a strong hand clamped on her shoulder. Fear turned her blood to ice. She jumped and spun around.

* * * *

Madison blinked, clearing her vision. Looming before her was the handsome face of the inspector she hadn't been able to get off her mind since meeting him.

"Oh, Cameron," she sighed heavily, trying to regulate her quick heartbeat. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you from up the street." He motioned behind of him. "I couldn't wait another minute to tell you the good news."

"What?"

He clasped her hands in his. "We arrested Mr. Bailey's murderer...thanks to you."

"Really?" Happiness flipped in her chest. "It was Heath Langston as we predicted?"

"The cane actually belonged to Gaynor. He was the one who killed Bailey."

She sucked in a shocked breath. "Are you serious?"

"Very serious. Not more than fifteen minutes ago, we arrested him. Captain Orwood and Mr. McGreer are taking him to the station to await his trial as we speak."

"This is very good news." She squeezed his hands. "I'll admit, I'm surprised it was Gaynor, but I knew it had to be one of the cousins."

"I had hoped it was Langston, only because it would have given me a good reason to slam my fist into his face for striking my sister."

Worry escalated inside of her. "Oh, no! Rosie!"

His brows creased and he shook his head. "What about her?"

"Cameron, don't you see? She is going to be devastated when she discovers the man she loves is a murderer."

The happiness on his expression fled and he frowned. "Indeed, she is going to be very upset."

"You need to tell her before she hears it from someone else. We all know how Miss Trent loves to gossip. I'd hate for Rosie to hear it from that woman."

"You're correct." He nodded. "I'll go home right now."

"Would you like me to go with you?"

A soft smile stretched his face as he tenderly stroked her cheek. "More than anything. But..." He glanced at that shop they stood in front of. "Don't you have other plans?"

Although she wanted to start searching for the missing girl, Madison knew Rosie was more important. Besides, she could return tomorrow and speak with Gretchen. "Not to worry." She smiled. "I can do this another day."

A grin claimed his face once more. He took her hand and hooked it over his arm. "Then allow me to escort you to my house. I hope you don't mind if we take a hackney. I fear it would look improper if I had you riding with me on my horse."

She chuckled. "It would be nothing more than scandalous."

He stepped to the side of the road and lifted his hand to hail down a hackney. Within minutes, one stopped right in front of them. As he assisted her inside, he called out his address to the driver. Before Cameron climbed inside, he tied his steed to the back of the hackney and then slid on the seat next to her. Immediately, the vehicle rocked into action.

Madison didn't know what to say, only because Cameron peered at her with dreamy eyes as his gaze slowly moved over her face. He took a lock of her hair and caressed it between his thumb and forefinger.

She'd told him she wanted to take their relationship slow, and yet now she wished she hadn't said that. She would like nothing better than to cuddle in his arms and kiss him endlessly.