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

by Liza O'Connor

  She shook her head and walked down the hall to reassess the painting that appeared to be a very bad Rembrandt. When she heard a carriage pull up hard outside, she went to the door and opened it. Waving Connors in, she led him upstairs as she whispered she’d put her emergency package in the lady’s water.

  When they entered, the woman looked dead. But when Connors touched her neck her eyes opened in fright.

  “This is Dr. Connors. He’s the best doctor there is,” Vic reminded her.

  The woman smiled weakly. “I remember. How are the interviews going?”

  “Ah…I better get back to them now,” Vic said and hurried downstairs. The butler came out of the parlor frowning. “Sorry, the doctor came and I took him up to Lady Hudson.”

  A smile returned to his face and he hurried upstairs.

  She entered and looked at Mary Coleman, a lady in her thirties. “I’m Vic. I just have a few questions and then you can get back to your mistress.”

  A tension in her jaw made Vic pause. Her comment should have pleased the woman, not made her angry. “Is something wrong?”

  “Nothing that is your concern,” she snapped.

  “If it explains why you weren’t by your mistress when we arrived, then it is directly within my concerns.”

  The woman’s cheeks flared red. “I was told my mistress did not need my attendance, that I disturb her sleep.”

  “Who told you that?”

  She tightened her lips.

  “Was it the butler?”

  “No! In fact, he asked me why I wasn’t tending my mistress, as well.”

  “And did you tell him the truth as to who told you to leave her alone?”

  “Of course. He’s the butler.”

  “And why wouldn’t you think Scotland Yard would rank above a butler?”

  The woman paled. “I beg your pardon. Master Hudson told me to leave her be.”

  “Thank you. I can see you wish to return to your mistress.”

  She nodded emphatically.

  “This interview will be over sooner, if you answer my questions directly.

  “I will,” she replied.

  “Who brings your mistress her food and water?”

  “I do…or did. This week Eve has been doing it.” Her eyes narrowed. “Eve is clearly vying for my job, but why, I cannot imagine. My mistress is on her death’s bed and when she dies, I will be sent off, while Eve will still have the horrid brats to attend.”

  She cringed. “Please do not reveal I called them brats. It will get me fired, and as tenuous as my job is, it is better than none at all.” She sighed as her hands tangled with one another. “No other lady will want my services. I am too old. Ladies want someone young so they can train them to their preferences.”

  “How old were you when you became Lady’s maid for your mistress?” Vic asked.

  “I was sixteen. Hobs said I was too young, but Lady Hudson insisted I was the perfect age and I’d be fully trained by the time she was to have a season.” She then smiled. “And I was. Lady Hudson was perfect in all ways when she came out.”

  “You care deeply for her,” Vic observed.

  She nodded as her eyes grew watery.

  “Did you attend her during her deliveries?”

  “I wanted to, but Eve was chosen to assist.”

  “You don’t like Eve very much, do you?”

  “I hate her,” the woman whispered. “But I’m not the only one here who does. She acts so superior to us all. I’ve even heard her get sassy with Hobs.”

  “Why doesn’t he fire her?”

  She shrugged. “I suspect the master won’t allow it. He seems to like Eve a great deal.”

  She bit her bottom lip as fearing she’d said too much.

  “I didn’t write that down, so it’s as if you never said it.”

  The woman relaxed and smiled. “Thank you. You are very kind.” She seemed to be eyeing Vic speculatively, then sighed. “Eve will be certain to flirt with you, but rest assured everything she says will be a lie.”

  “Everything?” Vic asked.

  “She even lies about stupid things, such as whether it’s rainy or sunny outside.”

  Vic chuckled.

  “I’m serious. She had poor Lizzie convinced it was pouring down rain, so the girl dressed up in her rain clothes and everyone laughed at her when she entered the kitchen. The cook wouldn’t give her time to change, so she had to go out dressed in her rain gear. Poor little mite was dripping wet from baking in the sun under the raincoat by the time she got home.”

  “Why didn’t she take it off?”

  “The cook wouldn’t let her. No doubt Eve told her not to. The cook jumps to Eve’s orders, although, why, I haven’t a clue.”

  Vic smiled, “Thank you for being so helpful.”

  The woman bit her lip again.

  “No worries. Nothing will come back to you.”

  “I didn’t say anything,” she insisted.

  “Nothing official, but you may have saved your mistress's life with the insights you've given me.”

  Her eyes rounded in outrage. “Is Eve poisoning my mistress?”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “It would explain why she suddenly turned for the worse when Eve started bringing her the meals. My lady hates the cook’s ‘special meals’ made for her, so I would bring her fruits and meats on the sly. But then the master told me to leave her alone and Eve now brings her those terrible meals. It would also explain why the girl would spend her time doing my job. That never made sense to me. There isn’t a kind bone in Eve.”

  “You have the makings of a fine detective,” Vic said. “However, until we make the arrests, I need you to keep what you have gathered to yourself. Do I have your word on this? If you lose your temper and accuse Eve or the cook, then your mistress and you will probably die.”

  “So the master is to get off?” she asked softly.

  “If he’s guilty, he will be charged. But we'll require more proof in his case.”

