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

by Liza O'Connor

  Xavier’s voice was very soft when he spoke. “Stone says you caused a riot in Bedlam that required police from five districts to quell the inmates. Were you harmed in the process?”

  “A few scratches on my back and arms.” She grimaced. “One of the women I released was actually crazy.”

  “And how did you come to be in Dragon’s Cloud?”

  She frowned. “That was not my fault.” She began her explanation with the case of a lost servant and ended it with light-footed Mr. Tubs abducting her. She focused on Mr. Tubs’ skills during the abduction. “He is a very large man, yet he picked the back door lock and walked up behind me without a single creak of those boards. And was Jonston grateful? Not at all! He yelled at poor Tubs for not following instructions.”

  A small smile crept to Xavier’s lips. “I am well aware of Sonny Tubs’ skills. Now, when exactly did you two become friends?”

  “In Dragon’s Cloud. I was trying to trick him into untying me, but he wouldn’t fall for it. However, in my process of trying, we discovered not only a mutual respect for each other, but an understanding. Neither of us received very much appreciation for our hard work.”

  Xavier’s brows rose.

  “I’m not talking about you! My problem was with Gregory, Claire, and Davy. No one wanted to let me do my job, and when I did, all I received was slaps on the head with a paper, scoldings, and disgruntled glares. I understood poor Mr. Tubs’ plight very well.”

  “So you offered him a job?”

  “Not then. He would have interpreted a job offer then as a blatant attempt of bribery. Such an obvious ploy would have insulted him. I only hoped Mr. Tubs liked me enough that when Jonston tried to ‘break me in,’ he’d twist the cretin’s neck before he had the chance.”

  His thumb stroked Vic’s high cheekbone with affection. “That was excellent thinking. And if it’s of some consolation, from my discussion with Tubs, he would have done just that.”

  “Fortunately, the army arrived, so he didn’t have to choose between our friendship and his code of ethics.”

  “He said you saved his life…”

  “I just told him to leave if he could. However, I did ask him where the other special guest was held.” She frowned. “I’m not sure we would have found you without Mr. Tubs’ directions. I only found the room by kicking a hole in the closet wall.”

  “But I was no longer there. How did that help you?”

  “Had I not seen your blood on the mattress and smelled the scent of infection, I would not have searched for doctors who tend bullet wounds without questions.”

  “Excellent deductive reasoning. And I’m pleased with your hire. He’ll make a fine addition to our staff. In fact, I’ve already given him his first assignment.”

  “What assignment?” Vic did not think Xavier well enough to take on any responsibilities just yet.

  “Jacko stopped by today. He’s lost his heart to some lady and intends to marry her.”

  “Yes, I know. It’s Alice Collins, the daughter of Mrs. Carson, the woman he saved.” She then paused. “I believe they are well suited for each other. They have much in common.”

  Xavier’s brow wrinkled. “Really? Such as what?”

  She was about to mention their propensity to laugh at her, but realized Xavier merely wished to distract her with his question. “What task have you given Tubs?”

  “To watch over Pete.”

  “And who is Pete?”

  “Our newest employee. Small little chap, but I expect he’ll grow if Tubs can keep him safe.”

  She was about to object to Xavier hiring without her input, but changed her mind. If Tubs was watching the boy, he couldn’t watch her, which suited her fine. Still she failed to see how Xavier had come to hire anyone as he laid in his sick bed, surrounded by a hundred soldiers and agents. “How long have you known this Pete fellow?”

  “Only met him today, but he’s a charmer. You could take lessons from the boy. He brought Jacko some valuable news about the direction I had been taken‒”

  “Oh, that boy.” She paused, recalling the spunky fellow who tried to warn her off when she had entered Jacko’s office. “He’s very young.”

  “Yes, with time I imagine that will improve.”

  “That is oddly obliging of you.” Vic wondered what made this boy special.

  “Well, to be honest, Jacko tried to hire him, but he made the mistake of paying the boy too much, and Pete’s mother grew suspicious of our pirate’s intentions.”

