Lady Golden Hand

by Nix Whittaker

  “Okay let’s skip ahead to Sebastian’s death then. Do you think he was killed by the other player?”

  “I think it was that peeler.” She hated the idea that one of her fellow co-workers was capable. But not only that a famous co-worker, as that would be the only way to be recognised from the papers and out of uniform but probably her boss as well.

  “The one that met with Sebastian at the Hare?”

  She took another sip as she thought. Taking her time she added, “Sebastian was a conman. He escaped justice for that multiple times. Then there is the chance he killed Eleanor and again he escaped justice. Maybe it is a peeler who just wants justice.” So another player altogether or the same one who had set up the confidence scam?

  It was theory that could hold water but still it didn’t sit right with her. Without knowing who the police officer was they would not be able to figure out the motive behind the murder or the targeting of Victor for the scam.

  There was a perfunctory knock on the door and the boy who took around internal mail dropped something on the table. Rayne opened the note. It was a new case. A burglary on one of the more affluent streets. The people thought because she was from society that people would talk to her. Unfortunately, society never spoke to peelers regardless of their parentage. Gathering her baton and tugging on her coat she flicked her head to indicate they had to leave.

  ___

  Rayne rubbed her ear but the ringing wouldn’t stop. She had forgotten how high pitched a hysterical woman could be. Even when they discovered the jewellery was borrowed rather than stolen, the pitch had gone to new octaves.

  Larkin asked, “What?”

  She flashed a smile. He must be hearing a ringing in his own ears. Before she answered her eyes caught on a sign hanging above the door ahead of them. It was for the Times. One of her father’s favourite newspapers, as there was a journalist there that managed to get stories weeks before others.

  Instead of admitting that she hadn’t said anything at all she pointed to the newspaper and said, “I just need to stop in there.”

  Aware of her penchant for collecting papers for her father he asked, “Haven’t you done your paper shopping for the week?”

  “I want to see something. It won’t take long and we didn’t spend so much time on this case as we would’ve.” They’d spent less than an hour dealing with the squealing mistress who had her jewellery borrowed by her teenage daughter.

  Larkin gave in with a grunt and veered towards the entrance to the newspaper.

  They were assaulted with noise as they entered the room. Large metal machines hissed and clunked as they rolled sheets of rag paper. The machine dominated the room.

  Recoiling back when a man popped up from behind the press, Rayne covered her surprise quickly. He motioned for them to follow him. They made their way around the machine and the heat of the boiler.

  Once in the other room Larkin closed the door. Though it didn’t get rid of all the sound it made it bearable. After the screeching of the mistress and the machine she missed the man’s first words.

  Rayne shook her head to gather herself and said, ‘Sorry. I’m Rayne and this is Larkin. We were hoping you stored your plates.”

  The man offered a hand. “Thomas Barnes. I’m the editor here.” It also appeared he was everything at the newspaper as they were as yet to see anyone else at the press.

  He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “We never throw anything away. A plate is expensive to make. Any idea what you’re looking for?”

  She shifted sideways as she made her way past moving machinery and followed the newspaper man farther into the building. “We’re looking for images of peelers.”

  Thomas hummed speculatively. “That will be a few years ago. I find you fellas boring so I avoid stories to do with you.”

  “Is that a compliment or an insult?” Rayne asked with a bit of a smile. Thomas blinked as if he hadn’t realised he had insulted them.

  He recovered and flashed a grin. “Take it as a compliment. I only like to chase scandals.”

  He ran a hand through hair that was in need of a cut. He must have remembered why they were there as he jerked into motion. “We keep the plates back here. Sometimes we can reuse the more generic ones. Thought about putting out some of those penny sheets but we struggle to keep up with the demand for the paper.”

  “Yours is my father’s favourite.” Rayne collected papers for her father who used them to analyse what was happening around the world. He could speculate on the smallest amount of information and be accurate enough that the government often used his services to make large trade deals and decisions. Thomas skipped backwards, so he could turn his body to look at her but still continue towards their goal.

