The CrimeLords' War (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 7)

by Liza O'Connor

  Within minutes, every jail cell had pushed forward one or two men they insisted knew the answer.

  Tubs walked up and down the cells studying these men. He smiled at a terrified young man wearing a rumpled but good quality suit.

  “Let’s start with that one. He’s not used to real pain.”

  The pungent scent of urine filled the area as the other men stepped away from Tubs’ selection.

  Vic never liked Jackson but she couldn’t help but feel a modicum of pity for him. However, she approved of Tubs’ choice. If ‘the Professor’ knew the location, he would almost certainly break and give the address at once.

  Casey and Fagan pulled him from the cage and yanked him to the chains.

  “No, please. I want to invoke option one,” he cried. He then looked at the men in the cages. “I’m saving all of your lives. So repay the favor and don’t tell Achlys who told.”

  Who the hell was Achlys?

  Vic was no longer certain the jerk planned to tell the truth. She stormed forward and gripped his hand, jamming a pick beneath his nail. He screamed and fell to his knees.

  Vic grabbed him by his hair and pulled his face to hers. “We're in a hurry. Give me the correct address or I will keep you alive so I can torture you for years. I want the blonde bitch that was upstairs in the hall the night you saw David at the casino.”

  He gulped. “Achlys. She has a mansion on Hampstead Avenue, but her lover turned out to be a French spy, so she’s moved him to the old jail on Bleak Street.”

  Vic could see no deception. She looked at Tubs. “I think he’s telling the truth. But let’s keep them all here until we know for certain.”

  Tubs looked at Casey. “Put him in a cell by himself.” He then glared at Seth and Samson. “Leave them be until we’ve determined if the intel is good.”

  Seth growled. Samson nodded. “We’ll wait.”

  Vic could tell Tubs was exhausted, so she had Fagan bring the carriage right up to him. She opened the door and climbed in. Tubs followed, with Casey standing behind him, hopefully blocking Seth’s view of Tubs as he nearly stumbled getting in. Vic reached out and closed the door and the carriage headed out.

  She moved to Tubs side of the carriage and hugged his giant arm. “You are magnificent.”

  He reached over with his left hand and ruffled her hair. “I don’t know. You got him talking pretty damn fast.”

  “Yes, but they wouldn’t have handed him up had you not provided them three options and an out for those who couldn’t tell you the answer because they didn’t know it. That saved us hours of interrogations.”

  He huffed. “I probably won’t be much use in the next part, but I’m going in all the same.”

  “No.”

  “I’m going in,” he stated.

  “Wouldn’t you rather be of use?” she asked.

  His eyes narrowed. “How?”

  “We pull the carriage right up to the front door of the jail and you shoot anyone that isn’t family if they try to enter or leave the door. I think Seth and Samson did a good job of securing her criminals, so she may be understaffed, and I seriously doubt professional spies wish to lurk about a moldy jail watching one arrogant Frenchman.”

  “They would if they knew who he was.”

  “I don’t think she’s told anyone who he is. This is and always has been personal. If she told any of the spies his true identity, they would go around her and report it to the higher ups, and they would have their own ideas how to proceed, which probably would not include releasing him so he could suffer mental anguish discovering he could have stopped my murder.”

  Tubs patted her leg. “You’re right. I’ll guard the door. But you have to take Casey and Fagan.”

  ***

  Vic with Casey in lead and Fagan behind her moved quickly through the bottom floor.

  “If he lied, I’ll tear his arms and legs off one by one,” Vic growled. Casey pressed his finger to his lips and moved quietly up the stairs. The second floor was empty as well. Fear sapped her strength as they climbed to the third floor. She saw no apparent cells on this floor. Only empty rooms.

  Vic wasn’t certain whether they were dorms for the guards or rooms for those who could afford to pay not to live in moldy cold jail cells.

  Finding nothing, they moved to the fourth floor. Vic’s anger focused on the lying professor and all the painful tortures she would inflict upon him. She wanted to call off the search and return to the warehouse and question another prisoner.

