Well Kept Secrets (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 4)

by Liza O'Connor

  Her heavy makeup and crimson chest left no doubt she was not a lady, rather a high-class strumpet. Perhaps an actress or a singer. Since she couldn’t sing on key, she decided she was an actress. “My name is Lacy Lane and I’m an understudy for…”

  “Asta in Ibsen’s play Little Eyolf,” Xavier offered.

  Vic smiled at his excellent suggestion. There weren’t many non-musical plays this season. And the Ibsen play was so morose she doubted anyone working in Bedlam would ever go see it.

  With her persona in place, the ancient old man and the young actress set out for the evening.

  Their first stop was Scotland Yard so Vic could interrogate Inspector Stone. However, when they attempted to head directly to his office, they were stopped at the front desk. The desk officer insisted Stone did not receive visitors at such a late hour.

  Vic grabbed for her pocket watch in her vest and found nothing but her gigantic left breast. She huffed in exasperation as she realized she probably wouldn’t be seeing her pocket watch again for…exactly how long would this impediment continue? Perhaps Dr. Connors could give her an accurate date to the return of Vic.

  Xavier retrieved his pocket watch. “It’s only nine o’clock. Stone should still be at work. He has nowhere else to go. He only goes home on his days off.”

  The young officer opened his mouth as if to jump on a new explanation.

  “And this is not his day off,” Vic declared, saving the fellow from Xavier’s wrath.

  “Let’s go,” Xavier snapped and led Vic toward the lobby door.

  “But I have to speak to Stone!” Vic hissed.

  “Yes, but given we are in disguise, I can’t very well tell him who we are, nor would he believe us, since we did not mention it right off.”

  As they headed towards the front door, in walked her favorite policeman.

  “Captain Meyers!” Vic exclaimed and ran to him.

  Her favorite policeman stared in utter confusion and with more than a bit of admiration.

  “It’s me, Vic. We’re in disguise,” she whispered when he neared.

  He shook his head as his mouth fell open. “Blimey, that’s an amazing disguise. I once had to dress up like a lady, but I didn’t look half so nice.” He glanced at the older man with a pince-nez straddling his Romanesque nose.

  “Mr. Thorn?” he asked softly.

  Xavier nodded. “We could use your help getting past the front desk. The young fellow keeps insisting Stone isn’t here.”

  “He better be, since he called me in, no doubt to order me to stop inquiring about Conrad.”

  Vic slipped her hand into the crook of Captain Meyer’s arm. “In that case, lead us up and stay. You might escape your scold entirely.”

  Meyers walked proudly by the young policeman at the desk, with Vic on his arm and Xavier trailing behind.

  The young officer’s brow furrowed. “Sorry sir. I didn’t know they were to be let up.”

  “No harm done,” Meyers assured him and continued on.

  By the time they walked to the top floor, Vic was most put out with her dress, which she had tripped on a hundred times.

  “Skirts should be banned by law. They are an accident waiting to happen.”

  Meyers chuckled. “I thought the same when I had to wear one. And then when I needed to kick the fellow in the balls, the damn thing tangled about my ankles and all I managed to do was toss myself backwards on the ground.”

  “Meyers! That is nothing you should be discussing before a lady!” Inspector Stone scolded as he stood at the opening of his door.

  Meyers released Vic’s arm and hurried to Stone. After a soft whisper, Stone’s head snapped up as he stared at her and then Xavier. His eyebrows rose, then a long sigh escaped his tired body. “Please come in.”

  He tried to send Meyers off, but Vic interrupted. “Let him stay. He’s very handsome.”

  Both Xavier and Stone stared at her as if she were mad. To be honest, Captain Meyers wasn’t handsome in the general sense, but she thought him so because he was always willing to assist her in solving crimes.

  Stone motioned Meyers in and closed the door. “I must say, Xavier, I didn’t recognize either of you. However, I would consider you a most lucky fellow to have acquired such a young woman as beautiful as…” he paused to let Vic fill in her name.

  “Lacy Lane, actress.”