  She breathed out and nodded in agreement. “I believe he and Eve are having an affair. Her room is next to mine and the walls are thin. I’ve heard her making love to someone who sounds like the master. And she goes into the library with him and stays for hours. Then she comes out with her clothes in disarray. I’m not the only one who’s noticed. The housekeeper and Hobs have both spoken to her about it.”

  “Do you know anything about Eve’s past?”

  “She lies about everything, so I don’t believe a word out of her mouth.”

  “I will consider the source, but I would like to know.”

  She shook her head. “Ask her yourself. You’ll see how her eyes are amused as she tells the story. There’s not a bit of truth to it.”

  Vic stood and offered her hand to Mary. “Remember, you mustn’t say a thing, or they may kill you.”

  “I am good with secrets and keeping my thoughts to myself. I realize I said a great deal here, but you have a way about you. I believe you’re going to help my mistress.”

  Vic nodded. “That is my intention.”

  Mary smiled and then hurried off.

  Vic interviewed the cook next. The woman was wary of even the most benign question. Her fear and guilt filled the room with tension.

  Vic let her go, far more interested in Eve.

  The young woman who arrived, indeed had an air of superiority. Additionally, she had the thinnest of waists and an hour glass figure.

  Never, in Vic’s life, had she met a servant who wore a corset. And why would Hobs and the housekeeper allow it? It would clearly interfere with her job. She could hardly be expected to run after children when she could barely breathe.

  Vic did her best to look smitten rather than disgusted. “Excuse my curiosity, but you do not look like a servant of any kind.”

  Eve laughed softly. She then told the story Hobs had relayed of a wealthy family that lost everything, forcing her to make her way in the world. Mary was right; she was enjoy
ing the story far too much for it to be real.

  “So you see,” she stated. “I am no servant, but a lady down on her luck, but I refuse to allow life to pull me down.”

  Did she actually believe Mr. Hudson would marry her when his wife died? Was this attempted murder Eve’s concoction and not Vic's deranged client’s? Did she have to worry about yet another attempt? And what about the switched babies? Eve was clearly involved with that. She had to be the one bringing in the other baby and taking away Lady Hudson’s child.

  “I’m curious, if one might want to date you on your days off, do you have a place, other than here where you could be contacted?”

  “That depends,” she said. “Are you a man of wealth, because I’m not settling for anything else?”

  Vic realized Barns should take this assignment. Eve would probably expect to have sex here in the parlor before she’d give him her home address. Vic made a big production of sighing. “Sadly no. I’m not as fortunate as Barns. He’s as wealthy as they come. Father’s a minster of parliament, you know.”

  “Really?” she purred. “And where is this Barns?”

  “He’s somewhere around. Probably drinking port with the master.”

  Eve frowned. “Any chance you could have him do my interview?”

  “Only if I tell him what a beauty you are. But your master might not like that.”

  “No! You’ll get me fired. I’ll give you my address, but you have to give it to Barns. You are very handsome, but I’m a lady and I want to return to my place in society.” She wrote it down on a slip of paper and handed it to Vic.

  “I understand entirely.” Vic rose and kissed her hand. “I will make sure my friend receives your address. When will you next be at this location?”

  She paused and gave the matter thought. “Sunday afternoon.”

  “I will let the lucky bastard know.”

  Instead of looking shocked, Eve laughed with delight. Any true lady would have fainted by such language. Without doubt, Eve Cunning was no lady.

  Chapter 25

  Vic had just walked Eve from the parlor when the butler rushed down the stairs and out the door. A moment later, he returned with Casey and Fagan.

  “Vic, can you watch the carriage?” Fagan softly asked.

  The butler stopped her. “I will have the footman do that,” he whispered.

  She wasn’t sure why he whispered, but she was more than happy not to be tethered to the horses. She hurried up the stairs, only to meet Casey carrying the woman down the steps while Fagan walked before him, hand in his pocket, where no doubt a gun resided.

  He frowned at Vic and whispered harshly, “You’re supposed to be watching the horses.”

  “Footman’s doing that.”

  “Get behind me then,” he ordered.

  Her temper flared, but when she realized why he was angry, her outrage dissipated. Fagan was trying to keep history from repeating itself. She and Tubs had been rescuing another poisoned woman the day he'd been shot. He'd been carrying the woman, who turned out to be royalty, when the butler and four of his sons pulled out guns, aimed them at Vic, and fired.

  She should have died that day, but Tubs dropped the lady, knocked her aside, and took the bullets himself.

  Fagan was determined this extraction would go differently.

  Once outside, they placed the woman in Connors’ carriage. The good doctor climbed in and had the lady settled in short time. Then they hurried off. Vic was ready to leave as well, but she had to retrieve Barns.

  As she headed back into the house, Casey snagged her arm. “Where’s Barns?”

  “He’s inside distracting the husband.”

  “Is the husband the only suspect in the house?”

  “No.”

  “Then I’m going in with you.”

  “No, you are not. It would set off alarms and I would prefer they didn’t even know Lady Hudson has left the premises. I need a few more hours to unravel this situation. It's a bit more complicated than I first thought.”