  Why hadn’t she done that in the first place? Why didn’t she get a confirmation from a second source?

  Because her gut told her she didn’t have time.

  But her gut had told her the professor was telling the truth. Clearly her gut had ceased to work.

  Then she heard soft gentle cooing noises. She would have written it off as a pigeon, but she recalled Ariana making a similar noise. She kicked open the door hiding the cooing noise, aiming her gun directly at the woman seated on the floor, cradling Xavier’s head in her lap, his body bound to a tipped over chair.

  Vic raised the gun and aimed at the woman’s head to be certain she didn’t actually shoot Xavier.

  “Vic, no! Ariana saved me. Do not harm her.”

  She turned to each corner of the room looking for the she-devil she could shoot, but found no one.

  “Where is this Achlys?” Vic demanded.

  “She’s gone,” Xavier said. “Hopefully for good.”

  “Oh no! I want that bitch! I don’t care if I have to follow her to Russia, I will kill her.” She then glared at Xavier. “She tried to have me assassinated.”

  He smiled. “I’m glad she failed.”

  “How long ago did she leave?” Vic demanded.

  “It doesn’t matter. Casey, cut these ties. I'm in desperate need of a water closet.”

  Vic yanked Ariana from her partner. The twit yelped in pain.

  “Vic, stop!” Xavier barked.

  Before she could respond, the twit wrenched her gun from her left hand and pressed it to her head.

  “One move from any of you and your lover dies,” a hard edge angry voice warned.

  “Damn it, Vic. Why couldn’t you leave Ariana alone?”

  The woman laughed. “Even Ariana could hear your concern for this boy.”

  “He’s my partner. Of course I care about him. But the only woman I love…have ever loved is Ariana.”

  Vic stared at Xavier in shock. Seriously? Those were the last words he wanted her to hear?

  A hard laugh came from the woman. “Oh look at the boy’s face. You’ve broken his heart, Xavier. And instead of dying alone, you get to watch me kill all three of these young men. Starting with the redheads. They might be related to your beloved ‘Tilly’.” She kept hold of Vic, but shifted the gun’s aim to Fagan.

  ***

  Tubs worried about how long the team had been inside the building. He was just about to climb out and investigate when Samson declared his approach on the right side of the carriage.

  “Why aren’t you at the warehouse?” Tubs asked.

  “Because Seth set it on fire…with the men inside. He did not want you coming back and setting them free. I sure as hell hope you got the right address.”

  “Vic was sure when he went in, but they’ve been in there a long time.”

  “Mind if I go in and check on them?”

  “You armed?”

  Samson brow furrowed in pain as if such a question wounded him. “To the teeth.”

  “Then I would greatly appreciate you checking up on them.”

  ***

  Recalling the dainty lady that Vic suspected held Xavier, Samson hurried to the fourth floor where the jail supervisor and his family had lived. The sale of decent rooms on the third floor enabled the jailer to live far above his means. While most of the items had been removed soon after they discovered what the supervisor had been doing, a few chairs and coffee tables remained.

  The lady would also have
a decent view of the streets around the area without much chance of being seen in return.

  He had climbed to the third floor when he heard Xavier yell in anger from the floor above. “Damn it, Vic. Why couldn’t you leave Ariana alone?”

  He expected Vic to yell in return, only he didn’t, which caused Samson to proceed cautiously to the next floor. The door remained open to the room from which Xavier spoke. He extracted dental device from his vest pocket. Victor had given him the shiny metal at Christmas. It’s small round surface acted very much like a tiny mirror, yet was far more durable and had a long handle which made it less obvious. He knelt down and placed the mirror at a tilt.

  A woman held a gun to Vic’s head, which explained his silence.

  While the lady was the same size and appearance of the timid young woman Xavier had been with that night at the casino, she didn’t sound the same.

  The moment she shifted the gun from Vic’s temple towards Fagan, Samson took aim and shot. The two guns sounded in rapid succession.

  As the lady fell backwards, Vic was on her at once pinning her hands. “Casey, your handcuffs.”

