Vic focused on Samson. “Samson, Jacko has a unique talent to locate hidden items. So please do not argue as to where he wishes to search. But while he searches, he’ll need you to watch his back. And if clues are found that point to a crime lord, I’ll need you to take lead in discovering where they are hiding Stone. And once you determine where he is, then Jacko needs to take the lead again. But no matter which of you leads, I need you to work together, despite that you don’t know each other presently. So, may I suggest that you share life stories on the way there, so you will have a better appreciation of each other’s skills?”
Xavier laughed. “Well, that was far more advice than I intended to give, but I can’t argue with any of it, so take it to heart. There are no second chances here. Stone’s clock is ticking. Now get on your way.”
Jacko and Samson stood. Jacko ruffled Pete’s hair and declared him the man of the house, then pulled Alice into his arms, giving her a sizzling kiss. “I’ll be back,” he promised her. Then he focused on Samson. “Shall we take your carriage?”
“Sounds good to me,” Samson replied.
Both men rushed from the house, off on what most people would consider an impossible task.
Once they were gone, Xavier focused on David. “How is the activated charcoal working?”
David grimaced. “Good and bad news. Not only is the odor gone in the basement and the office, but the body has disappeared as well.”
“The body was stolen?” Vic asked in shock. Their locks were supposed to be unpickable.
“No, I meant the flesh of the body dissolved much faster than I expected, which means I underestimated the concentration of hydrogen sulfide. It was clearly higher than two hundred particles per million.”
“There is nothing left to examine?” Vic challenged.
“The skeleton is mostly there. Three black coins lay close to where a pants pocket would have resided, and remnants of the teeth rest inside the skull.”
“Does this mean we have no clues from the body?” Xavier asked.
“Actually, we do. The left foot, leg, and thigh are entirely gone.”
“You think someone entered and took them?” Tubs asked.
“No, I think they dissolved. This means that the woman who shot the spy in the leg, didn’t shoot a normal bullet. She shot him with some sort of bullet or capsule containing a lethal level of hydrogen sulfide.”
Vic slammed her hand on the table. “Yes! That would explain why the entire time we followed him, we never smelled a whiff of rotten eggs, but immediately after the woman shot him, he stank like bloody hell.”
Xavier stood. “I would like to see the bones before they dissolve further.”
David rose as well. “Not a problem. The air shouldn’t be poisonous anymore.”
That caused a great deal of wide eyes amongst the group. Vic blamed the wording shouldn’t be rather than isn’t for their concerns. “To be honest, it makes no sense for all of us to go over since the room is rather small, dark, and frankly a bit creepy. So Xavier, David, Dr. Connors, and I will examine the remains. The rest of you, stay here. We’ll be back shortly.”
Gregory declared that a fine idea.
Vic expected Claire to demand admission, but she appeared lost in her own thoughts, and thankfully they were occupying her very big brain.
The four hurried across the road with no one nearly dying and entered the basement. Ben asked if he could join them, but Vic snapped, “No!”
As they entered the steps to the basement, she noticed a single set of footprints headed upstairs. She pointed them out to Xavier. “See, Ben doesn’t obey your orders any more than mine. I’m telling you, Xavier, he is not reliable.”
While Xavier didn’t look pleased with the footprints, neither did he storm upstairs and fire Ben as she’d hoped. When they entered the basement, the scene was exactly as David had explained except for one odd difference.
“David, didn’t you say there were three blackened coins that had laid next to a no-longer-existing-pocket?”
“Yes…that’s strange. Someone has been in here. You can even see the finger marks in the charcoal.”
Vic glared at Xavier.
“Let us examine the remains first,” he tersely suggested. Xavier hated being proved wrong. “Did anyone think to bring a camera?”
“It’s too dark. If we want to photograph these, we’ll have to carry the bones up and take them outside into the sunlight,” David said.
Vic shined her light on the half dissolved upper thigh bones. She tapped the end of the bone with her pick and it crumbled away. She then moved to the other leg and tapped it, but the bone remained firm.
