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

by Liza O'Connor

  The girl nodded, as her eyes rounded in what looked to be terror.

  “Would you take me to him?”

  The young girl pointed at something behind her.

  Vic turned to see an older, yet very dignified gentleman smiling at her.

  “Minister Carlson?” she asked. Surely it couldn’t be this easy!

  “I am. I gather you have a dire need to speak to me.”

  Was it possible he knew why she was here? “Yes, sir. I would not have troubled you otherwise.”

  He led her to a library and locked the door behind them. “Perhaps we should begin with introductions, since we have never formally met.”

  “To be honest sir, I’m dressed as a woman so no one would recognize me. I am Victor Hamilton, Xavier Thorn’s partner.”

  “I thought as much,” he smiled, then it faded. “What has happened?”

  Vic explained everything that had occurred and who she believed was responsible and why.

  When she ended, he stood and paced the floor. “Xavier is correct. You are an exceptional young man.”

  Honestly, she was more interested in saving Xavier rather than obtaining compliments. “Can you help him?”

  “Absolutely. I’m very pleased you came to me first.”

  Instead of making Vic feel better, his words sent off alarm bells.

  “Shall we take my carriage?” he asked.

  “I’ll have my carriage follow yours,” Vic replied.

  “Not completely sure of me, eh? Nor should you be. You know nothing about me. Never trust someone else’s instincts. Trust only your own.” He opened the door and led her back to the holly bush hiding her battery-driven torch. Lifting it out of the bush, he chuckled. “What a useful, albeit somewhat heavy device. I’ll have my carriage meet you out front. Let me guess, you are at the front of the line.”

  She nodded, pondering how he would know that.

  “Most impressive.”

  When Vic returned to her carriage, she discovered Tubs sitting inside. A second later, the minister’s fancy carriage drove past them and Casey pulled in behind him.

  “I don’t know if I trust this guy or not,” she admitted and shared their meeting.

  “He’s not a normal fellow. He’s probably just testing you to see if you’re spy material. I think that’s why you’ve never met him. Xavier wouldn’t want you to become a spy. Spies are often forced to seduce the opposite sex, only they’d be sending you to seduce women.”

  “I don’t want to seduce anyone. I just want Xavier back safe and sound!”

  “I think you chose the right guy to get that done. Just don’t let him make you think you must barter to get back Xavier. You don’t have to give him anything. He might make you think you do, but you don’t. He’ll get Xavier out because he’s a valuable asset. So, don’t hesitate to turn him down when he asks you to do something in exchange.”

  “I wish you could come in with me,” she sighed. “I’m out of my league.”

  “Oh, I’m coming in. There could be bullets flying. Did you bring a gun?”

  She nodded. “My derringer.”

  Tubs rolled his eyes. “Better let me go first. These men carry real guns, and one of them possesses a lethal gas.”

  Chapter 17

  When they arrived at the Parliament, Vic introduced Tubs and Casey to Minister Carlson. She expected he might object, but instead, he smiled and shook hands with each man.

  Once introductions were over, she shared further information. “You should know that Minister Wiggens may have a lethal gas gun, but if he has any sense, he shouldn’t use it because he’ll die as well. But what he doesn’t know is that Tubs can hold his breath for twenty minutes, and might be able to rescue us.”

  Carlson eyed Tubs. “Twenty minutes, eh? Most impressive.” He then frowned. “We’ll need your light.”

  “Tubs has it,” Vic said. “He’ll be in front of me, so it makes more sense for him to carry it.”

