Toxic Diamonds (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 8)

by Liza O'Connor

“May I confide in you?” she whispered.

  “In me?” His eyes widened in what looked to be alarm. “Wouldn’t you prefer a priest?”

  “Heavens no. He’d probably have me tossed into hell. I need more practical advice.”

  “And you think I can help?” the young clerk asked, clearly thinking he couldn’t.

  “I believe so, yes.” Vic said and batted her lashes. “And I pray you do not think the worst of me for asking.”

  “Well, ask me what you will,” he said.

  Vic began jabbering on about her son’s father. Her story was so convoluted that it made no sense at all. Every two or three minutes, she’d stop and yell at her son to go to the carriage but Daniel Alexander Mayfair paid no attention to his mother. However, he was making good progress on scenting the docks. He had even brought along the shoe to refresh his nose when needed.

  Fagan had given up chasing him and was staring up at the sky asking God “Why me?”

  Matters were going along well until an older, well-dressed man came up beside the ship clerk. “Is there a problem?” he asked.

  “No. Mr. Mason, all is fine. The lady has a favor to ask, but I’ve yet to make out what she wants.”

  Mason slapped his hand on the counter so loud, it sounded like a gun.

  Vic screamed and turned to her son. “Hide, Daniel, someone is shooting a gun.”

  Daniel ignored her.

  “Madam, no one shot a gun. I simply slapped my hand on the counter to make you stop talking.”

  “Didn’t work,” the clerk muttered.

  Mason silenced the clerk with a glare then focused on her. “Using only three words, tell me what is wrong.”

  “My husband left me…oh, sorry that was four words, but I’ve never been good at mental games. Actually, I’m not good at games at all. I like to read books aloud. Since you want to help me, allow me to start at the beginning.”

  Then she started her crazy story over again, only Mason slapped his hand on the counter after five minutes of the nonsense. “Silence!”

  “I’m beginning to see why he left her,” muttered the clerk.

  “But I was a good wife,” Vic protested, “then one day he decides he’s going to America. But no worries, he’ll send for me once he builds his cattle ranch and homestead. I was more than happy to wait because I did not think I would enjoy trying to cook over a campfire, although to be honest, I’ve never tried. My Danny said I wouldn’t like it, so I took his word on the matter. However, I know firsthand that I am terrified of bugs. And evidently, the Americans allow bears, wolves, and mountain lions to wander about like pets. But Danny promised he’d shoot them all before sending for me.”

  “Quiet!” Mason demanded. “Madam. This is a shipping counter. We ship things. How can we possibly assist you with your problem?”

  “You could ship the boy to his father, only I don’t actually know where he lives, but I’m sure you can find out, because he’s going to have to pay you. I can barely keep food on the table.”

  “Oh, for the love of God!” Mason slammed the wooden shutter down. “That has to be the stupidest woman in the entire world!”

  Outraged, Vic chided the wooden shutter. “I am not a stupid woman. I can be quite smart when I have fashionable clothes.” She stopped talking to the shutter when Daniel Alexander Mayfair declared himself bored and demanded to go home.

  Vic quickly grabbed her son and hurried to the carriage. As she waited for Fagan to drive away, it sounded as if every man on the dock was applauding her departure.

  Cannon hugged her. “You are the funniest mother ever.”

  She stared at Cannon in shock. This was the first time he had ever called her ‘mother’ and it filled her heart with pure love.

  “Thank you. And here’s a life lesson: If you are left to talk for a very long time, absurdity can fill the endless moments when you cannot think of a rational thing to say. Now, were you successful?”

  “He’s on the first boat. I ran onto the ship to make sure.”

  “Cannon, I told you to remain on the dock,” Vic scolded.

  “Well, I did while the bad fellow walked about, but when he went inside the office to deal with you, all the sailors stopped working and went below.” So I snuck on the boat to make sure Director Stone was there.”

  “And is he?” Vic asked.

  “He’s definitely on the first boat. In the fish hold, I think.” Cannon grimaced. “Fish stink, but I caught a whiff of him when I lifted the hatch.”