  “Shall I bring the woman here so you can tell her Jacko is a very reliable sort of fellow?”

  “Who will be occupied with his new love? No, Jacko asked me to take the boy on, and given all the favors he has tallied during my absence, I had no choice but to agree. Thus, Pete’s mother arrived an hour ago, and we came to an agreement both in pay and responsibilities.”

  “Barnacle is going to be devastated.”

  “He survived your arrival, I’m sure he’ll weather Pete’s. The boy’s job will be to deliver messages, nothing more, and Tubs is to verify the address can be reached safely or go with him.”

  Thinking of the promise she had made to the giant, she objected. “That is not a very good utilization of Tubs’ skills.”

  Xavier chuckled. “I’ve no doubt keeping watch over you will be more than sufficient challenge.”

  Realizing she had not lost her chaperone, her outrage erupted. “I do not need to be watched over!” She had run the office for a month without him, saved Mrs. Carson, a hundred servants, plus located Xavier. How dare he try to clip her wings now.

  He tugged her closer. “I have asked him to protect the item I cherish more than life itself. He understands the importance of his job and looks forward to the duty.”

  His intense look of love quelled her further objections. “Well, he’s better than Davy. At least he won’t mother me to death.”

  As if intending to kiss her, Xavier ran his hand through her short blonde hair and pulled her to him.

  Vic closed her eyes and waited in happy anticipation for his lips. When nothing happened, her eyes popped open. Upon seeing the humor in his face and realizing he had no intention of kissing, her frustration found voice. “I brushed my teeth, Claire gave me two baths, and Mrs. Yarrows patted down my hair. What more do you want?”

  After kissing both her hands, he explained, “Well, your cleanliness is most inspiring, but I have received none of those ablutions.”

  Vic climbed off the bed, and located the gentleman’s bag Gregory had left for her. After mixing the paste, she ordered Xavier to open his mouth. “We will have you kissable in no time at all.”

  While she brushed his teeth, she told him about Claire’s foolish idea to marry him. He choked at the idea and breathed toothpaste into his lungs, sending him into a fit of coughs.

  She ran to the door. “Dr. Connors, Xavier needs you!”

  The doctor hurried to Xavier. “What happened?”

  “He breathed in toothpaste.”

  Connors chuckled. “That won’t kill him. Let’s try to sit him up so he can clear his lungs.”

  Xavier released a string of curses as he sat up. Vic cringed. If only she hadn’t mentioned Claire’s idea.

  Connors must have noticed she flinched. “It’s the pain talking, not Xavier,” he said as he pounded his back until the coughs ended. Then he poured his patient a large quantity of medicine, which Xavier downed before Vic could intervene.

  “What did you just give him?”

  “Ummm…cough syrup.”

  She knew at once Connors was lying, but before she could climb from the bed and investigate, Xavier grabbed her by the arm. “Connors, leave!” he snapped and waited until the door closed. “Vic. Listen carefully. There is only one person I would ever marry and it’s not Claire. And while Gregory and Jonas may jump to her will, I am not inclined. I don’t know what prompted her to suggest such a scheme, other than to rile you up, but her suggestion is inconceivable. There is no one
other than you. There never will be.”

  Vic beamed with happiness and kissed him. He responded for a moment, but then faded into unconsciousness.

  She frowned as she pondered the taste of liquid she had captured from his mouth. She climbed from the bed and searched the doctor’s bag for the bottle. When she read the label, her temper exploded. “Opiate! Dr. Connors, get in here now!”

  He entered and frowned. “You’ve no right to go in my bag!”

  “And you have no right to give him a half bottle of opiate. Are you aware all forms of this drug are addictive?”

  “I’m a doctor. Of course, I am aware.”

  “Then why….” She stopped as she recalled the pervading odor of pigeon poop in Dragon’s Cloud, including in Xavier’s hidden room. “They gave him opium to keep him sedated.”

  The doctor hesitated before replying, “They gave him opium.”

