Proof of Guilt

About the book

An unidentified body seems to have been hit by a car and Ian Rutledge is in charge of investigating the incident. Despite indications of murder, there are still some crucial questions unanswered. Who is the victim? And where exactly was the crime committed? A small clue leads the Inspector to a business owned by two renowned families known for producing and selling the finest Madeira wine in the world.

Lewis French, the current leader of the English company, is nowhere to be found. The question arises: is he the deceased individual? Is his fiancee or his former lover, who was left at the altar, involved in his disappearance or potential demise? What about his sister? Or the clerk from the London office? Is Matthew Traynor, French's partner and cousin who manages the Madeira branch, implicated in any way?

Rutledge, who is experienced, understands that suspicion and circumstantial evidence do not equate to guilt, and he is determined to continue searching for answers. However, his persistence creates conflict with his superior, the new Acting Chief Superintendent. Despite Rutledge's objections, the superintendent disregards a connection to an incident from the family's history, asserting it is irrelevant. He is set on implicating one of French's female associates.

Alone in a hazardous and enigmatic territory, Rutledge must proceed with caution, as someone has decided that his life must also be taken for retribution to be served.