She tipped her head back and looked up at him. “I hate to bring this up, but no one has actually fed me yet.”
“Damnation! Gregory!”
“I am right behind you, sir, with hot soup and bread for Victor,” the butler stated. “I thought perhaps the peaceful atmosphere of the library would help Vic’s digestion. Evidently, Vic has learned of Claire’s betrayal.”
“From whom?” he demanded.
“From Claire,” Vic said, recalling Gregory’s pride she’d taken the high road. “You knew as well?” she asked Xavier.
“I will explain everything in the library, while you eat.”
“I’m not hungry now,” she grumbled. How could Xavier and Gregory have known and never said a word to her?
“Nonetheless, you will eat,” Xavier warned.
She snorted and tried to cross her arms, only the plaster casts did not cooperate. “Damn these casts. I want them gone. It no longer matters if I’m crippled for life or not.”
“Victor,” Gregory chided as he waited for Xavier to place her in her chair so he could set the tray before her.
“I’m not hungry,” Vic snapped.
Gregory gripped her chin. “Now you listen to me. I have been so proud of you these last few days. You have handled a great deal of difficult situations to the best of your ability. Do not revert to a child now. I will force feed you if you insist.”
Vic recalled Gregory doing that once when she was twelve. He’d grabbed her nose and closed it off until she opened her mouth to breathe and in came a spoon of food. Never mind she was trying to suck in air and half the soup went down her lungs.
“I’ll eat,” she muttered.
“Thank you,” Gregory said as he situated her tray, then turned to Xavier. “I will be right outside if you require me. A single ring of the bell will call me in.”
Xavier was pouring himself a drink. “Thank you, Gregory. I appreciate that greatly.”
Her butler-parent nodded once and left.
“Gregory doesn’t like being bellowed at,” she grumbled as she ate a spoonful of soup.
“I’m sure I’ll stop once we get the kinks worked out of this new arrangement. However, I have decided our working apart is a bad idea. For now on we solve crimes together. No exceptions.”
His words caused her to burst into tears. Somehow he had failed to comprehend the consequences of Claire’s betrayal. “Xavier, everyone will soon know I’m a woman. My life as Victor is over.”
“No!” He abandoned his drink and knelt beside her. “Victor is alive and well.”
“But Claire’s suit—“
“Was dismissed by the judge as the ravings of a mentally-ill young woman. Upon request of the Ministers of Internal and External Affairs, Scotland Yard, and the Queen, all documents concerning the matter were destroyed.” He caressed her cheek. “You are far too valuable to this country for false accusations to mar your credibility.”
Vic struggled with why two ministers she’d never met and the Queen would want to save her. “Stone, I understand. We help solve a great deal of his high profile crimes. But I’ve never met either of those ministers or the Queen for that matter. How do they even know me?”
He lightly smacked the side of her head, stood up, and returned to his chair. “You tell me.”
His attitude left no doubt he felt she should know the answer, so she rumbled through the hundreds of cases they had solved since she came to work for Xavier three years ago.
“Saving the young Catholic girl at Dragon’s Cloud. That helped the Queen prove she liked her Catholic people; it was only the church she had issues with.”
“And?”
“And finding you.”
“Something neither Internal nor External Affairs could do, despite putting their best people to the task. You alone found me.”
“Jacko and Pete had their part.”
“They did, but you were the one who put it all together and found me in time. And you are the one who had already befriended Tubs, so he quit his job as a criminal rather than stop you from saving me.”
She was going to mention they both had guns aimed at the giant, only she now knew guns didn’t work with him. Xavier was correct. Without her, he would have died.
“And the Mesmerists. You said she was a spy,” Vic said.
“The most dangerous opponent either minister has ever faced. We all assumed the Mesmerist was a man, except for you. Without you, we would have never caught her.”
“Without Tubs, we still wouldn’t have caught her.”
“The Queen was only told of your importance.”
“Why would she care? Oh, because the Mesmerist got to her servant.”
“Which disturbed her greatly. She didn’t sleep soundly again until the Mesmerist was killed.”
Vic soaked her bread into to the soup juice and ate big bites, dripping juice down her shirt.
Xavier rang the bell once.
Gregory opened the door. “You rang, sir?”
“Can you bring the pup a bib and perhaps more bread?”
Gregory entered and surveyed the situation. “Victor!” he chided as he removed the tray and left.
Vic huffed, but she waited until Gregory left to do so.
She smiled and relaxed in her heavenly chair. “So, I am too valuable to die.”
“Yes, and I hope God realizes that, because you are without doubt a trouble magnet.”
Suddenly a horrible thought came to mind. “They aren’t going to put Claire into Bedlam, are they? If they do we are breaking her out!”
“That decision lies with her husband, whom I understand has returned to her, since she tried to recall the no-longer in existence suit.”
Vic laughed. “That had to be a shock to Claire. She presumed her suit would be successful and was most unhappy to learn that her prize was a growling, chewing, feral, male child with a nose like a bloodhound. I told her you would never allow her to take your child, but she was convinced the courts would give her Cannon and she no longer wanted him. She wanted Maddy.”
