A Despicable Crime

by Liza O'Connor

  “I don’t know. Maybe a couple of days ago.”

  “Why aren’t you eating?” Gregory demanded.

  “I’m trying to learn my new business.”

  He moved to her bench and wrapped his arm about her. “Will you please tell me what has happened? I am very worried about you.”

  Unable to escape his questions, she told him the whole truth. She had expected Gregory to push her away, as Xavier had done, but her butler/parent kissed the top of her head and held her tight. When they arrived at her new business, Gregory came in with her, and tried to assist as much as possible. At noon he found a shop and bought her a large basket of fish and chips.

  She again ate like a starving waif.

  “Surprise!” A familiar voice declared. Vic looked up to see Granger’s son, Luke, standing before her.

  “Why are you here?” she asked.

  “I didn’t like my new home. I missed this place. Can I have my job back?”

  “I would love to give you back this job. I’m bored stiff. But I have to get permission to let you come back first.”

  “You bought the business. Why do you have to get permission?” Luke asked.

  “I really do, so just leave it be. In fact, you should probably come with me.”

  Thus, Gregory, Vic, and Luke entered her carriage and headed back to her home.

  Once home she went in search of Xavier. He wasn’t in the house nor the office.

  She asked Gregory if she could make a call, and he assured her she could. She then called Barns. He answered on the first ring.

  Vic breathed in and spoke. “Barns, I’m sorry for speaking out of turn.”

  “You damn near lost me my job,” he yelled.

  “I was both thoughtless and stupid. I have no excuse and I cannot apologize enough. And you are not the only person angry with me. I am very certain Xavier is going to send me packing soon, and then you’ll never have to deal with me again. But just so you know, I think you are a fabulous director and I pray to God that I haven’t ruined matters for you. But rest assured I’m out of the business now.”

  “What do you mean you’re out of the business?”

  “I’m done with sleuthing. I’m learning a new job, printing standard documents for people to fill out. Granger’s boy is back in London and he wants to run my business and I was hoping you could tell me if it is safe for him to do so, or will the other two fellows hire an assassin to kill him?”

  “Vic, I think you’re overreacting and that is probably my and Xavier’s fault. While it could have been serious, so far, there has been no fallout whatsoever.”

  “That makes me feel better. Does that mean you think Luke could run the business?”

  “I think it is an excellent idea for Luke to run the paper business and you to return to sleuthing.”

  "I do not expect that will happen, but I’ll survive this debacle as long as I know you and Xavier weren’t harmed by my stupidity.”

  “Where is Xavier?” Barns asked.

  “I don’t know. First, he’d come home, only he wouldn’t speak to me. Now he’s not coming home at all.”

  “I’ll try and discover where he is and what he’s doing,” Barns promised.

  “I think he’s done with me. But I would like to know he’s safe and in good health. And we’ll need to decide who gets the house and the kids.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “Vic just hold off on that conversation. I have to think Xavier is on a case that he just can’t talk about.”

  Hope filled Vic’s heart. “Do you really think so?”

  “Yes, I do! Now stop conjuring the worst scenarios and let me pursue this matter.”

  “Thank you!” she said and hung up. Vic turned to discover Gregory had come in to his room at some point. “Barns thinks Xavier might be on a mission, which is why he’s been gone.”

  “I imagine that is true,” Gregory stated. “I am very certain he loves you. While he will no doubt scold you when you make a mistake, he would never stop loving you. He is fully aware how unique and wonderful you are.”

  Vic ran to Gregory and hugged him tightly.

  Since they were in his room, away from any of the guests, he returned her hug and kissed her forehead. “We all make mistakes, Victor, but you cannot dwell on them. Focus on the future. Always strive to be better. And never doubt every man, woman, and child in this house loves you.”

  Vic left the room a changed man. She went to the kitchen and asked the cook if there was anything she could eat.

  “I am cooking you and the young man you brought home an early lunch. It is almost done.”

  “Excellent!” Vic said and kissed her cheek. “Any idea where the young man has gone off to?”

  “I believe he’s in the library talking to the ladies.”

  Vic couldn’t imagine Xavier’s great-grandmother and Charlotte could have much in common with Luke, so she hurried to the library to intervene. When she entered, all three of them were laughing at some story Luke was telling them.

  Since all three chairs were taken she opened the library door planning to steal a chair from the parlor, only Luke stood up. “I should be getting back to work, if that is all right with Mr. Thorn.”

  “He’s not here. However, I would be most pleased if you would continue as the manager. And stop by the kitchen and get your lunch before you leave. I’ll show up this afternoon, so we can discuss hiring more people to shorten the lines.”

  A happy smile appeared. “Fabulous. That will improve our business!”

  Vic liked the way he thought it ‘their’ business. Without doubt, this young man loved his boring job.

  Vic asked Casey to drive him back to work.

  Once Luke was gone, Vic turned to Vivian. “He seems like a good fellow to me. What do you think?”

  “Well, I clearly liked him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have given him a second job.”

  Vic frowned at her declaration. “While tedious and boring, Luke’s job will still wear a person out. What job have you given him?”