  “And where are you performing?” he challenged.

  “I’m an understudy for Asta in Ibsen’s play currently running.”

  Stone nodded and sat down. “Excellent choice. So what may I do for you, Miss Lane?”

  “I believe I have determined what Maggie died for, who did it, who ordered it, and why. The why leads to an entirely different set of crimes I believe have been going on since the marriage laws were changed.”

  “Blimey, he’s good,” Meyers said beneath his breath.

  The Inspector focused Xavier. “Since you aren’t gloating, may I assume there is not a shred of evidence to be found?”

  Xavier shrugged. “We may be able to acquire some very compelling evidence tonight. However, Vic needs to ask you a few questions first.”

  Stone glanced at Vic and her abundant breasts. “Is there any reason you had to make him so beautiful? Honestly, you’re at risk of having Vic swiped from beneath your nose.”

  Meyers chuckled. “They’d regret that decision.”

  Slamming his hand upon the desk, he glared at Meyers. “I am not happy with you at the moment, so silence would be your best course of action.”

  Her favorite captain didn’t simply go quiet, he appeared to physically shrink before Vic’s eyes, which made her angry. She turned to Stone. “Did you ever discover the policeman who assisted in placing Alice’s mother into Bedlam?”

  “What does it matter?” Stone replied, his forehead creased in multiple rows.

  “By the guilt in your eyes, I’ll assume you did and your leash was pulled.”

  Stone’s glare turned to Meyers. The captain shook his head.

  Xavier spoke up. “If Meyers knows anything, he didn’t tell either of us. The pup’s line of questions is entirely based upon his intuitive skills.”

  The anger left Stone’s eyes and he refocused on Vic. She appreciated that he had such faith in her skills.

  “Was the policeman Conrad?”

  After a long pause, Stone replied. “I cannot answer that.”

  “Which means it was. Well, he’s still doing it.”

  “Doing what exactly?”

  “Helping husbands get rid of their wives, but in a clever way so they get to keep their wives’ property by claiming the lady is traveling abroad, when in fact she’s been put into Bedlam.” She leaned forward, and frowned as his focus fell lower than her eyes. “You were prevented from charging Conrad because this is an ongoing criminal business and the person who holds your leash is involved. God only knows how many rich wives have disappeared and died in the horrid place.”

  Stone refocused on her eyes and shuffled uncomfortably.

  Vic continued, “We now know Conrad reports to Schnell, the proprietor of an apothecary. And this I do have proof of. He orders three cases of chloroform and three cases of laudanum a month!”

  “It’s an apothecary,” Stone stated, his fingers rapping softly on his desk in a nervous tick.

  “Which has only had one customer since I began working there a week ago.”

  “I pray not in that outfit,” he muttered.

  “No!” she snapped.

  Stone rubbed his forehead as if her presence gave him a raging headache.

  “It’s why Maggie was killed. She was assigned to determine the prices of the drugs, and in reviewing the bills, discovered the unnaturally large quantity of laudanum and chloroform just as I did. Only she went to her local constable with the information, and he must have told Conrad.”

  Meyers spoke up. “She’s probably right there. I’ve determined Bailey does appear to be working for Conrad.”

 
Stone held his palm out to Meyers, shutting him up.

  Vic jumped on the information. “How tall is Bailey?”

  “Short. Five-four.”

  “Then I’m sticking with Conrad,” Vic said.

  “As am I,” Xavier added. “Although Conrad is not beyond ordering a murder, given he ordered mine.”

  Stone audibly groaned and stared up at the ceiling. “I cannot touch the man. However, I assure you, if he dies, Captain Meyers will never find evidence as to who did it.”

  Vic was happy with his promise, and stood to leave, but Xavier remained seated. “We have two angles in which to remove Thurman’s power.”

  “I never told you his name!” Stone yelped.

  Xavier smiled. “We are inspiring, are we not?”

  Meyers nodded happily until he realized Stone was glaring at him again.