Xavier paused. “You named the baby Maddy?”
Vic nodded. “I thought she could use a strong, yet kind name.”
“I will expect her to do the name proud,” Xavier warned.
“I have a good feeling about what I’ve done today. I believe Maddy will do us all proud.”
Gregory returned with a bib, another bowl of soup, and bread, which Vic devoured in record time.
Satisfied Vic was no longer in danger of starving to death, Xavier rose. “I must go and resolve this ridiculous squabble between warring children.”
“Hold on. You said we were partners in everything for now on.”
“I did, and I meant it. However, if you are to accompany me, you must remain silent, because I do not want them going after you. As you’ve discovered. You are greatly valued.”
“And not dead. I will remain silent, no matter how ridiculous they become.”
Chapter 23
Xavier entered the basement of his office. The stench permeated the air to a suffocating degree. Hopefully, Vic would change her mind at first whiff.
He nodded for Tubs to leave. The giant looked more than happy to oblige. Two days of men shitting and urinating in their blanket wrapped bodies brought tears to one’s eyes.
“Have you resolved your differences?” he asked.
“Xavier, is that you?” Seth demanded. “Are you behind this abduction? By God, I’ll do the same to you and see how you like it.”
“You already did!” Xavier roared at Seth’s blindfolded face. “And if this were revenge I would shoot you with a lead shot and let you slowly die of poisoning, but I am not here to seek revenge, I am here to save your damn lives!”
“How’s that?” Blackhand Harry asked cautiously.
“How’s that?” Xavier yelled as if it were the stupidest question in the world.
Tubs opened the door, holding Vic in his arms. The big fellow’s scowl left no doubt he wa
s highly annoyed. Xavier knew Tubs wanted him to return Vic upstairs, but instead he motioned the fellow in and pointed to a chair by the corner.
“Do you seriously believe no one gives a damn when over thirty innocents die?”
“They were nobodies,” Seth snapped.
Xavier cuffed him across the head. “They were innocents! And when you kill enough of them, people notice…and now they expect me to handle matters because you two decided to get greedy.
“He started it!” Harry snapped.
“The hell I did. You raided my warehouse full of young boys!”
“And you stole a ship loaded with my whiskey!” Blackhand Harry yelled back.
“I’ve told you once and for all that wasn’t me!”
Xavier broke in, “Yes, yes, we’ve heard you claim such for two days now. So I investigated, and Blackhand Harry is correct. Your men stole the ship.”
“Ha!” Harry yelled.
With a cuff across the man’s head, Xavier added, “At the exact same time you were stealing his boys.”
He allowed that to sink in before continuing in a low but deadly voice. “Which means to end this fight, I have to put a bullet in both of your heads, or let you both live.”
“I’d prefer to live,” Seth softly spoke.
“Well, that’s only going to work if you both stop killing innocents. Otherwise, it will look as if I failed to do my job.”
“It’s not as if we go out of our way to kill them. They just get in the bloody way!” Blackhand Harry snapped.
With another smack to the head, Xavier asked, “And how do we solve that?”
“I don’t know…They wander the streets at all hours.”
He smacked Harry again, then walked to Seth. “You’ve always fancied yourself a cut above. Want to tell Harry how you can stop killing innocents?”
Seth sighed heavily. “We stop fighting.”
“Not when you have my ship!”
“I’ll find your damn ship and give it back.”
“What do you mean find it?” Harry demanded.
“He means he’s got a rogue lieutenant to deal with. He’s been telling you the truth. He didn’t order your ship taken. Now what did you do with Seth’s boys?”
“They’re working at Mary’s.”
“All of them?” Seth demanded.
“A few were sold,” Harry muttered.
“How many?” Seth yelled.
“I don’t know. I’m not exactly in control of things.”
Growling in rage, Seth replied, “He’s right, There’s probably a full out war going on, with innocents dying left and right.”
“Might have been if you both didn’t leave your lieutenants handwritten notes telling them the two of you were negotiating a partnership and to cease all fighting until you returned.”
“Partnership with him? Never!” Blackhand Harry insisted.
“I know, but fortunately your lieutenants didn’t, so in your absence they have neither attempted to take control or continue the war. In fact, I’m looking like a magician at the moment.”
“Your magic won’t last,” Seth warned.
“I realize that. Honestly, I expected you two would resolve your differences on the day I brought you here, but each of your refusals to admit first cannon load resulted in a prolonged and dare I say odiferous stay while I tried to determine which of you was lying.”
“I wasn’t lying, you said so yourself. I knew nothing about that ship, but Harry stole my warehouse of boys.”
“True. Harry, would you like to explain why?”
“Some of them were taken from my area.”
“What area?” snapped Seth.
“Near Maidstone.”
“Maidstone! You have no claim of the countryside.”
“It borders my territory.” Blackhand Harry snarled in return.
“That doesn’t make it yours,” Seth insisted.
“I’m siding with Seth on this one. If you wish to claim the countryside, you’ll have to enter the town and declare your intentions. Don’t be surprised if they blow your head off. Little towns don’t take to strangers staking claim to their children.”
Xavier glanced over to see how Vic was taking his casual lack of concern over the children in the warehouse.