  Vic hugged her son and refrained from scolding him for risking his life. He was Xavier’s and her son. He would no doubt be constantly risking his life. It would be hypocritical to expect him to behave better than his parents.

  Since they were the first to arrive home, they had changed into their normal clothes by the time the others started showing up. Xavier arrived next. He knelt before his son and shook his hand. “You did a fabulous job today. I won’t even scold you for going on the ship, since the sailors had all headed down below once the captain left the ship, and every person near the dock was riveted to the ridiculous conversation between Mason and Vic.”

  Xavier stood and approached Vic, pulling her into his arms. “You were perfection. Annoying enough to drive a man crazy, yet far too beautiful to kill.”

  “Thank you, kind sir. And was the old man able to discover anything?”

  “He was too busy watching over his family. However, once you left, I took a walk to a dark alley where pissing often occurs. Soon Jacko, Samson, and Tubs arrived. I let Jacko and Samson know where they had Stone. Good thing, because Jacko thought they had him in the unmoored boat in the channel.”

  “So, he’ll retrieve him tonight?”

  “That is the plan. I expect most the attention and men tonight will be focused on the unmoored boat. I believe it holds several large diamonds that Mason has acquired from Barringbarn for kidnapping Stone.”

  “So, the worst Minister of Internal Affairs paid to have Stone kidnapped?”

  Xavier huffed. “It appears so. There have been rumors that Barringbarn was nearly bankrupt for years now. When Stone confronted him about stealing the Queen’s diamonds, Barringbarn must have realized he stood on a precipice. He needed Stone to die, but he dared not do it himself. The only thing of value he could barter to get Stone killed, were the diamonds that he needed to save him from bankruptcy. He clearly decided killing Stone was more critical than getting out of bankruptcy, since a man of his importance could drag out the latter for years.”

  Vic nodded in agreement. “Contacting Mason was brilliant, since as Samson observed, Mason had no vendetta against the Director of Scotland Yard. He would be very far down any lists of suspects when Stone turned up dead. If he turned up dead. Mason would have probably dumped him in a faraway ocean.”

  “So when does the auction take place?” Vic asked.

  “According to my sources, it will be finalized tonight or in the wee hours of the morning. Three men will be vying for the diamonds and the auction is expected to go long and the price will be high.”

  “Which means, we’ll have time and opportunity to save him.” Vic sighed in relief. “Is Dr. Connors ready to fix him up when we do? I fear he is severely injured.”

  “He has his operation room well-stocked, cleansed, and ready.”

  “Will Jacko go in alone?” she asked.

  “I expect so, but Samson should be close by.”

  “Can we use the men that followed them back from Barringbarn’s house?”

  “No, one or more could be spies. To be honest, Jacko said too much as it is,” Xavier grumbled.

  “How much is too much?” Vic asked, now very worried for him.

  “One of the fellows admitted they had moved Stone last night and he was in bad shape. When Jacko asked to where, he wouldn’t say, but suggested it was a crime lord who took him.”

  “But you don’t believe him?” Vic asked.

  Xavier sighed. “I don’t know enough about the fello
w to hazard a guess whether he was sincere or not. He could either be terrified of Mason, or he could be setting Jacko up to be captured.”

  “Does Jacko have a backup?” Vic worried for Alice. She’d never find another husband with her wild sons.

  “He’s got Samson, plus Tubs, and I will be hanging in the shadows.”

  “Can I come as well?” Vic softly asked, knowing very well his answer would be ‘no’.

  Xavier caressed her hair. “You played your role to perfection. Cannon needs to be assured he has at least one parent.”

  She couldn’t argue that after watching his play tantrums today. Without a firm hand, her son would be thrown into a prison before he reached the age of ten.

  When Fagan and Casey entered from the carriage house, Vic turned to Fagan and gave him a scold. “Why didn’t you let me out of the carriage? You do realize a lady expects her driver to open the carriage door, right?”

  Fagan hit himself on his head. “Sorry. I’m so used to you popping out on your own.”

  “Well, thank God I had Cannon with me.”