“I agree with David that the hydrogen sulfide was shot into the lower leg. The skin must have prevented it from dissipating into the air.”
“Exactly! This leg became a container, which held far more toxin than any of us were aware of. This man never had a chance. He had to be dead within ten seconds.”
She glanced back to Xavier, then noticed Ben watching from the steps. “Ben, there are no more coins to steal, so return to your job.” That sent the boy flying back upstairs.
Xavier sighed heavily but said nothing as he perused the body. “I concur with David and Vic.” He then stood back. “Dr. Connors? What is your official medical opinion?”
Connors moved forward and knelt by the bones. He asked Vic for her pick and tested the bone density, making notes on a pad as he compared the two sides. “Do we have any proof that this man did not have a serious bone disease in his left leg before the shooting?”
“We followed him for hours. He seemed a healthy specimen,” Vic said.
“Nor would Barringbarn allow a handicapped person in his service. He only liked fine specimens of young men.”
Connors turned and took note of his expression, then stood. “Then I concur with the rest of you. The only way the bone could dissolve so much faster than the other bone was if the poison was delivered directly against the bone and the density of the poison was extremely high. My best guess would be the gun fired a device shaped like a bullet that hit and lodged in the bone where much of the potency traveled through the bone marrow.” He then looked up at Xavier. “This is the only explanation I can give as to how you didn’t die when you carried the body to the carriage. At that time, the skin and the bone still protected you from the toxic gases within.”
“I’m rather surprised Tubs wasn’t harmed when moving the body twenty minutes later,” Connors admitted.
“He held his breath,” Vic replied.
“But he still had to carry the fellow, whom you observed stunk like bloody hell.”
Worried her Tubs was hurt and didn’t even know it, she ran upstairs and out the door. Failing to look both ways, she nearly got run over by a carriage. Since Gregory always kept the door locked, she frantically banged on the knocker.
By the time her butler answered, he was dangerously out of sorts.
“Where’s Tubs?” she asked.
“Victor, unless you have an actual emergency—”
“Yes, yes, I’m bad. Where’s Tubs? He may be injured and not even aware of it.”
That got Gregory’s attention. He headed back towards Tubs’ room.
Vic darted past her butler and reached the door. She opened it without knocking. Tubs had his shirt off and Sara was rubbing cream on his burnt arms.
Sensing the arrival of her angry butler, she turned to face him. “Gregory, ask Dr. Connors to retrieve some activated charcoal at once.”
Gregory’s eyes widened when he noticed Tubs’ burnt arms and chest, then hurried from the room.
Vic turned and studied his injuries. “Tubs, why didn’t you say anything?”
“It was just a rash last night,” he said. “But now it’s much worse. Is it the poisonous gas?”
Sara’s eyes filled with worry. “Is the crème helping?” she asked.
“I think it’s making it worse.” Tubs admitted.
Just then Dr. Co
nnors entered with a packet and a glass of water. “Tubs, drink this.”
Without asking what it was, he quickly swallowed it. After waiting a moment, he said, “It’s still getting worse.” He looked up at his wife. “Why don’t you take Ham for a nice walk? I don’t want either of you seeing me die.”
“I’m not leaving you!” Sara cried.
Just then Gregory entered with a bucket of fine grey charcoal. “Sara, don’t worry about the mess this is going to make. I will get you new sheets.” He then focused on Tubs. “I need you to lay down on the bed so we can cover your arms and chest in activated charcoal.”
Tubs quickly laid down. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his jaw locked as he suffered from the pain in silence. Once both arms and chest were covered, Dr. Connors asked if the pain had lessened.
“Chest is better, but not the arms.”
Vic sighed. “We need to wash the lotion off and then reapply the charcoal. She glanced at the bucket praying to God they had enough.
“I agree,” Dr. Connors concurred.
That turned out harder than said, because when they wiped the lotion off, a thin layer of skin came with it. Gregory sent Sara to care for the boys and stepped up to help. Soon Tubs was covered in dark gray dust and was either dead or asleep.