  Carlson grinned and unlocked the gate. Once they passed through, he relocked it. He then moved up beside Tubs, silently pointing the direction they needed to go. Finally, they entered a damp basement area that smelled like the Thames. Vic was certain they were next to the sea wall. After what seemed miles of walking, they arrived at the entrance to what appeared to be the base of a tower. Once inside, they carefully climbed the stone steps that seemed to go on forever. Eventually they reached a metal door with a narrow opening that would allow a tray of food to be passed through, but nothing larger. Vic waited for Tubs to verify there was only one cranky mistreated Xavier in the cell. When he gave a nod, Lord Carlson unlocked the door. Still, Tubs insisted on entering first. He stopped immediately and pointed to a wire strung across the floor, directly in front of the door. Vic took the flashlight and followed the wire up the wall to an axe poised to swing on a sturdy rope across the door face. While they could easily step over the wire, Xavier would not be able to, since they had his feet restricted by leg cuffs that didn’t allow him to walk at all. Still, between Tubs and Casey, they could easily carry him out, if this were the only trap. She studied the room for additional traps. There was a rug in the center of the room, which she suspected covered something dangerous.

  “What do you think?” Minister Carlson asked.

  “We should trigger the wire, but don’t try to enter until the axe ceases to swing. However, I think we need to avoid the rug entirely.”

  “Why?”

  “There’s a slight bump in it.”

  “What else?”

  She hadn’t found anything else, but by the tone of his voice, he had clearly seen something. Certain she had scrutinized the room, she focused on Xavier. He wasn’t gagged, yet he had not yelled at them for taking so much time. He had a blindfold on, but upon hearing her voice, he should have spoken. Was Xavier deafened or was there a reason he was not moving at all?

  “There’s another danger to Xavier. It appears to be triggered by the slightest move.”

  “What makes you think so?” Carlson asked.

  “He is utterly still. That is highly unusual. Normally, I would expect him to yell at me for taking so long.”

  Carlson laughed softly. “I assure you, he’ll yell at both of us once you find the trigger.”

  She returned her focus on Xavier. The trigger had to be on him to make him remain so utterly still. Having grown tired of the nonsense, she warned everyone to stay where they were and triggered the string. The axe swung down with heavy force. She grabbed it at once so it was out of play and stepped into the room. The fact that Xavier still didn’t speak worried her. “Tubs, I need you to lift me up so that I’m standing on your shoulders. I need a different perspective as to what keeps Xavier still. But don’t step on the rug.”

  Tubs entered and assisted her climb upon his back, securing her legs as she shined her light down on Xavier. “There’s something in his hair. It looks like a marble, but it has to be something else.” She continued to study it. Why would Wiggens put a marble on Xavier’s head? “We’ve assumed the poison was delivered in a modern gun, but what if it used a glass ball rather than a bullet.”

  “Surely, the glass would break in the gun,” Carlson replied.

  “Not if it were a Prince Rupert’s Drop.” She recalled a long and tedious lecture her sister had provided. “The bulb end of the glass can withstand the strike of a hammer without breaking. However, there would remain risk, since just a touch to the tail could cause the entire glass to shatter.” She then climbed down. “Xavier if you can hear me and agree the ball in your hair is filled with hydrogen sulfide, please hum a single note.”

  A perfect c-pitched note answered.

  “We can do this. We just need a board long enough that Casey can stand on one side and Tubs the other.”

  “There’s nothing here to use,” Tubs replied.

  “There was a backless bench out in the main hall on the bottom floor. Grab that.”

  Tubs ran out before Carlson could object.
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  “The bench will not be wide enough,” he warned.

  “It doesn’t have to be. Tubs and Casey have long arms.”

  “Exactly what do you plan to do?”

  “They will secure the bench, then I will use the axe and its rope to swing onto the bench. Then they’ll move closer to Xavier. I’ll reach into his hair and gently secure the ball, taking great care the tail doesn’t catch on anything. I will then scoot over towards Tubs and hand you the glass. You must handle it with great care. If the tip shatters, we will all die within seconds. So be very careful with it.”

  “You don’t know for certain it is a Prince Rupert’s Drop, nor that there is gas inside it.”

  “True, but I will assume the worst and act accordingly. If you do not think you can safely handle the drop, then tell me now and I will—never mind, I’ve thought of a better way. I just need a small sheet of paper and chewing gum.”

  “I have paper, but no chewing gum.”

  “Not a problem. Casey always has chewing gum.”