  She noticed the butler approaching her. “Stay here. I’ll be fine.” To prevent further argument, she hurried to Hobs. “Is there any chance you can prevent anyone from knowing Lady Hudson has been removed?”

  “I have locked her door. That should keep the servants out. I don’t expect Mr. Hudson will visit her. In fact, I would not be surprised if he disappears again. He has no stomach for death.”

  Vic could argue that point, but she refrained. Truthfully, she wasn’t certain Mr. Hudson was part of this murder pact. It was possible that Eve, with the help of the cook, had planned this murder on her own. But why steal the babies? And where are Charity’s children now?

  Vic frowned at the later question. Those children could be anywhere. The only positive point was they were yet to have much value in the sex slave trade.

  She returned inside and knocked on the library door. A moment later, it opened. Mr. Hudson, holding a brandy stepped back to let her in.

  “Any luck?” Barns asked.

  “No, sir. It seems a dead end.”

  Barns stood and sighed. “I suspected it would be.” He then shook hands with Hudson. “A pleasure to meet you. I apologize for any inconvenience our visit caused.”

  “Not at all,” Hudson declared. “Your arrival was a pleasant distraction from all of this.” He waved his hand about as if he were the one being tormented.

  Once they were in the carriage and few blocks away, Vic called out their next address.

  “Hold on. I can’t spend the whole day while you chase false trails.”

  “False? You saw her fingernails! Lady Hudson was being fed arsenic.”

  “Yes, but by whom? I spent the last two hours interviewing Mr. Hudson and while he has a proclivity towards the ladies, he otherwise seems a fine fellow.”

  Vic decided not to share the revelation that her initial cover story had actually proven to be true.

  “I will return you to Scotland Yard if you insist and complete this mission on my own. However, I will eventually have to ask Stone for an officer to make an arrest. I’ll let him know you think it a waste of your time so he won't bother you and provide me someone else instead.”

  Barns glared at her. “How long will this stop take?”

  “It depends. I’m not sure what we'll find.”

  “What do you expect to find?”

  “That the cover story I created is actually true. Mrs. Hudson believes it has happened to her during all four births.”

  Barns shook his head. “The poison has probably softened her brain.”

  “The evidence gathered during my interviews suggests she's correct. The person who appears to have orchestrated the attempted murder also appears to be the one who has switched the children.”

  Instead of laughing at her, Barns leaned forward. “So this is not the work of your deranged client, but of a servant in the household?”

  Vic didn’t appreciate him pointing out her original premise for dragging him to the house was incorrect. “I cannot find a connection to my client at this time. However, the servant is definitely involved.”

  “Then why did you not have me arrest her while I was there?”

  Vic sighed. “Because she gave me this address to give to you. I can hardly believe she would invite Scotland Yard to her boudoir if she had four small children running about the house. But there could be clues for their whereabouts. So before we arrest anyone, we need to try and find Lady Hudson’s real children.”

  “If they even exist,” Barns muttered.

  “They could have been killed. Eve is certainly capable of murder. However, she has taken a great deal of risk when switching out each of these babies. If she'd been caught bringing in a baby or removing one, this would have ruined all her plans. And babies tend to be noisy.”

  “Unless she brought in a drugged child and took out a dead one. Then she would only need a bundle of sheets,” Barns said.

  Vic would have patted him on his back, had not his cor
rect observation lessened the likelihood of the children being alive.

  “That is true. However, it would require a great deal of hate towards both Mr. and Lady Hudson to do that.”

  “And switching them out is kinder? The real children are just as good as dead to the Hudsons.”

  “Unless he gets them back later. If they are boys, which Lady Hudson thinks they were, Mr. Hudson would value them far more.”

  “But that would imply he knew what this Eve had done, which he does not,” Barns countered.

  “Don’t state beliefs as facts,” Vic chided. “It muddies your thinking and will obscure your view as other facts become firm. At this time, we do not believe Hudson is culpable, but we don’t know that as a fact.”

  “Fair enough,” Barns stated just as they pulled up to a large, but poorly kept house.

  “What is our cover this time?” he asked.

  “I’m a building inspector, and you’re accompanying me due to a recent rash of attacks on building inspectors.”

  Barns smiled. “You have the most impressive lists of covers. I am very glad you wished to fight crime rather than commit it. You would be a formidable enemy.”

  Vic smiled at his compliment. She would have made an unstoppable criminal. But then she would have been enemies with Xavier. Her mood darkened at the thought of her partner no more.

  When the door opened by a frazzled young girl, Vic spoke firmly. “I am the building inspector. This is a policeman to ensure I am allowed access to your home for an inspection. Step aside or you’ll be arrested. Attempt to stop me from doing my job, and you’ll be arrested. Any questions?”

  The round-eyed girl stepped back and shook her head. Her blouse had dried spit up on the shoulders. Vic knew that was a sure sign of a baby, which gave her hope.

  “Who else is presently home?” Vic demanded.

  The girl shook her head.

  “Speak up, girl!” Barns snapped.

  The girl pointed to her mouth and shook her head again.

  “Are you saying you cannot speak?”

  The girl nodded frantically.

  “Raise a finger for all the people in the house at this time.”