  Fagan ruffed up Cannon’s hair. “You were amazing, little guy!” Did you catch his scent?”

  “Indeed, he did,” Xavier replied with great pride.

  Cannon escaped the hair ruffling and hugged his father’s leg now, smiling with happiness.

  Vic worried for her family as a hard truth hit her. Her son didn’t just need one parent, he needed both of them. She needed both of them.

  Chapter 9

  Casey drove Xavier and Tubs a few blocks from the dock and dropped them off. “Since you’ll need to be picked up, I’ll just take the drive over to the park across the river and wait there. That way, I’ll be able to see the moment Jacko brings out Stone and hurry back over.”

  “Sounds good,” Tubs replied.

  Happy that he had maneuvered his way into the night’s events, Casey hurried over to the park across the river.

  It only took him eight minutes to cross the bridge with no traffic.

  Parking the carriage beneath a tree, far from the gaslights, he pulled his long rifle from the driver’s box and studied the movement on the ships through its telescopic sight. One of the things he loved about working for Xavier and Vic was all the amazing devices they acquired.

  While he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Jacko, Samson, Xavier, or Tubs, there was plenty of activity on the unmoored boat. Four men climbed in a dingy and were rowed to the ship. He watched them climb aboard, then move inside. Suddenly, a man leapt from his carriage and ran to the dock waving his hands frantically. A second later, a man on the ship shot him.

  Then everything was quiet again. He studied the man who had been shot through his telescopic lens. He couldn’t make out his face in the darkness, but his shoulder wound literally seemed to glow. The man must be playing possum, for how could he die from a shoulder wound?

  A moment later, the man on the boat opened the door and fired the gun down into the hull of the ship, then slammed the door shut. Then he seemed to just disappear. Casey returned to his purpose, focusing on the first boat where Jacko and Samson should be.

  While he watched for movement, he sensed more than saw a wiggle in a shadow. Could be the wind moving a tree branch, but his gut told him it wasn’t. As he continued to examine the ship, he realized the hatch was open. Wasting no further time, he put away his gun, silently left the park, and raced over the bridge. He was two blocks from the dock when a shadow formed and softly hooted like a night owl.

  He pulled the carriage to the side and all four men helped carry the body to the carriage. Once they were all in, he turned right at the next block and drove quickly to Dr. Connors’ office.

  Before Xavier joined Connors in the operation room he ordered the men to stand guard in the waiting room. Casey really wanted to know what happened, only if he didn’t return to the carriage at once, someone would steal it.

  Tubs stood and placed his hand on Casey’s shoulder. “You stay and get caught up. I’ll watch the carriage.”

  Casey grinned at his friend and sat down. “So someone fill me in.”

  Samson spoke. “He’s in bad shape. Since he was to die tonight anyway, Mason gave his men the nod to have some fun. They were throwing knives into him from across the room.”

  “Fortunately, they were drunk and had terrible aim,” Jacko added.

  “How many were there?” Casey asked. The ship had seemed abandoned.

  Jacko flashed a grin. “About twenty in boat one, but Samson whittled that down to twelve in short order. He garroted them so fast they didn’t even have time to gasp. By that time, they’d thrown sufficient knives for me to throw ‘em back.”

  Samson chuckled. “They fell like dominoes in a line. I’ve never seen such knife throwing in my life. In about six seconds, they were all dead. Didn’t matter if he used his left or right hand, the knife went straight to the heart.”

  Casey laughed. “I gather knife throwing and garroting the enemy creates a bond.”

  “There’s nothing not to like about Samson,” Jacko assured them.

  Samson grinned. “It goes both ways. Other than Vic, you are the best man I’ve ever known.”

  Jacko coughed and stood up. “I’m going to see if there’s any news about Stone yet.” Just as he reached the door, it opened and Xavier stepped out, removing a white doctor’s coat. The arms of the jacket were blood red.

  “Is he dead?” Jacko asked softly.

  “He’s hanging on by a thread. Not sure he’ll ever be fit for duty again. Not sure he’ll want to be.” Xavier frowned at Casey. “I did not give you permission to shoot anyone.”