  Casey grinned. “New or chewed?” he asked.

  Vic smiled at her driver. “Chewed and sticky. When I need it, I’ll take it directly from your mouth. Your hands will be occupied holding a bench.”

  “Once I have the glass ball secured, I’ll place it in Tubs’ shirt pocket. Then I’ll cut the bindings on Xavier’s hands, give him my knife, then Carlson, you’ll swing me the axe rope, so I can land by the door. Then Xavier will do the same.”

  “You realize if the ball drops, that we are all dead,” he challenged.

  “If you’re afraid to die saving a great man’s life, then leave. We will manage without you.”

  “I’ve no doubt you could, but I think the plan will have better odds if I help, so we are all in this together.”

  With both Casey and Tubs holding the bench by its legs, Vic tied her skirts into a giant diaper by pulling the skirt through her legs, then tying the ends around her waist. Then she began to swing back and forth on the axe swing until she was able to contact the bench and swing one leg over it.

  “Well done!” Carlson called from the door.

  Casey and Tubs eased down the room, careful not to step on the rug. Once they had Vic close to Xavier’s head, she gently secured the ball by its base and slowly extracted it, being very careful the short thin tail of the glass ball didn’t snag on a single hair. Once she had it, she scooted down to Casey and secured the gum protruding from his mouth. Using her knife, she cut a small piece of gum off to save, then with one hand and the bench, she molded the rest of the gum into a ball.

  With care, not to touch the tail, she gently pressed the base of the drop into the gum so it stood perfectly straight. Now having the use of both hands, with the glass ball securely on the table, she folded the paper over and over, making it stronger. She then carefully wrapped the paper frame around the base and closed it with the small piece of gum that remained. The protective paper was three times the height of the drop. She folded the top, so it was sturdy as paper could be. Finally, she slipped her knife beneath her protected ball lifting the sticky gum from the bench. She cut a bit of cloth from her petticoat and pressed it to the bottom of the paper and gum shield.

  Next, with her paper protector held in her left hand, she gently maneuvered herself so she faced Tubs. Carefully, she pulled herself closer to Tubs using only her right hand. When she finally reached Tubs, she gently placed the paper protected glass ball into his shirt pocket.

  Breathing out, in relief, she swung around and returned to Xavier, cutting his wrist bindings. Leaving the knife with him, she asked Carlson to swing her the axe swing. Only on the forth try was she able to snare the handle and swing to the door. She had a great desire to scold Carlson for being such a weakling, but getting Xavier, Casey and Tubs out of the room was more important.

  Xavier didn’t bother with his leg bonds. He just lifted himself onto the bench, then using Tubs’ head to steady him, he swung both legs to the other side so he would be ready to grab the axe swing.

  Vic worried about the axe catching the iron chain but with Carlson’s assistance, they grabbed and pulled him from the room while Casey and Tubs safely worked getting the bench around the room so they could leave as well.

  “Well done, Victor,” Carlson stated. “I don’t believe another man in my unit could have done it half so quickly.”

  “It was a team effort, and it is too early to celebrate anything. We still need to secure the glass ball and get Xavier out of here. Not to mention you need to take control of this investigation.”

  “Allow me to handle the first of your concerns.” Carlson pulled out a thick glassed container from the pocket of his coat. “I believe your protective contraption will fit inside this quite nicely.”

  Vic gently took the protected glass ball from Tubs pocket and placed it into the glass jar and watched him seal it.

  “I have been assured by experts this will prevent any of the gas from leaking. However, I had not anticipated the diabolical possibility that a Prince Rupert’s Drop would be used.”

  “Why didn’t you mention you had this before?” Vic asked.

  “Because if you were right about the ball actually being a Prince Rupert’s Drop, then it could not be safely dropped inside.”

  “I know that, but had you given me the container, I could have gently placed the drop into the container immediately after I created the protective barrier. Instead, I was worried sick about Tubs having the drop in his pocket while Xavier and I climbed all over the bench.”

  “Well, we all survive, so nothing more needs to be made of the matter.”