  “You have no leaks, Chief Inspector. You simply don’t appreciate how much easier it is for Vic and I to discover things. Conrad reports to Schnell who reports to Thurman.”

  “Schnell has a palatial parlor room fit for the Queen,” Vic added.

  Stone massaged his temples. “Tell me the Queen is involved, and I will quit at once.”

  Xavier chuckled. “Perhaps the Queen should be involved. I believe she’d be most appalled to discover one of her ministers of Parliament is spying upon another.”

  “Who?”

  “Meridan’s butler has been spying for Thurman for three years.”

  “The butler who poisoned you?”

  “The same. I had Tubs retrieve him so I could ask him why…since you didn’t care.”

  “And?”

  “And he confessed to several crimes, the most worrisome being his spying for Thurman.”

  Vic stood and planted her hands upon her hips. “Excuse me! His attempt to murder you is far worse than knowing what a stupid minister is planning to pontificate about.”

  Stone and Meyers agreed, and Xavier stared at her with adoration. Having no one to fight with, she sat back down. “However, his second worse crime is putting his wife in Bedlam, which I intend to prove tonight.”

  Massaging his temple, Stone asked, “Will this be a repeat of last time?”

  She opened her mouth to yell at him, but Xavier jumped in. “No. However, if you do get a request for assistance, please send Captain Meyers. It means we have discovered the scissors to cut your leash.”

  “Take Meyers with you now. I am supposed to demote him back to sergeant tonight, but I can’t very well do that with visitors in the room, so it will have to wait, hopefully forever. If you are not successful tonight, I assume Lady’s Meridan’s request for two policeman’s address indicates the spying matter is being addressed without Scotland Yard?”

  “Actually, I just don’t like seeing good policemen punished unfairly, but I imagine we could find a pair of scissors in that muck as well.”

  Vic held her tongue until they were in the cab headed to Bedlam. “There was no mention of Lady Meridan or policemen in your notes.”

  “Wrong file, pup. I’ve been very busy this week.”

  “I, for one, am glad of it,” Meyers said. “I tried to be careful in my inquiry, but I knew there was a chance of being demoted or fired if those above got wind of it.”

  As they neared Bedlam, Vic realized she was missing one very big piece of information. “Xavier, have you ever met Lady Thurman?”

  “No.”

  “Then you don’t know what she looks like?”

  “Ah…that could be a problem.” He pulled down the window, letting cold air blast them, and yelled out to Davy a new address.

  ***

  When the carriage came to a halt, Xavier turned to Meyers. “We are stopping here to pick up someone who does know what Mrs. Thurber looks like. Would you mind being Vic’s escort into Bedlam?”

  Meyers grinned. “It would be my pleasure.”

  “Excellent. Follow me.”

  Xavier led them to the marble steps of a fine mansion. The housekeeper opened the door and let them into the entrance hall. “Tell Catherine that Xavier and guests need her assistance.”

  Catherine burst into the hall less than a minute later, happy and bustling with energy. “Xavier—” She stopped and stared at each of them, finally settling on Xavier. “That’s a far better disguise. You changed your nose.”

  “Shall we go somewhere more private?”

  She led them into the parlor. When the maid asked if they wished anything to drink, all three of them replied with a sharp no.

  “That will be all,” Catherine said and smiled at her maid. Once the girl left, she scolded Xavier. “For the love of God, Xavier, did you tell everyone about my butler?”

  “No, just a few very discreet people. We are off on a mission I hope will bring Thurman down on new charges not related to poisoned coffee or spying. However, I need you to join us.”

  “I would love to,” Catherine replied without hesitation.

  “Excellent. Meyers is about the size of your husband. Think you can find him a better suit.”

  Her right eyebrow rose as she studied the man sitting straight as a board in his chair.

  “I can. Where are we going?”

  “To Bedlam?”

  Both her eyebrows rose at his response. “Excuse me?”

  “We need to find and retrieve someone Vic is convinced resides within, hopefully while she’s still alive and sane. But unfortunately, we’ve haven’t a clue what she looks like.”

  “Margaret Thurman?” Catherine asked.