  “Really? Not your own?” Surprised that he would assume a woman would be reading the newspapers. Well, at least his newspaper. There were society papers that most of the ton read avidly every week. The Times was a different sort of paper and instead covered more than just what happened in Londinium.

  She replied honestly, “I have trouble keeping up with the scientific journals that I don’t have time for newspapers.” Thomas shrugged it off and spun back around in time to open the door to another room. This one had shelves up to the ceiling and the manoeuvring space between the shelves was only accomplished by stepping sideways.

  He asked, “Do you know when this picture of the peeler was put into the paper?”

  “No, but I assume it was when the metropolitan police was formed. Three, four years ago.”

  “That is a big range. But I’ll check it out.” He side stepped a couple shelves and muttered to himself, reading the labels as he went. He stopped halfway down one shelf and bounced on his toes, twiddling his fingers in the air as he searched for the correct box. He pulled one down and passed it to her before going for a few more.

  With the five boxes in hand they went to a table set up near the door. Thomas worked quickly and lifted out one plate at a time. He squinted before discarding it. Asking as he worked, “I didn’t expect a peeler to read scientific journals. Are they useful? In your job I mean.” He kept his eyes on the plates as he checked each one over.

  “Very. The other day I was reading about fireworks from Hun.” She resisted the urge to look over his shoulder while he checked.

  “How would fireworks help peelers?” He finished one box and pushed it aside. Dragging the second one to him and leaving a clearer streak in the dust on the desk. He was well informed if he was familiar enough with fireworks that he didn’t ask what they were.

  “We could create light and call for help. They might be useful in a riot situation,” she speculated of the top of her head as she really hadn’t intended for the conversation to go anywhere.

  “So will we see fireworks any time soon?” The newspaper man asked curious. Larkin snorted. Rayne shot a sideways glance at Larkin, glad when he didn’t add anything more. Thomas might be helping them but he also worked in a newspaper. If he thought what they said was newsworthy he would print it without qualms.

  “One day. Testing would have to be done first to make sure they are safe,” she prevaricated instead. Thomas glanced at them.

  He read the look on Larkin’s face and said simply, “So never then, eh?” He didn’t wait for an answer but went back to looking through the plates.

  He finished the second and the third box. “You didn’t tell me what you needed the plate for.”

  “Are you fishing for a story, Mr Barnes?” She smiled as he was a pleasant man to banter with.

  He corrected her, “Thomas, thank you. Mr Barnes is my father.” He shuddered dramatically. He finished up and said, “No peelers, I’m afraid. We just have some lewd graphics of people committing crimes but no peelers.” He stacked up the boxes and wedged past them. He flashed her a grin when it meant pressing his body against her own. She stepped back to give him as much room as possible. He saw the move and his face dropped. He might be pleasant to talk with but that didn’t mean
she wanted to press her body against his.

  She muttered a thank you and left while he put everything away. Larkin asked, “You don’t seriously think you will find the image the tavern keeper saw? Not all newspapers keep their plates. Some have even ceased to exist.”

  She shrugged. It didn’t harm them either. It didn’t help that they didn’t have any other leads.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The hesitation of Lady Pembroke when they were announced was telling. Rayne’s mother obviously had not informed the woman that she would be attending with her daughter. Before Lady Pembroke could revoke her invitation, Rayne’s mother flounced in and spread her skirts and took a seat opposite Lady Pembroke. Lady Pembroke opened her mouth to protest but must have considered the fact that Lady Ancaster was a duchess and her teeth clacked together as she swallowed whatever she was going to say. Rayne could feel some pity for the woman as she knew just how stubborn her mother could be.

  Lady Ancaster flapped a hand at Rayne who found a seat on the other side of the room. Chairs shifted as people tried to get farther away from her. One person didn’t move. Sir Laurie. He flashed her a cruel grin. “I see you are an accessory today.”