  Vic’s eyes narrowed. His reply was firm. But his eyes flitted to the right, indicating he knew something more. “Was it for his wound?”

  “Ummm, possibly,” Connors replied.

  Vic glared at him. “I don’t have time for twenty questions! Why did they give him the drug?”

  “Why ask me? Wait and interrogate Xavier when he wakes up.”

  “How long will he be asleep?”

  “Four hours or so.”

  “By the amount of opiate you gave him, may I presume he is already addicted?”

  “Yes, but don’t worry. We will wean him off. I’m an old hand at this.”

  Vic’s eyes narrowed. “Has Xavier been addicted to opium before?”

  “Why would you think that?”

  “Because Sherlock Holmes has a cocaine addiction.”

  Connors sighed and shook his head. “I’m out of my league, so stop interrogating me. Wait and ask Xavier when he wakes. And please do not lead him to believe I told you anything, because I haven’t. However, that doesn’t seem to stop you from pulling the answers from mid-air. I now understand how you came to discover Xavier’s whereabouts when no one else could.”

  Vic couldn’t remain angry when he had sincerely spoken so many wonderful compliments in a row.

  Chapter 21

  Vic had fallen asleep fully clothed beside Xavier. Thus, her rest was not easy, as she dreamed a giant snake squeezed her to death.

  When a slight creak of the door sounded, she bolted upright, ready to fight to death whoever had come to harm her barely alive partner. She relaxed at the sight of a very distressed Jacko. “Jacko what’s wrong?” His clothes were wrinkled to a disturbing degree and his face reflected the torment of hell.

  “Nothing, go back to sleep,” Jacko whispered.

  “Who can sleep with a mystery afoot?” Xavier opened his eyes and glared. “Stop teasing my pup with early morning bones. Get in here and let him interrogate you.”

  Jacko entered and closed the door. “There is no mystery. I apologize for waking you. I was in the neighborhood—”

  “Bullocks, you were headed out to Litchfield this afternoon. What happened?” Xavier’s voice softened on his last words.

  Determined Jacko would not escape without explaining, she jumped out of bed, snared his arm and led him to a chair. “Have you been to Litchfield and back again?”

  Jacko nodded in misery.

  “On the same horse?” Vic pulled out her watch and studied the time. He must have run the poor animal full out.

  He nodded again.

  “Is it still alive?”

  He nodded.

  “Are Alice and Mrs. Hamilton all right?”

  Jacko looked to Xavier.

  “Vic, perhaps you should go downstairs and check on the horse while I give Jacko a severe lecture on proper treatment of his mount.”

  Vic rolled his eyes. Something serious had happened to their useful pirate, but once again, she was being sent from the room like a worthless apprentice. “I’ll go see to your horse.” She’d get the truth out of Xavier later.

  As she approached the head-lowered horse, she gasped at the foam about its mouth and white-crusted sweat upon its flank and neck. She turned to a soldier. “Do you have any food and water for this animal?”

  “We do, but it’s for Davy’s horse.”

  “Well, Marybell wants to share. Bring me water and food at once.” Her temper resonated into her words, making it sound more like an order than a request. The soldier jumped to her bidding. She put that bit of knowledge away. When dealing with soldiers, snap orders.

  She tentatively approached the animal.

  It snorted and showed its teeth. Seemed an ill-tempered fellow, but she couldn’t blame him, given the abuse he’d taken.

  “I’m sorry you were run so. Jacko is normally a better man than this.”

  The soldier returned with two buckets. One with water and one with grain. However, when he leaned down and placed them before the horse, he received a severe bite upon his thigh. “Bloody hell!”

  The man leapt back and glared at the horse before storming off. Vic prayed he wasn’t going to get his gun.

  “You shouldn’t bite people trying to help you.”

  The horse ignored her as it gulped down the water. In less than a minute, the bucket was empty. It knocked the pail over with its hoof and whinnied at her.

  “I better check with Davy about how much water you can have.” She turned and headed inside, all the while thinking of the horse’s state. The exhausted creature was nearly dead. Jacko had no excuse treating a horse like that!

