The Missing Partner (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 2)

by Liza O'Connor

  Worried how she would take the news, he hesitated to tell her. “Is this case you are working a life or death situation?”

  Her face scrunched up. “I’m not sure. It’s an ugly business for the young women, but I don’t know if any have lost their lives.”

  Recalling her questions from yesterday, he asked, “Does it involve the Beddingsome Club?”

  “I think so.”

  He sighed and rubbed his temples. He really needed sleep. “Davy says you plan to go there now.”

  “Yes, I think this will be the safest time of day to survey the area.”

  Jacko could hear the excitement in her voice. God, she was like a little pup sighting a tasty bone. Xavier had nicknamed her well.

  “You are correct, high noon will be the safest time. However, that does not mean you will be safe. Are you armed?”

  She smiled with pride. “To the teeth!”

  He tried to repress his laugh because he knew it annoyed her. “Is Davy armed?”

  Davy was evidently listening because he grumbled, “Not enough!”

  “He has a knife in one boot, a small pistol in the other, plus two revolvers beneath his jacket.”

  Jacko covered his mouth as if he were thinking, so she might not notice his failing attempt not to laugh. “Then you should be all right as long as you stay in the carriage. Under no conditions should you step foot in the club. You would never make it out alive, not even during the day.”

  She glared at him. “I’m tougher than I look.”

  “You are very impressive, Victor, but you are far too handsome. You would make the club a fair fortune as a sex slave. I need your word you’ll stay in the carriage. If not, then I have to forego sleep and go with you.”

  Vic frowned and shook her head. “You need rest, so you’ll be ready to help me tonight.”

  “Then give me your word.”

  Vic’s face scrunched up in a stubborn pout.

  Jacko sighed. “I’ll sleep in the carriage.”

  He ignored Vic’s insistence he go upstairs and climbed inside their transportation.

  “Jacko, I don’t need your assistance this morning!”

  He lay down on the front bench and closed his eyes. “That’s good, because I’m in no shape to assist.”

  “I apologize. I’ll give you my word, that once we reach the London Docks I will not leave the carriage unless I absolutely must.”

  He draped his arm across his eyes and fell asleep.

  ***

  Vic stared at her dirty, tired pirate with consternation. She approached her grumpy driver. “Davy, can you make Jacko go inside and rest?”

  Davy glared at her. “You don’t listen to me. Why should Jacko? Evidently, I’m just the hired help and my opinion don’t matter.”

  She petted his arm. “That’s not true. I care very much what you think. I just wish you weren’t determined to over-protect me.”

  “Did you read the paper this morning? Riot at Bedlam? Twenty-three gentlemen required medical care.”

  She snorted and kicked a rock by her feet. “Serves them right. Do you know the real purpose of those tours?”

  “Of course, I know! It’s why I didn’t want you there in the first place! However, if the police discover your involvement, and then your little secret, you could very well end up as an inmate of the place.”

  She considered this and then smiled. “Well, at least we know someone who can get me out.”

  Vic could tell Davy was in no mood for optimistic views. A bad feeling had plagued him for many weeks now. She suffered from the same sense of dread, but at least she didn’t take it out on everyone else. Recalling her statements to the cook last night, she sighed. Truthfully, she wasn’t at her best either.

  “It’s all right, Davy. I sometimes let these bad feelings make me snippy, as well. I won’t hold it against you.”

  Davy muttered something beneath his breath and climbed onto the carriage. “Get in if you’re coming.” He nudged the horse forward.

  Vic had to run alongside, open the door, and jump in. Thus, she arrived inside the carriage out of sorts, only to discover Jacko stretched across her bench. She would have told him to switch sides, but by his soft snores, she concluded he was asleep.

  She sat on Xavier’s side and stared out the window, thinking of her missing partner. As soon as she checked in with their watcher, Barnacle, she’d stop by Scotland Yard to ensure Xavier had returned to his assignment. She smiled at the thought of Xavier in jail. She imagined a very ill tempered, one-eyed beggar cursing out Stone when he arrived to release him.