Dr. Connors placed his stethoscope on Tubs’ neck. “His heart is steady. I think he just fell asleep.”
Vic sent a quick thank you up to heaven.
Just then Sara returned, looked at a gray Tubs so still on the bed, his eyes closed. Inhaling a gasp of air, she fell to the floor in a faint.
Finally, Xavier arrived. “What the blazes is going on?”
That woke Tubs. He would have jumped to his feet, if Vic hadn’t ordered him to remain where he was. She then helped Sara up and led her to Tubs. “He’s going to be fine. Tubs, tell her.”
He smiled at his wife. “The pain isn’t bad at all now.”
Gregory was, of course, attempting to sweep up the grey charcoal from the floor.
“Just leave it for now,” she said and turned to Xavier.
He pulled her into the hall. “What happened?”
She explained what occurred. “One good point. We now know the ingredients for a potent torture crème.”
“Why did his reaction to the gas take a day to develop?” Xavier asked.
Vic was about to reply she had no clue, but paused. “Actually, I might know what caused this.” She returned to Sara and Tub’s room. “Tubs, after you put the dead guy in the basement, did you take a bath?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t want to wake Sara up, so I just wiped myself down with a wet towel”
“Thanks, that’s a good clue.” She then grabbed Xavier’s hand and went in search of David. Finding him with Claire, she interrupted their conversation. “Sorry to interrupt—”
“Then don’t,” Claire snapped.
“Claire!” David scolded and then faced Vic.
She told him about the rash and burning when the crème was applied.
Claire lost all patience. “That’s because there is oil in the crème. It caused particles of the gas to be captured between the skin and the oil. So it would naturally dissolve the skin.” She then rolled her eyes and stood. “I wish to go home. Clearly, I’m not needed here.”
“Of course, you are needed,” Vic yelled. Why did her sister have to be such a prima-donna? “I think we will require more charcoal as well.”
“Then go to a supplier and buy it. This is not my problem!” Claire snapped.
“Claire!” David spoke in surprise, then attempted to coddle her, only she pushed him away. “I’m going home. Are you coming or not?” she demanded.
David sighed heavily. “If you insist.” He then turned to Vic. “Fredericks is an excellent supplier for activated charcoal.” He then gripped Vic’s shoulder and hurried to catch up with his wife, who was waiting not too patiently for Gregory to stop chatting with Tubs and open the door.
Vic followed David and let them both out. Truthfully, had Claire been on her own, Vic would have left her there glaring at the door.
Wanting to ensure everyone would be fine, Vic ran upstairs, grabbed a stupid powder puff Claire had given her last Christmas, then returned to Tubs’ room. She picked up the remaining activated charcoal and entered the nursery and suggested Sara powder the boys and herself.
The boys didn’t want to be dusted until she had dusted Sara and Sara had dusted her. Now the boys demanded to be dusted as well. Vic left the dusting to Sara and returned to Tubs.
With a heavy sigh, Vic sat down on the edge of his bed. “It appears our fine team is disappearing.”
Tubs looked up and met Vic’s gaze. “I’m really sorry I didn’t mention the rash right off.”
“I’m not complaining about you, but I am glad we were able to save you.”
Tubs chuckled, “Me too.”
“You should know, Sara is in the other room powdering down the boys and herself with the last of the charcoal. It’s just to be safe. They don’t have any rash. I just want to keep all my family members safe and healthy.”
“So why do you seem so sad?” Tubs asked.
“It’s just that everyone has wandered off. Jacko took Alice and Pete home and now, David has taken Claire home.”
“Thank God for that,” Xavier declared as he entered the room.
“I didn’t mind Claire leaving, she was being hateful, but I just wish David would have stayed.”
Xavier kissed the top of her hair. “Eh Gads! You taste like charcoal.”
“That’s because I took a powder puff Claire gave me for Christmas and dusted Sara. Then Sara dusted me and the boys.”
“Should I be dusted as well?” Xavier asked.
“You should, but we are presently out of charcoal. But no worries, David told me where to buy more.”