  While Tubs and Casey kept Xavier standing, Vic sat down on the floor and picked the leg chains. Once she was done, Casey offered her a hand up. The moment she looked at Xavier, she almost hugged him before she remembered Carlson was observing everything.

  While Tubs and Casey rode in her carriage, Minister Carlson insisted she and Xavier return to his house to continue the conversation. On the drive, he questioned Xavier as to why he made no effort to save himself.

  Vic instantly lost her temper. “I am sick and tired of ministers blaming Xavier for matters in which he had no control over. Now I appreciate the fact you helped tonight, but that does not give you the right to ask a shackled, blindfolded man with his wrists tied why he remained very still to prevent a glass ball containing a deadly poison from falling and breaking. In fact, I find it outrageous and want an apology right this minute.”

  Carlson’s eyes rounded in shock. “Victor, I am a minister of Parliament.”

  “So are Cobbs and Wiggens. Clearly, they let anyone in.”

  Xavier spoke up. “Just to be clear, Victor is not implying you are like those two men. You actually work for your country, trying to make it a safer place to live. You are unquestionably one of the good ones.”

  Carlson huffed. “Thank you, Xavier, but it appears Victor does not agree with you.”

  “Victor, please make yourself more clear. Without Carlson stepping up and taking charge of this case, what you just did was basically breaking me out of jail.”

  Vic ignored the fact the minister was grinning. “Minister Carlson, I clearly did not express myself well. I greatly appreciate your assistance in rescuing Xavier from an unjust arrest. And I do hope you will continue to be such a man of honor and nobility, by taking charge of this matter, so none of us, including you, are at risk of being arrested, when all we’ve tried to do is make our country safer.”

  “Well said, Pup.” Xavier grinned at Carlson. “That may be the finest apology he has ever given.”

  When the carriage stopped, Carlson quickly exited. “Excellent, your people followed us, so they can take you home. I’ll talk to Wiggens and Cobbs tomorrow and let them know they have overstepped into my territory and if they do it again, they’ll be the ones held in the tower.”

  “Thank you,” Xavier replied and shook his hand as he and Vic got out of the carriage. Vic headed straight for her carria
ge without a by your leave to Lord Carlson.

  “He is everything you said he was: brilliant, intuitive, brave, and emotionally unfit to be a spy.”

  Xavier shrugged. “No one’s perfect.”

  “That is unfortunately true in this case. I hope you will let me tap into his brilliant brain on occasion.”

  “Just make sure I’m involved, or you’ll have a serious war on your hands.”

  “I will definitely have you involved.”

  Chapter 18

  Xavier climbed into Vic’s carriage and complained at once. “This isn’t your carriage! It’s a dusty pigsty.”

  “Good point.” She leaned out the window. “Casey, let’s swap out carriages before we go home.”

  An hour later, they drove past their home at a fast clip. Seeing no officers or Internal Affairs men lurking about, Casey drove them around the block and this time entered the carriage house.

  When Vic climbed out of the carriage, Gregory greeted her with a hug. It was the first time Vic ever recalled Gregory initiating an embrace. She was tempted to tease him that ‘butlers never hug’ but then he would turn into a proper butler, and she wanted to be held by her butler parent.

  When Xavier stepped out, he laughed. “Vic is alive and well, Gregory. He, Casey, and Tubs did an extraordinary job rescuing me.”

  “I am pleased that he did. The two of you need each other and never forget that,” Gregory stated as he gently set Vic back. “May I recommend a bath before you sleep? You smell like the Thames.”

  Vic sniffed herself and scowled. “We do.” She turned to Xavier. “Where did we end up?”

  “In the tower, where they used to keep the worst of men and those that unwisely chose to go against the reigning monarch.”

  “I was under the impression that the queen thought well of you,” Gregory protested.

  Xavier smiled. “Unfortunately, the queen is no longer in control. She is just a figurehead now. She was stripped of her final powers during the Ripper debacle. Parliament runs matters now, and sadly, some of them are not good men.”