  As she neared Mr. Robinson’s block, she spotted Barnacle sitting on the steps of a brownstone. She frowned. Wasn’t he supposed to hide in the bushes so no one knew he was there?

  Before she could call him over, the door to the brownstone opened and a young, simply dressed girl came out, carrying a basket. She sat down beside Barnacle and let him see the contents. He looked like a kid at Christmas. Pulling out a large scone, he devoured a quarter of it in one bite. Then he deftly broke half off and slipped it into his pocket without the girl’s notice.

  That wasn’t good. She’d have to discover what Xavier paid the poor boy. Barnacle appeared in need of a raise. It wasn’t right Xavier would pay her a hundred pounds a month while poor Barnacle evidently made so little he feared starvation.

  Even while the girl happily chatted, Barnacle kept his eyes on Mr. Robinson’s house and thus did not notice Vic’s arrival until Davy whistled to get his attention.

  He grabbed one more scone and said something to the girl, which caused her to smile from ear to ear. When he reached the carriage, he opened the door to climb in, but paused at the sight of Jacko.

  Vic motioned him in. “Talk softly, Jacko’s sleeping.”

  Barnacle breathed out in relief. “Good, I thought you’d killed a gypsy, and that’s never a good idea. They’ve got powerful curses that will not just ruin your life, but your whole family’s lives for a hundred generations forth.”

  Vic rolled her eyes. Curses indeed! “Well, we’re safe as long as we don’t wake him up. Anything to report?”

  Barnacle smiled brightly as he nodded his head. “I followed the butler when he left yesterday afternoon. Almost didn’t at first, because he looked like a toff in a quality suit. However, he was tall with black hair, like you described and he had two ladies with him, which you said he might, so I followed him all the way to the London Docks.”

  “To the Beddingsome Club?”

  “No. To the New Royal Exchange.”

  Vic frowned. She hated being wrong. “How long was he there?”

  “About a half-hour.”

  “And when he left were the young ladies still with him?”

  He nodded and frowned. “But they were crying. One couldn’t stop, so he slapped her about a bit.” After obtaining a description of the two girls, who sounded like Laura and Rachel, she prompted him to continue.

  “Where did they go after that?”

  “To a street called Ransom Alley. It’s more of a pathway, really. I didn’t dare follow them. That’s not a safe place for boys like me. I stayed hidden in a trash heap and waited for them to return. I waited ‘til midnight, but never saw them come out, so I figured they must have left the other way. I went on home before somebody snatched me.”

  “Smart boy,” the sleeping gypsy declared.

  “Sorry to wake you,” Barnacle whispered.

  “Not a problem.” Jacko muttered and resumed his snoring.

  Vic now wondered if those snores were genuine. Who wakes up, compliments a boy and then falls back to sleep? She turned to Barnacle. “Good job, Barnacle. And I commend you on using good judgment when to put your safety above your task.”

  The boy relaxed. She imagined he’d felt bad about abandoning his post.

  “Any news so far today?”

  Barnacle smiled. “I found me a girlfriend.” His brows furrowed. “Well, she found me, but she’s very nice and f
ed me breakfast.” He pulled his pilfered scone from his pocket. “Would you like one?”

  Vic shook her head. She was definitely going to have to talk to Xavier about increasing Barnacle’s pay.

  Barnacle studied the treat he had offered and frowned. “It’s a bit dirty from my pocket, but it’s clean inside. Very tasty. Sissy’s mom puts lots of honey in it. She’s the cook, you see.”

  “I was actually asking about Mr. Robinson’s house. Have you seen any activity there?”

  “All quiet. Although Sissy says gentlemen should start calling this afternoon. They call every Monday, Wednesday and Friday like clockwork. She’s counted up to fifty-two in a single day.”

  “Good job, Barnacle!” Vic said, excited with this news. This would help her get the proof needed to charge Jonston for his crime.

  Barnacle shook his head. “Didn’t do much for the information.”