  Rayne laid her hands in her lap and ignored the comment. She was here for her mother and from experience she knew silence was the better part of valour.

  Rayne curled her hands in her lap. Her metal hand half hidden under the pale yellow glove, on her opposite hand, that matched her light coloured dress. When she wasn’t in her uniform it was her habit to wear something that made her feel amazing. No stays or corsets, instead perfectly tailored gowns. Today she wore a one piece dress with a drawstring waist. The skirt ended at her calf high boots in light tanned leather.

  Sir Laurie tried again. “Don’t you find these things tedious?”

  Rayne had a choice. Sit there in silence and be very bored or engage with Sir Laurie even if the conversation made her feel like taking a bath afterwards. Boredom was never her first choice. “Sometimes, when I have to talk to people with a mean core who find insulting others second nature I find these outings very tedious.”

  He didn’t seem slighted that she had implied he was mean and instead shrugged. “It is more about political expedience. I am an influential person after all.” He cocked an eyebrow. It was worse when the person she wanted to insult already acknowledged that they were odious. But he also wasn’t wrong.

  “I’m aware of that. On the surface I look like someone who has lowered themselves to having an actual trade. But you forget that the highest ranking nobles are those with ties to the dragons and dragons like noblemen with a trade. It makes us unique.”

  He snorted. “You think your appendage will make you desirable to the dragon. He doesn’t take anything unique. You know that woman he married. Well, she was a commoner. A nobody.” Spitting with the vehemence of his words.

  Rayne’s mind went sharp. The anger in Sir Laurie’s voice meant his association with Eleanor was personal. The only people from this layer of society to have met the women were her victims.

  Rayne turned in her seat then stopped herself. She didn’t want to reveal to Sir Laurie that she was interested in the answer. “Did you know Eleanor?”

  Sir Laurie grimaced revealing his teeth. “That whore was beneath my concern.” Rayne would take that as a yes.

  Rayne narrowed her eyes and dug a little deeper. “Interesting, as you were Governor when she married the dragon. You would have been at the same balls. Surely you would have met.”

  “They were married less than a week. She only attended one ball. In this gaudy gown and dripping in jewellery.”

  “Jewellery the dragon had given her.” Her tone digging into his pride. “Did you ever give her jewellery?”

  He fidgeted, agitated by the conversation. Smoothing his fingers over his facial hair. “She sold my grandmother’s brooch. Can you believe that?” He paled when he realised what he had revealed.

  Rayne asked, “So were you aware she was a conman?”

  His voice tipped towards being a little too loud for the polite conversation allowed in sitting room. “A conman? No she was a… A conman? Really?”

  “Yes, her partner was Sebastian. They were lovers and conned people out of as much wealth as possible. It is amazing what you can find out gossiping at an inn.” Sir Laurie gaped. His pale skin flushed with embarrassment.

  He tried to recover and snapped, “A great deduction, officer. I’ve never had a great regard for Robert’s men.”

  “Is that because of our wit or because some of us are not as honourable as you are?” She wasn’t ashamed to throw herself into the mire that were her colleagues.

  Sir Laurie sniffed. “I’d say your wit but I know your father would have made sure you were well educated. A complete waste in a female.” His insult delivered awkwardly, he stumbled to his feet just as ungraceful as his words. He muttered an excuse of a meeting he had forgotten. The rest of the ladies and gentleman looked confused but didn’t stop Sir Laurie from leaving. Lady Ancaster narrowed her eyes at Rayne who gave an innocent shrug. It was never a good sign when men desperately tried to escape.

  ___

  Katherine wore an oversized leather apron that was folded at the bottom and pegged to keep it rolled up. This was essential, as the apron was long enough to get under her feet. Katherine also wore leather gloves that were a size too big and she left her hands held up so they wouldn’t slip off. At least this was the way Rayne found her sister.