  “I offered him a room to sleep in my house if he’ll make certain the place appears lived in.”

  “Shouldn’t your butler do that?”

  “You would think so, but in times of difficulty, my butler left without a by your leave.”

  Vic frowned. “Are you certain he ran off. He may just be in hiding. I warned him of the three Crime Lords and advised him to visit family.”

  The old woman chuckled. “Did you by chance give the same advice to my other servants as well?”

  “I did. You have some pretty maids and handsome young men. I feared the crime lords, denied the treasure they wanted, would steal your staff instead.”

  Vivian smiled. “Thank you, for caring about their safety. It certainly explains why they all disappeared without a single note. How long did you tell them to stay away?”

  “I didn’t give them a date to return, because I have no idea when they can safely return. I don’t even know what became of the three Crime Lords who attempted this despicable kidnapping. Xavier would probably know, but he is not available presently.”

  “That must be hard on you.”

  Vic grimaced. “Only when I—” Vic stopped herself before she created another faux pas.

  Charlotte leaned forward. “Only when you what?”

  “Only when I can’t join him in a mission. In many cases I am not allowed to assist.”

  “Why on earth not?” Vivian asked.

  “Some members of parliament do not care for me at all, but then those particular men stole diamonds from the Queen, murdered a parliament member, and attempted to murder Xavier. Had I not acquired the help of another parliament member, Xavier would have died.”

  “I hope they all went to jail.”

  “Neither of them went to jail. One disappeared and is presumed dead and the other remains a member of the Parliament,” Vic replied with anger. “And you cannot repeat that to anyone. It would be my death if you did.”

/>   “Dear Lord! I expected better from the Parliament,” Vivian complained.

  “If you attended any of their meetings, you would be sorely disappointed. They are mostly spoiled, rich children. Nor are they terribly bright. The core trait among them is their absolute arrogance towards all the lesser men, and honestly, women don’t count at all.”

  Charlotte nodded in agreement. “I tried to rally the women here, but they are so focused on being quiet, submissive wives, that even though they want a better life, they will never fight for it.” Charlotte smiled. “Except for Vivian. You are most exceptional, and you helped make my life tolerable for six years.”

  Vivian sighed heavily. “I should have seen what was going on. It outrages me that he was beating you all those years. Whenever he refused to allow me to talk to you, he would claim I must have been rude to you, since you refused to speak to me anymore.”

  Charlotte gripped Vivian’s hand. “I won’t lie. My life was a nightmare, but life should be better now...as long as no one kidnaps me.”

  Vic spoke at once. “That is not going to happen. But until we know what has become of the three Crime Lords, you must remain here. This place is a fortress.” Vic then stood. “I just realized you didn’t arrive with a trunk of clothes. Shall I retrieve clothes from your house?”

  “I could just call my butler, if I can use your phone.”

  Vic was relieved she had a phone. “Do not tell him where you are, just tell him you are safe, and a man named Casey will be by to pick up your clothes.”

  “How long do you think we’ll be here?” Charlotte asked.

  “I don’t know. I expect Vivian’s staff will have to be vetted, and be warned, some of them will not pass the test.”

  “Which ones?” Vivian asked.

  “Well, the one I nicknamed Worthless is on my list of unacceptable servants.”

  Vivian burst into laughter. “Are you talking about my lady’s maid?”

  “Is she a woman in her forties, who won’t help, but will try to save herself first and foremost if she perceives danger?”

  “Yes, indeed!” Vivian replied. “She is quite dreadful now, but when she was a young girl, she was sweet, so I made her my lady’s maid. Sadly, she proved untrainable. Still I had promised her she could be my lady’s maid, so I have endured her all these years. If I wish to go out, I have to fix my own hair and choose my own dress. If I asked another maid to fix my hair, the woman will throw a tantrum a mile long. However, I will need you or Xavier to fire her, but please feel free to do so.”

  “I will happily fire the worthless baggage,” Vic assured her. “But there will be many others who must go.”

  “Did you find my servants so intolerable?”

  “I have no idea what is commonly accepted. The only butler I have ever had is Gregory, and he runs a very tight ship.”

  “Indeed, he does.”

  “So, if any of your men balk at giving their life for you or Charlotte, they will be fired. You may write them a nice letter of recommendation if you wish, but you no longer can have servants who are not willing to die for you.”

  “That is a bit extreme,” Vivian complained.

  “No, it is not. You offered to take in Charlotte. Therefore, your servants must be on par with what Xavier and I have, or they will be dismissed.” She paused and regrouped since neither woman seem happy with her plan. “I’m not being overly cautious. Nor do I suggest this because you are silly women. You are not. You are both strong and intelligent. But now that Xavier has found his beloved great-grandmother, and reconnected with his mother, he will protect you both to the very best of his ability. It will be easier to protect you if you live together. But either way, he will give you the same protection the Queen gets.”

  “But why do we need that?” Charlotte protested.