  Casey rushed to her and secured the woman. Vic then looked to Fagan. “Were you shot?”

  The fellow patted his body. “No, she missed entirely.”

  Vic stared about in confusion, then smiled as she looked up. “That’s because Samson shot the bitch in her leg causing her to fall back.” She pointed to the hole in the ceiling. “Xavier’s true love meant to kill you.”

  The venom in his voice when Vic spoke of Xavier shocked him.

  Finally, Vic looked at Samson. “Thank you for saving Fagan. It took a clever mind to figure out how to do that.”

  Standing up, Vic brushed off his pants. “Let’s go.”

  “Hold on, I’m still tied,” Xavier complained.

  Vic walked over to him and bent over. “Not very well.” Vic then yanked the ropes hard enough to make Xavier curse, then tied them better. “That should do it. But if you and your true love can work as a team, you might get free before the rats eat you.”

  “Fagan, untie me,” Xavier ordered.

  Vic picked up the gun and aimed it at Fagan. “You are not untying him. I have a gun pointed at you. You have to follow my orders.”

  Fagan stared in horror.

  Samson feared Vic might actually shoot Fagan if he didn’t obey. To keep that from happening, he pushed both drivers from the room.

  ***

  Vic put up the gun and followed them out of the room.

  The moment they entered the carriage she buried her face in Tubs giant chest.

  “What happened?” he demanded. “Where’s Xavier?”

  Samson sighed. “He’s alive, but tied up for the moment.”

  “He’s a bloody bastard and no longer my partner!” Vic declared.

  “What happened?” Tubs growled.

  She burst into sobs of misery. “He said Ariana is the only woman he’s ever loved.”

  Tubs looked at Samson to explain.

  With a heavy sigh, Samson said, “The crazy woman believed Vic and Xavier were lovers. Xavier emphatically denied it and insisted she was the only woman he'd ever loved. She didn’t buy it, but clearly Vic did.”

  “Vic…” Tubs’ disappointment came through loud and clear.

  Vic spoke, the pain and anguish tightening her voice. “He meant it. He’s never loved me.”

  Tubs looked at Samson, as if expecting him to do something.

  So he tried. “Vic, I thought he sounded sincere, but he was even more sincere when he warned me to back off because you were his and his alone. So I’ve got to think he’s a very good actor. Probably a useful skill when he goes on missions. Please recall, the woman did have a gun to your head, so that might have encouraged him to his finest level of acting ever.”

  Tubs pushed Vic back so he could see his face. “She had a gun to your head?”

  Vic shrugged.

  “Vic,” he stated in disappointment. “There is nothing Xavier wouldn’t say if he thought in doing so, it would save your life. You would do the same.”

  Vic chewed on her bottom lip, then leaned out the window. “Fagan, you can go save Xavier, but leave that bitch there.”

  Fagan flew off the carriage and up the stairs. She then gripped Samson’s and Tubs’ hands. “Thank you for talking me off the cliff.”

  ***

  God, Samson had never wanted anyone more than he wanted Vic. Seeing the fellow hurt by Xavier, even by good intentions, made him want to run off with Vic and start life over in a country more accepting of different kinds of loves so Vic wouldn’t have to pretend to be a woman.

  The door ripped open and Xavier stared in. After an angry glare at Vic, he focused on Samson. “Don’t you have your own carriage?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do,” Samson said.

  “Good, then get in it and go home!”

  Samson sighed. So much for gratitude. He reached over and touched Vic’s knee to get his outraged focus off Xavier and to himself. “Vic, it was my pleasure to save you. Call me any time. I rather like the role of the knight in shining armor.”

  “Yes, yes, just leave!” Xavier barked.

  Samson left on the opposite side of the carriage and hurried to his own transport.

  Before he reached his carriage, he heard Vic call out. “Samson wait!” The young man climbed out, then helped Tubs to exit the carriage. A moment later Casey was also off the carriage, walking on the other side of Tubs.

  Seeing the pain in Tubs’ face, Samson whistled for his driver to assist by bringing the carriage to them. As he rushed back to them, Vic’s carriage pulled away.