  Instead of waking Davy, she stormed into Xavier’s room and punched Jacko on the arm. “Unless you were escaping imminent death, you shouldn’t have treated your horse so poorly.”

  Jacko backed away from Victor. “You are right and I will go to him now.” He glanced at Xavier. “All right if I ask Davy to care for my steed while I’m gone?”

  Victor was not so ready to forgive him. “Where are you going?”

  He smiled as he tucked a letter into his vest. “Spain, probably for several weeks.”

  “Why?”

  “On a mission. I can say no more, except my ship leaves at four.”

  Given his inability to explain his mission, she assumed he was doing something for his country, something Xavier would be doing if he were well enough.

  Vic glanced at the clock. “Wake Davy so he can take you. And don’t worry about your horse.”

  He nodded his appreciation to Xavier and hurried out.

  She collapsed on the bed.

  “Was his mount still alive?”

  “Just barely.”

  “Don’t worry. Davy will nurse it back to health.”

  “Hope it’s more appreciative to Davy than it was to the soldier it bit.”

  Xavier tugged her to his chest. “Let’s try to sleep, so Connors doesn’t change his mind about moving me this morning.”

  Vic wanted to interrogate him over Jacko, but he did need his sleep and if the fellow acted for the country, he couldn’t share the mission anyway.

  ***

  At ten o’clock, Dr. Connors determined Xavier was well enough to return home. Connors gave him a heavy dose of laudanum before Mr. Tubs gently carried him down the narrow steps of the tenant building to the carriage Davy had modified to hold a prone body.

  A crowd of people cheered upon sight of him. At first, Vic wished Xavier was awake to see the cheering crowd, but changed her mind as she listened to the words accompanying their applause.

  “A pox on you all. You’ve no right takin’ a body’s home from them.”

  “We pay hard earned money for our homes that you threw us out of. And will anyone pay us for our loss…hell no!”

  “If my rabbit died while I was kept off, I’ll pay you back, I swear I will,” an angry little boy declared with a shaking fist as they drove off.

  Vic stared out the window and then looked at Dr. Connors examining Xavier’s wound to ensure the move hadn’t opened it. “Their complaints are not unreasonable. Will they be reimburs
ed for their rents?”

  “I doubt it.”

  His answer annoyed her. Not just because it was not the answer she wanted, but because his tone suggested it was a ridiculous question. “How much is their rent?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “I’ll ask Mr. Tubs. He’ll know. He knows many useful bits of information.”

  Such as why Xavier was now addicted to opium. Evidently, the alpha dog criminal of the London docks, Seth Sojourn, believed addicting people an effective way to lessen the troubles they caused him. In many cases, desperate for a continued supply of the drug, these men would do favors for the crime lord even as they pretended to fight him.

  While she resented Seth addicting Xavier to opium, as Mr. Tubs observed, an addiction was less permanent than death.

  She glanced at Xavier, lying on the pallet spanning across both seats. He looked oblivious to the discomfort of his move. At least the drug relieved him from the suffering.

  “How long before you wean him from the opium?”

  Dr. Connors ceased his examination and focused on her. “That will take months, and I should warn you, he will frequently be out of temper.”

  That didn’t worry her. “He’s always out of temper. The world refuses to cooperate with his wishes. And after a month of walking in his shoes, I understand his annoyance better than ever.” She shook her head as she recalled several of her cases. “Can you believe clients will come to us for help and purposely leave out the critical parts to their case?”

  Connors leaned back and nodded. “They do the same to me. They will ask for a tonic to cure their stomach ache, failing to mention their fever and extreme tenderness on their right side.”

  Vic sighed in commiseration. “Why is it so hard to help people?”

  “I’ve given up asking that question. I simply assume everyone is lying and go about my job.”

  “At least, Xavier didn’t lie to you.”

  “No, he was unconscious during my first exam. However, once the craving for opium takes control, he’ll claim pains he doesn’t have so we’ll give him the drug he craves.”