  “Because neither of you are ordinary people anymore. You are the great-grandmother and the mother of Xavier Thorn—one of the most valuable men in this country. The only way Xavier can focus on keeping our country safe, is to know you are both being protected by the highest caliber of employees. While you might believe it is not necessary, you need to go along with it. You will both have a protector that goes where you go, except when you go to the bathing room or water closet. My protector is normally Tubs, but Casey can fill in if necessary. When the boys want to go to a park, they are normally accompanied by Tubs, Casey, Fagan and myself. I suggest instead of resenting this change, embrace it. You’ll have every reason to feel safe, if you are protected by the best.”

  Vivian leaned over and patted Vic’s hand. “You have made your case well. Charlotte and I will accept our new servants without attitude.” She looked at Charlotte and she nodded as well.

  Xavier spoke from behind the two ladies. “I am greatly pleased to hear your compliance.” He kissed each of their temples then smiled at Vic. “Well done, Pup.”

  He sat on his desk as he focused on the ladies. “It will probably take two months to improve the safety of your home, Vivian. However, Charlotte’s home is an impressive fortress.” Xavier focused on his mother. “That being said, I am not certain you wish to continue living there.”

  “What is wrong with my house?” Vivian asked.

  Vic spoke up. “To begin with, you have an excessive quantity of windows with glass that easily shatters, and the windows don’t even have locks on them, nevertheless gates,” Vic said.

  “The chimney is large enough for several assassins to climb down it at once.” Xavier added.

  “The door to the basement can be broken into by a small child,” Vic warned.

  “The locks on the door can be opened by beginner lock-pics,” Xavier complained.

  “The wooden panels on the front door can be knocked out with ease,” Vic assured her.

  “Not to mention you have no gate and fence protecting your house, which explains why Daniel and three Crime Lords had no trouble entering your abode. And despite having twice as many servants as we have, all of your servants ended up as hostages.”

  Vivian frowned at their assessment “So you wish me to move in with Charlotte?”

  “That is one possibility, if my mother wishes to live there. Another possibility is that I provide you several alternative homes with no bad memories and you choose one of them.”

  “I would like a new home, what about you, Charlotte?” Vivian asked.

  Charlotte rose and kissed both Vic and Xavier on their cheeks. “A new home sounds perfect.”

  “Excellent, I will show you the three houses that are available and have passed my safety-assessment tomorrow,” Xavier said.

  “Only three?” Vivian teased.

  “Yes, the rest of the homes, available for sale, all failed,” Xavier replied.

  “Shall I ask Gregory to acquire their house staff?” Vic asked.

  “I warned him last week we would require more servants. He was most annoyed until I explained they would be for Vivian’s and Charlotte’s home. I imagine by now he has made significant progress.”

  Both Charlotte and Vivian hurried off to assess Gregory’s efforts.

  Vic laughed once they left the library. Xavier sat in his chair and when Vic attempted to pass to reach her chair, he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “I apologized for abandoning you. It was not by choice.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” she assured him. “I was just being over sensitive from my blunder.”

  “We all make mistakes.” He then turned her face to him and kissed her with delightful passion. Once it ended, he sighed with happiness. “Never doubt my love for you, Vic. Even when I yell, I still adore you.”

  His words dissolved all her sadness and pain. “So, what happened to the three Crime Lords?”

  “They have disappeared for good,” he replied.

  “Did parliament give you authority to do that?”

  “No. But do you remember me telling you that certain persons can remove anyone they believe is a threat to the country?
”

  “The Minister of Foreign Affairs?”

  “Yes, all three of the Crime Lords came from other countries, so I explained the potential danger, he agreed they were a threat to England, and his men quickly removed them.”

  Vic gave the matter some thought then replied, “But you cannot be sure another Crime Lord has not learned of the connection, which is why you are increasing their protection.”

  “Yes,” he stated softly.

  Vic’s love almost overwhelmed her. “You are the most extraordinary man I have ever met.”

  “No, love. That would be you.”

  After another heart-stopping kiss, Vic stood up and held out her hand. The desire in her eyes left no doubt what she wanted.

  Before Xavier could join her, she groaned in anger. “Bloody hell! I forgot I promised to stop back at the printing place.”

  “Why?”

  “Honestly? I don’t remember. I think we were going to discuss adding more people and then I was going to take Luke to Vivian’s home.”

  “And again, why?” Xavier asked.

  “Because she asked him to stay there, since all her staff has disappeared.”

  “Why are we involved in this nonsense?”

  “I don’t know. But I have to get Casey and see if Luke is still at work.”

  Xavier sighed. “Not what I was planning to do this evening, but let’s go find him.”

  “Do you think it’s safe for him to be at Vivian’s house?” she asked.

  “Does he possess a gun?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then he should be fine.”

  “So, the other two forgers aren’t going to kill him?”

  “No. Barns decided to wait a month before any actions are taken against the three.”

  “Three? There is only two now?”

  “You don’t know that for certain. Granger could have taught his son the skill.”

  “Well, I hope you’re wrong.”

  “That is Barn’s thought, not mine.”

  “What do you think?” Vic asked.

  “I think he’s a young man trying to make a go in life. If honest work proves lucrative enough, he’ll probably stick to it.”

  “You haven’t even met him yet.” Vic complained.

  “Well, it’s time to meet your latest effort to reform.”