To his surprise, she was most intense, but showed no signs of outrage.
Satisfied, he pulled out his timepiece. “It’s getting near dinnertime, and I can’t speak for either of you, but I’d like to bathe before I eat.”
“What do you want to end this?” Seth growled.
“We’ll discuss my requirements once you two tell me what you want to end this.”
“I want my ship and whiskey…and the warehouses of mine you’ve taken over,” Harry replied.
“Then I want my boys returned, you to stop claiming the countryside as yours, and the three wagons you stole last week.”
“Fine,” Blackhand Harry muttered.
“Excellent, you’ve ceased being children and have become adults. We can all go home and no one dies…well, maybe a lieutenant, but that’s Seth’s problem. All that’s left seems to be my negotiation fee.”
“Your fee?”
“I’ve spent several days helping you resolve your differences and I expect to be paid.”
Seth sighed. “What do you want?”
“Half the whiskey and all the boys from the warehouse.”
“Why am I paying more than Harry?” Seth demanded.
“Because it took me considerably more time to determine your man acted without your orders and then to find where he took the boat. The boys were easy to find.”
“That’s true and all,” Harry said. “But who says your time is worth so much money?”
Xavier pulled his gun and pressed it to Harry’s head. “The man who ultimately gets to decide how to resolve this.”
“Absolutely, makes sense to me,” Blackhand Harry replied.
“Seth?”
“You can have the damn boys. But when you set them free, just do it in my territory.”
“I haven’t decided what I’ll do with the boys until I sort them out. However, I give you my word I will not drop them off in anyone else’s territory.”
“Fine, let me out of here,” Seth said.
“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you. Harry, the ship is docked two miles past Bath in Oliver’s cove. I’ve already removed my half of the whiskey, so what remains is yours.”
“Have you retrieved the boys as well?” Seth asked.
“Now that you mentioned it, I have.”
“However, the remainder of the agreed upon items I will leave for you two to amicably sort out. If you fail to do so, and I must once again get involved, I’m raising my rates and trust me, you’ll find them most outrageous.”
“We’ll get this settled without you,” Harry snapped, evidently bitter over losing half his whiskey.
“Which is what you should have done in the first place. There is no reason why I have to be dragged into your fights. And if you are inclined to start yet another war, bear in mind, whoever settles your dispute will have orders to settle it with a bullet to your head. I was able to save you this time, but your free passes have run out.”
Xavier stepped back. “Tubs, take these odiferous fellows home so they may take a bath.”
He then lifted Vic into his arms. She pressed her lips to his cheek as he carried her upstairs to her wheelchair.
When they entered their house across the street, Gregory winced. “I will have baths drawn for you at once.”
“I’m not allowed a bath,” Vic sulked.
“Oh, you certainly are,” Gregory declared. “If the casts have to be re-set, then so be it, but you will have a bath…at once.”
He then hurried off, gathering his troops.
“Gregory’s correct. A bath is required.” Xavier rolled her to the first-floor bathing room that held a custom-made, six-foot by six-foot, square tub, large enough for Tubs, but also
with plenty of room for him and Vic to play in once she recovered from her injuries.
Vic smiled at the sight of the tub and squeezed his hand.
“Are you sorry you insisted upon attending?” he asked as he placed her on a smooth wooden bench.
“Not at all. I loved the way you charged them for your time and still made it seem as if you’d done them a grand favor.”
“My warning at the end was the truth. If they can’t play nice, the powers above want them removed.” He stared at the cast on her leg. Then bellowed for her driver.
The burly fellow arrived within seconds. “Samson, you look like the clever sort. What should we use to get these casts off?”
“Try these, sir.” Samson handed him what looked to be a cross between a branch cutter and a giant pair of scissors.
“Where did you get that?” Vic asked.
The young man grimaced. “I may have borrowed them from the doc’s office.”
“Samson!” Vic looked to Xavier to see what he thought of unauthorized ‘borrowing’.
“I may have suggested it,” Xavier added. “Since I had already decided we needed to work together, the chances of you wishing to attend the negotiations were extremely high.”
“And you knew of their less than sanitary conditions and that we would both reek when we left,” Vic added, “So you asked Connors if you could borrow his tool to remove the casts.”
Xavier snorted. “Missed that one by a mile. Connors hasn’t a clue where his tool has gone to.”
Vic smiled at the door and snorted in return. “It seems you missed that one by a mile, as well.”
His focus went to the good doctor standing in the doorframe. “Connors, just in time. I should let you cut these off, since you have more experience.”
Connors choked as he came closer. “God, Almighty. I was about to insist Vic be given only a sponge bath, however, you two will need to scrub for hours to remove this stench.” He took the cutters from Samson. “Just for your information, my nurse does a complete inventory of equipment and medicine each night before she leaves. When the cast cutters that I had custom made went missing, I knew exactly where to find them. Only I did suspect Vic to be the culprit.”
“Me? Why me? I am not prone to stealing.”
“No, but I thought perhaps the itching of the skin had begun, and that experience could drive a saint to steal these cutters.”
Pack of Trouble (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 5) Page 21