  Rigid with anger, Vic stood in silence. Now that he was closer, Samson wasn’t sure if Tubs was in pain or furious as well. Once he had everyone in his carriage, he spoke. “Should we be going to your house or mine?”

  “Mine. If we go now, I will arrive first to take claim of it. Xavier can live in the office.”

  “I hope his rudeness towards me didn’t cause this sever of ties.”

  “No…his rude and obnoxious comment to you was worthy of a scolding once in private, but your rationale about why he might have declared his undying love to that blonde she devil was sound. In such a situation, I would do the same.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “He demanded we take Ariana to Dr. Connors so she could receive medical care. Then she climbs into the carriage, sits beside him, and cuddles lovingly to his side.”

  Samson looked at Tub for confirmation of this insane behavior.

  “And no gun in sight. Xavier Thorn has lost his mind over a piece of fluff.” Vic’s angry eyes grew glassy. “Well, she can have him. He’s a bossy, arrogant, disagreeable old man.” Then Vic burst into tears and buried his face into Samson’s chest.

  Never had he wanted to simultaneously kill and thank a man more than Xavier Thorn.

  Chapter 22

  Xavier had no choice but to protect Ariana. Once he explained the situation, Vic would forgive him for this misunderstanding. He had broken this young woman by his seduction ten years prior. He had to make it right. It was no different than Vic’s determination to return Tubs to full health.

  “Please don’t take me to my house. Achlys will come back,” Ariana whimpered.

  “Well, first I need to take you to a doctor.”

  She pushed against his chest, trying to escape his embrace. “No, they will lock me up!”

  “This is a medical doctor who can treat your gunshot wound.”

  His words seemed to have shocked her. She raised her skirt searching for the wound. Upon touching it, she spoke softly. “Victor shot me.”

  “No…Achlys had Victor’s gun to his head, then decided to kill my driver in training first. Consequently, Victor’s friend, a fellow with strong feelings for my partner, shot Achlys in the leg. I am grateful he chose the leg rather than your head.”

  “If you were grateful, why did you order him out of your
carriage?” she challenged.

  Xavier frowned. While Ariana might be mentally harmed, she was no one’s fool. “For two reasons. First, I did not want you to have to ride in a carriage with the man who'd just shot you. Second, there wasn’t room. I was quite certain if I ordered him out, Vic and Tubs would go as well.”

  She smiled up at him. “Then you are my hero, because I don’t like Victor at all, and the giant terrifies me.”

  “And Samson?” he asked.

  “He's very handsome, but he clearly loves Victor, which is an abomination to God.”

  Xavier found her answer most annoying. The man had shot her! That should be her reason of distrust and dislike, not that he prefers someone other than her. It made Xavier question her love for him.

  When they arrived at Dr. Connors, he was led straight in to an exam room. Knowing Connors was perpetually in a rush, he lifted her onto the exam table.

  Connors entered the room and shook his head. “You truly are a trouble magnet. Nice disguise. I didn’t recognize you at all. In fact, you appear to be a foot shorter. How did you achieve that bit a wizardry?”

  Xavier shook his head. “This is Ariana. She was wounded during a bit of a tangle today.”

  Dr. Connors frowned and attempted to raise her skirt to examine the wound, only Ariana sat up and slapped his hand. “Sir, you forget yourself.”

  Xavier tensed, unsure of which woman was in possession of the body at this moment. “Ariana, Connors is a doctor. He has to see your wound to make it better.”

  The young woman pulled her knees to her chest and hugged her skirt tight to her ankles.

  “May I speak to you outside?” Connors asked.

  “No, I wish to stay with Ariana. You unintentionally frightened her.”

  Connors rolled his eyes and faced Ariana. “I apologize for alarming you. However, I truly do need to see the wound to fix it.”

  She shook her head and buried her face in the skirt fabric covering her thighs.

  He turned back to Xavier. “I don’t have time for this. I will return in a half hour. If she is not ready to be examined then, you’ll need to take her somewhere else.” He left the room shaking his head.