  “Not true. You interviewed a valuable witness and obtained critical particulars pertinent to the case.”

  Barnacle looked amazed with his achievement. “I did, didn’t I?” A smile stretched across his face.

  She returned Barnacle to his post and asked Davy to stop by Scotland Yard before they went to the docks.

  Her request woke Jacko. “Why?”

  “I want to make certain Inspector Stone let poor Xavier out of jail.” She then laughed at the image of an outraged beggar stuck in a jail cell.

  Jacko didn’t respond, but neither did he snore. She wondered if he had bad feelings about Xavier too.

  When Davy pulled up at Scotland Yard, he climbed down and opened the carriage door.

  “You didn’t have to do that, Davy.” He must be sorry for being such a grump this morning…yet, his expression didn’t hint of repentance.

  Davy gripped her by the arm and glared at her. “Do not admit to being out last night. Just ask about Xavier and leave.”

  “Yes, your grumpiness.” She pulled out of his grip. “Oh, but on the good news, we don’t have to check out the Beddingsome Club anymore.”

  Davy sighed with relief and stared up at the sky. “Thank you!”

  Jacko spoke from inside the carriage. “Might want to hold off on the thanks to God, just yet.”

  Vic turned and glared at Jacko. “You are supposed to be sleeping. I need you rested tonight!” She then smiled at Davy. “I shouldn’t be long, but with Inspector Stone, you never know.”

  ***

  When she first asked to speak to the Inspector, the young man at the desk shook his head. “Inspector Stone is very busy. What is the purpose of your visit?”

  “It’s a personal matter.”

  The man sighed as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. “Every gent who comes through the doors says the exact same thing and then I get my head lobbed off for not getting the purpose of their visit. Well, not today. Inspector Stone is in a devil of a mood over the riot at Bedlam last night. If you don’t want to give me a reason, then you’ll have to come back a month from now, when my time at the desk is over.”

  Vic understood the young man’s difficulties. She had the same problem with her clients. They all wanted to declare their reason for an appointment ‘a personal matter of an urgent nature.’

  “My name is Victor Hamilton. Tell him I need to speak to him for a brief moment about my employer.”

  The young man frowned. “That doesn’t seem a good reason to bother the Chief Inspector. You need to wait and come back next month.”

  “My employer is a good friend of the inspector’s.”

  The young man shook his head.

  Vic lost all patience, and stormed past the desk, ran up the stairs and entered Stone’s corner office.

  Stone was yelling at one of his policemen but stopped mid-sentence as Vic turned and locked the door to prevent the young officer from following her in.

  “Victor?”

  She turned and smiled. “Sorry, for the interruption, Inspector Stone. I just need to speak to you for one short minute.” She recognized the policeman under the whip as one of the two who interrogated her a year ago. “Oh, hello…Officer Rafe, wasn’t it?”

  The policeman frowned, evidently trying to recall when they had met before.

  Stone glared at the man. “You are dismissed, Rafe, but this is your last warning.”

  Rafe looked relieved to escape the office, but couldn’t seem to figure out why the door wouldn’t open. Vic smiled and released the latch.

  Once the door opened, Rafe escaped, but the young policeman outside entered and grabbed Vic’s arm. “Sorry sir, he ran past the desk.”

  “It’s all right, Cole. Victor is on our side.”

  Cole gave Vic a surly look all the same.

  Once he left, she closed the door and sat down. “I am sorry to bother you. You seem to be having a terrible day.”

  He sighed. “All my days seem terrible just now.” Returning to his chair, he rubbed his temples. “What can I do for you, Victor?”

  She smiled in commiseration. “I just wanted to confirm you found Xavier and put him to his task. I cannot stand the idea of him resting in a jail while I’m working so hard.”

  When Stone struggled to smile at her humor, her stomach turned to lead.

  After a long pause, he replied. “Yes, Xavier is out and about.”

  The inspector was hiding something. She was sure of it. “Then you found him?”

  “He’s not relaxing in jail, so you can rest easy.”