  Rayne said from the doorway to the basement room, “I thought you were going to start with animals.” This was said because on the table in the middle of the room was a body of a man covered by an old sheet.

  Katherine flashed her a grin and said, “I got lucky. One of dad’s contacts said they had a body of a murderer that they were willing to sell.”

  Katherine waved a hand at the body. Her exuberance at the opportunity had her bouncing on her toes. “He has tattoos all over his body. He was a pirate, apparently. He is too dead to try bring back to life but I’ll be able to see where everything is inside the body. Maybe figure out what everything does.”

  Rayne shook her head at the obvious glee in her sister’s voice. She was used to bodies but even she didn’t get excited over cutting one open to see what was inside. Approaching the table she looked down at the man. He had scars and looked like a wax model rather than a ruthless pirate.

  Katherine asked, “Will you help? I can’t let the servants see this. Dad is pretending it is for Everett to study medicine but the servants would know that was baloney so they can’t help.”

  Rayne looked around and saw several sets of gloves laid out on a table to the side. Her sister had come prepared. She found one to go over her hand and tucked a cloth in her pocket to clean off her mechanical hand when this was all done. Together they moved tables and things into place so Katherine could place the organs into containers.

  Rayne asked while they were setting buckets around the table, “Would you consider chemistry a hobby or a lesser science?”

  Katherine grunted as she shifted a table closer and stood back to eye it. “Hardly. There is a lot you can do with chemicals. Are you talking about the dragon?”

  Rayne eyed her sister curious how she had jumped to that conclusion, even if it was correct. “Why would you say that?”

  “Only a dragon would consider chemistry a lesser science. They are physicists. Anything that gets icky is considered lesser to them.”

  Rayne eyed the multitude of buckets and pans and knew this would get messy very soon and very quickly. She wondered what Victor would think of it all.

  “He has a lab, so obviously he doesn’t think that. What is the difference anyway?” She grunted, as the heavy basin she grabbed looked lighter than it actually was. Bending her knees she tried again and shifted it to where it was needed while her sister answered her question.

  “Most dragons only work with things at their smallest. Chemistry in comparison would be cru
de. Like painting with your fingers instead of a paint brush.”

  “Victor isn’t crude.” Rayne blushed at her quick defence of the dragon. No one would believe that she had no feelings for the dragon if she said things like that.

  Thankfully her sister was oblivious. Katherine finished setting up and picked up a small knife. She frowned at her gloves and then made a choice and took them off. She grinned when she handled the small knife. “I wouldn’t call Victor crude either but he is nostalgic. Chemistry and biology would be where the dragons started.” So much for her sister not noticing as she came back to the conversation as if she hadn’t been quiet for a couple of moments.

  “Biology?” Rayne asked though she was pretty sure she knew the answer. Acting dumb usually got interesting titbits from her sister.

  Katherine motioned to the body on the table. “Study of life. The dragons would consider this barbaric. They would be able to just look at the body and know where all the organs are. They would also be able to tell what killed the man.” She waved towards the neck where the dark bruises where the hangman’s rope had strangled the life out of the man was visible.

  Her sister swam in waters that Rayne didn’t and therefore knew different things to what she did. “What do you mean?”

  “To be able to manipulate something you have to be able to observe it. They don’t see it with their eyes but rather feel where everything is and what it is made of. Dragons would make great detectives.”

  Katherine cut into the body and Rayne found herself looking away as the skin split way too easily under the sharp blade.

  Katherine said, “You can go now. I’ll be at this for hours.” Rayne took the excuse and left. Scrubbing her mechanical hand more than was truly needed when she stopped at the washstand in her room.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Larkin lurked at the door to the press while Rayne looked through a stack of plates. He had stopped helping her look for peelers in the plates two newspapers before. Rayne wasn’t sure if he thought the whole task frivolous or if he worried that they would succeed and uncover a peeler as the suspect for Sebastian’s murder.