  Vic pressed her hand on Xavier’s leg to silence him. “Do you have reason to believe Margaret Thurman is in Bedlam?”

  Catherine studied the young woman before her. “None at all. The only irrational thing Margaret has ever done was marry her husband.” Her eyes narrowed. “Are you male or female by nature?”

  Vic ignored her question and countered with one of her own. “Then why did you assume we were going to retrieve Lady Thurman?”

  “Because your very old fellow here promised this would solve my problem, and that’s only true if Margaret has been tucked away in Bedlam for some reason I cannot fathom.”

  “Perhaps he wanted a younger wife,” Vic suggested.

  “No. Margaret remade herself to suit Thurman perfectly. While I would not say he ‘loves’ her, he does appreciate her and thinks her far superior to other women.”

  “Does she own a great deal of property in her own name?

  “None at all. She was married before the marriage laws changed, and has been decidedly against the improvements to them. When her father recently died and left her property, she turned it over to Thurman as an example of what is entailed in being a good wife.”

  Vic grimaced and looked at Xavier. “It doesn’t make sense then. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe Margaret has truly gone to Europe for the winter.”

  “Is that what you were told?” Catherine asked. “I assure you, Margaret thinks traveling is unseemly. She would never consider going anywhere unless Thurman wished to go. She is utterly devoted to him.”

  Xavier chucked Vic beneath the chin. “I’m sticking to your intuition, pup. Margaret Thurman is in Bedlam, so let’s get Meyers changed and retrieve the woman.”

  Catherine motioned for the man to follow her. Just as he was about to leave the room Xavier spoke. “Meyers, be sure to bring your badge. We may need it.”

  Chapter 17

  While they traveled to Bedlam, Vic demanded to know the details about the butler’s other crimes.

  Upon hearing the whole of it, she turned to Catherine. “Thurman clearly must have frustrated you, always being a step ahead. Could there be others in the same situation? Is it possible Conrad is forcing other servants to spy on the ministers they work for?”

  The old woman tilted her head as if giving the matter thought. “Excellent question. I will need to discuss this with my husband before I send you two off…” She paused and then smiled. “You must be Victor.”

  Vic nodded
.

  “You make a remarkably beautiful young woman.” Her eyes fell to the bulging mounds upon Vic’s chest. “Your disguise is very good.”

  “Vulcanized rubber. It can be molded into any shape.”

  Catherine chuckled. “I wished I could have seen the fellow’s face when he got the order to make…” Her hands spread out an inch above her chest and moved upon and down, indicating two giant breasts. “Do they threaten to tip you over?”

  “No!” Vic snapped. “May we get back to pertinent details?”

  Fortunately, the carriage arrived at Bedlam and need for further inquiries ended. Xavier helped everyone out and then handed Vic over to Meyers. “If our subject is not in the visitation section, then you and Vic will need to create a distraction while Catherine and I search the west wing.”

  “Fine,” Vic said. Since the old woman’s description of Margaret would fit half the women in Bedlam only Catherine could recognize which drab old woman was the right one. Besides, Vic was an expert at creating distractions.

  Xavier’s eyebrows rose. No doubt he’d expected her to object. He smiled then breathed in. “Shall we go in?”

  Bedlam looked the same as the last time she’d been here, taking the midnight tour with gentlemen who had planned to rape or sodomize the inmates. Several of the ‘visitors’ were seriously injured in the riot she’d caused that night, and honestly, she hadn’t lost a night’s sleep over their injuries.

  In fact, she even once bragged about it to David.

  David…

  Vic felt responsible for his current situation. She had, after all, introduced him to her sister, knowing David had a pre-disposition to fall in love with a woman like Claire. He’d always dreamt of finding an intelligent wife to love, and despite all her many faults, Claire was certainly that.

  Perhaps too intelligent. There was not a topic on earth that her sister didn’t believe she knew more about than the experts. And most of the time, Vic feared, she was right, which only reinforced her sister’s arrogance and made her company intolerable for more than ten minutes.