  “What’s happened?” But even as she asked, she knew. Xavier was still missing. The pit of doom lurking about her closed in. Where was he?

  “Vic, you know we cannot have this discussion. So unless you know something about the murder at Bedlam last night, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

  Stone’s words tore her thoughts from Xavier. “Murder? Someone was murdered?”

  “Yes.”

  Vic’s chest filled with horror. “One of the men caught in the riot?”

  “No. We believe that piece of disaster was a distraction so the woman could be killed.”

  Her chest grew heavier. “Do you know her name?”

  “Victoria Carson.”

  “No!” Vic exclaimed. Dear God, Jacko must have rescued the wrong woman.

  “Did you know her?”

  Vic was about to tell him everything when she recalled the last time she was ‘involved’ in a crime. The interrogation that followed lasted three lifetimes and ranked as one of the worst moments of her life.

  “She was a friend of Aunt Maddy. I spoke to her not three months ago. She was as sharp as ever.” Wishing to lead him in the correct direction, but not reveal her familiarity with the matter, she asked, “How did she come to be in Bedlam?”

  “Her husband had her committed.”

  “He probably had her killed as well.”

  Stone nodded. “He is our lead suspect. Significant money is involved.”

  “Well, interrogate him until he confesses!” Vic spoke with intense anger. Despite all her effort, somehow she had let Mrs. Carson die. She should have never left this to Jacko. If you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself!

  She paused. Jacko said he had delivered the package. “You are certain the woman was Mrs. Carson?”

  “Her husband identified the body.”

  Vic scowled. “He had better hang for it!”

  “Well, he won’t until I find the man who killed her and link him to Carson, which I cannot do if I’m sitting here talking to you…”

  “I’m going.” Vic knew someone she intended to hang.

  She stormed out of Scotland Yard. “To the London Docks, Davy, and no back-talk. I am not in the mood.”

  She climbed in the carriage and kicked the sleeping gypsy. “Wake up, Jacko.”

  Jacko bolted upright. “He told you Xavier is missing?”

  “You knew that?” She kicked him again. “What good are you? First, you let poor Mrs. Carson get killed because you rescued the wrong woman
, and second you know Xavier is missing and fail to mention it. Right now, I’m wondering how you ever managed to get Lady Anne to safety last year.”

  By the black angry expression on his face, she knew she had pushed Jacko too far with her last comment. She should not have said it. Xavier said he suffered greatly with unrequited love for Lady Anne.

  “I’m sorry about the Lady Anne comment,” she muttered.

  “You are not forgiven. If not for my friendship to Xavier, I’d leave this carriage now and let you die from your own arrogance.”

  “My arrogance? What about yours? You said you could save Mrs. Carson and now she is dead.”

  “Well, she was alive when I delivered her into the arms of her daughter. What happened after that is not my responsibility,” he snapped. “I hurried back here to continue my search of Xavier.”

  Vic realized she might have been too hasty in her kicks and accusations. “Alice saw the woman you delivered?”

  “Saw, kissed, and hugged. Then, Mrs. Carson told me to contact her if I should ever need her help…and to get a haircut. Her daughter objected, stating a preference for my locks as they are.”

  Vic leaned back in relief. Mrs. Carson did not like long hair on men, and clearly Alice had greeted her mother. “Then the woman wasn’t Mrs. Carson.”

  “What woman?”

  “Mr. Carson sent someone inside to kill his wife shortly after you stole her away. The assassin must have killed someone who resembled her.”

  “What makes you think the woman didn’t die by accident during the riot?”

  “Because Mr. Carson identified the body and declared it to be his wife and Inspector Stone says she was murdered.” Vic looked up at Jacko. “He believes the riot was set in motion to distract the guards so the murder could take place.”

  Jacko’s expression darkened further. “You didn’t tell him—”

  “And get myself interrogated again? Not a chance! Besides, he lied to me and told me Xavier was fine…and now I discover you knew he was missing. Does Davy know, as well? Am I the only one sitting in the dark?”