  He held up his hands. “I didn’t. I just studied him with the telescope as he ran towards the dock, then I heard a shot and he went down. The wound seemed to be glowing. I’ve never seen that happen before. But the bullet just hit his left shoulder. He shouldn’t have died. I thought he was playing possum so they wouldn’t shoot him again.”

  “So you never fired your gun?” Xavier asked.

  “No. Someone on the unmoored ship shot him.”

  Xavier gripped his shoulder. ‘I’m very glad, since the man who was shot was the Minister of Internal Affairs and you would have hung for it.”

  “But I didn’t shoot him, so I won’t be charged with the crime, right?”

  “If you didn’t fire your gun at all, you have nothing to worry about.”

  Xavier then looked at Samson. The young man rubbed his chin. “I garroted twelve pirates throwing knives at the Director of Scotland Yard, but I didn’t shoot anyone.”

  “Good. Jacko, what about you?” Xavier asked.

  “Shooting would have called the crews from the other ships. I just threw knives.”

  “And the two of you can vouch that killing the pirates was absolutely necessary to save Director Stone?”

  Both men nodded.

  Xavier stepped outside and climbed upon the driver’s section and smelled Casey’s rifle. When he turned around, he noticed the young man watched him from the door. Once he returned inside, he gripped Casey’s shoulder. “I had to check, not because I didn’t believe you, but because my superiors will ask if I personally checked.”

  Casey smiled. “Thanks for explaining.”

  “So, who is going to be the new Minister of Internal Affairs?” Samson asked.

  “I can’t say, but that is not your problem to solve. Rest assured, there will be massive scrutiny in the death of an Internal Affairs Minister. So no joking around about this, no saying he deserved it. Just put a lid on all your personal thoughts.”

  Everyone looked sober now.

  “I need to call Captain Meyers to come investigate the death of Barringbarn and arrest the men in the unmoored boat before they leave. However, I am most concerned that whoever shot Barringbarn will do the same to Meyers.” Xavier focused on Jacko. “Per your death count, there were twenty-four men on your boat. That seems excessively large for a boat that size.”

  Jacko nod
ded. “There are three guns on each side, so I expect two crews of six sailors who were also able to man the armory if needed, a captain, his lieutenant, a cook, and minimally, two crews of three dedicated sailors. We could return and count beds, but that’s not always accurate, since a ship on the seas requires sailors and soldiers to protect it from harm all the time. Thus, sailors on different shifts will often have to share a bunk or hammock.”

  “So what happens when they dock?”

  “Normally half the men are given leave and find a place in port to sleep. In this case, I suspect Mason culled his most trusted men to be on the ship with the diamonds, then gave some men shore leave, had a few guarding the dock, and gave the rest permission to kill Stone.” Jacko rubbed his neck. “To be honest, if you don’t let pirates torture things, they become powder kegs.”

  Chapter 10

  Xavier called Scotland Yard and asked to speak to Captain Meyers in a Scottish brogue pertaining to a shop selling pot pies filled with cats. As expected, the boy at the counter didn’t send it upstairs to the two Internal Affairs men, but passed it on to Meyers.

  Needless to say, Meyers, who was single-handedly running Scotland Yard presently was not in the mood to deal with cats in the pot pies. “Call back tomorrow,” he snapped.

  “But Vic told me to call you,” Xavier added so Meyer’s wouldn’t hang up. “There’s a brew ha forming at the upper dock. They evidently like cat meat less than I do.”

  Meyers knew there were no pie shops near the dock. “This is an emergency, right?”

  “People dead for sure. Must have been a bad batch of cats.”

  “I’ll come check it out, but if you are sending me on a fool’s errand, I’m going to arrest you.”

  “Well, you should stop by a doctor’s office and get medicine first. Them docks are deadly tonight, they are.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  “Don’t forget to bring medicine,” Xavier reminded him and hung up.

  Casey spoke up once Xavier set down the telephone. “Sir, the person on the boat who shot the feller on the dock also fired another shot into the hull of the ship. While one shot couldn’t kill all the crew—”