Tubs stood up. “I’ll get the charcoal. It’s only fair.”
Vic rolled her eyes. “Right, let’s send the one who was being burned alive to get the charcoal. Silly me, I sent Casey instead.”
Tubs returned to the bed, evidently satisfied with her solution.
“I should reimburse Claire for the charcoal she bought,” Vic said just as Gregory entered the room.
“Oh, she presented me a bill with outrageous handling fees after the rest of you went over to examine the bones. I truly wished to take back the compliment I gave her earlier in the day. She hasn’t reformed at all. She’s no doubt just making the lives of the poor even worse.”
“At least we now know that you can’t remove hydrogen sulfide with a towel bath. We need instead, to take a charcoal bath.” She then unbuttoned Xavier’s vest, then his shirt, then lifted his undershirt. “You seem fine.”
Xavier nodded. “That’s because I changed out of the suit I wore the moment we got home. Whereas, Tubs carried the dead guy to the basement, wearing a thin shirt, and if I’m not mistaken, he put on the same shirt this morning.”
Tubs nodded he had.
“New rule,” Vic declared. “If our clothes stink, we don’t put them back on.”
Xavier laughed. “An excellent rule! Boys, were you paying attention?” he called out.
Cannon opened the door and objected. “We’ll be changing clothes all the time!”
Chapter 7
Jacko pulled out his latest purchase, a pair of binoculars from the Carl Ziess Company. They provided much better depth than his prior ones. He could even see the servants through the windows if the curtains were open.
During their long drive, he had discovered Samson to be much like himself, a child born in poverty, father died early, ill-treated by the justice system, but managed to overcome it all and become a good man of fortune. He thought it odd that Xavier did not seem to care for Samson. Vic certainly thought well of him. But perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps Samson has fallen in love with Vic. He wouldn’t be the first, nor the last. Hell, Jacko could still remember the one kiss they had shared while playing roles to c
apture a killer and that had occurred years ago. Fortunately, Vic had slapped him back to his senses. He had Alice, his beautiful wife. The last woman in the world he’d want was Vic.
“See anything?” Samson asked.
“Yes and no. The house is excessively large. Checking every room will be a bloody nightmare. However, to hold a man prisoner in your home, you would either need highly loyal servants or sections of the house that not even the servants visited.”
Samson nodded. “I agree entirely.”
Jacko studied the section furthest away from the open curtains. “Since Vic said the wife wanted to return, I suspect this was her family home rather than his.”
“Thus, the servants would be more loyal to her than Barringbarn,” Samson suggested.
Jacko nodded. He handed the binoculars to Samson and showed him how to use them. Then he pointed to a tower at the far right of the estate. “I’m thinking they put him in either in the tower or the cellar below it.”
“Looks good to me,” Samson replied. “So, do we wait until night or check it out now? The grass is high enough that we could reach the towers without being seen. I don’t see a door, but there is probably one near the tower. Although it is probably locked.”
“Not a problem,” Jacko assured him.
When Samson handed the binoculars back to Jacko, he noticed a pack of men on horses watching them further down the road.
“I think we have trouble coming,” Samson said and pulled his gun and slipped it into his large coat pocket.
Jacko had two guns in his cross holsters, and a derringer in his boot. He also had two massive knives hanging on his scarf belt. He checked out the riders with the binoculars. “I know these men, still I don’t want to risk your driver. Would you mind if I took the reins and your driver gets in the carriage? I’d like to move this reunion to somewhere more private. I think they’d be happy to help us, but if someone from the estate sees them stop here, it’ll make our job a hundred times harder.”
Samson called his driver into the carriage and Jacko took over the reins. He wasted no time setting the carriage off at a fast, but not panicked pace. The riders just kept pace behind, knowing two horses pulling a carriage couldn’t outrun ten men on horseback. He finally spotted an area just beyond a blind curve that would work. He reined the horses in and expertly led them into a small patch of grass hidden from the road by thick trees.
Toxic Diamonds (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 8) Page 5
