The Darkest Days (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 6)

by Liza O'Connor

  “Too far to walk. Tubs, can you force the horse forward?”

  “I’ll give it a try.”

  He climbed out of the carriage, secured the horse by its harness and slowly pulled it forward while Daniel tried to help with the whip.

  Once past the section of the stench, the horse not only wanted to move forward but intended to do so in a gallop. Fortunately, Daniel held her still until Tubs got in the carriage.

  Vic noticed he had streaks of blood on his right arm.

  “Did the driver strike you with the whip?” Vic asked in outrage.

  “Don’t think he did it on purpose,” Tubs muttered.

  When they arrived at the flour mill, Tubs insisted on going inside first. Alice might have ignored him except the stairwell was too narrow for her to get around their massive protector. Once he declared the room safe, Alice and Vic entered. She ran to Jacko, chained to a wall. While in bad shape, he still breathed. Tubs yanked the chains from the walls so they could lay him on the floor and check his wounds. Vic used her picks to unlock the handcuffs.

  By the time Xavier arrived, Alice had the most serious wounds bandaged with what used to be her petticoat.

  “And I thought you two had left without medicine and bandages,” Xavier chided.

  “What medicine did you bring?” Vic challenged.

  “Just whiskey.”

  Jacko opened his eyes. “Whiskey?”

  Alice covered his filthy face with kisses. “Jacko, it’s over. Ott has been arrested. I’m taking you home.”

  He smiled. “This is a wonderful dream.” Then his eyes closed and his head fell to the side.

  Vic grabbed his wrist, hoping to hell she’d find a pulse.

  Chapter 7

  Everyone returned to Alice’s house, where Ott still remained locked in the library.

  Jacko, while in a semi-conscious state, received a sponge bath and new bandages. Then two footmen placed him in bed where his eldest son, L’il Pete, watched him like a hawk, ready to alert his mother the second Jacko awoke.

  Ott was taken to the potato cellar and firmly bound to a post. Barns had not been pleased with the town’s ‘jail’ and since Tubs had pulled the chains from the wall, it was not even possible to use anymore.

  “A town that refuses to build a proper police station with a jail should not be allotted a constable.”

  Alice glared at Barns. “We didn’t ask for a constable. He just showed up one day declaring himself the law.”

  Barns frowned. “That’s not the way it’s done. A town must request a constable.”

  Alice shook her head. “This town has never had need of one. These are honest, hardworking people, and when there is a disagreement, then either Jacko or I help resolve matters.”

  “And if they ignore your ruling?” Barns asked.

  “They never have. They work for me.”

  “Everyone?”

  “Not everyone. There are merchants in the town proper, but they accept my rulings too.”

  “Then why didn’t you challenge this constable when he arrived?”

  Her eyes rounded in clear outrage. “He posted signs about town stating he was assigned to this post and forthwith would be settling all issues between the citizens. He left no doubt he’d arrest any rabble-rouser.”

  Barns closed his eyes as he pressed his fingers to his temples.

  Alice stared at him a moment, then rose and left the room.

  ***

  Vic suspected she’d rather tend to her husband than a fool. Alice didn’t realize how green Barns was. Nor did he realize how annoying he could be.

  “A footman is missing,” Vic stated to no one in particular. “He’s the butler’s grandson, planned to be the next butler. He delivered us the letter today, then never returned.”

  Xavier frowned. “It’s unlikely it is connected to the murder unless you think he did it.”

  “If he were the murderer, why would he deliver Alice’s letter to us before disappearing?”

  Xavier crossed his legs. “Maybe he just likes Jacko. Several murderers do.”

  She sighed. “I don’t think Elwood is our problem, but I do think something bad has happened to him. Oh, and I need to see Daisy’s wounds. I hope she hasn’t been buried yet.”

  Xavier’s right eyebrow arched. “What are you thinking, pup?”

  “The cook told me half the town is out searching the woods for a werewolf.”

  “Bloody hell!” Xavier exclaimed.

  Barns’ head popped up. “A werewolf? We definitely need to see the body before it’s buried. Can we go to the family of the girl now?”

  Thomas spoke from the library door. “Dinner will be served in five minutes. As to Miss Daisy, her parents do not know where the poor girl has been taken. They are most upset.”

  Barns stood. “How is that possible?”

  Thomas sighed. “I only have the matter third hand, so after dinner Mistress Alice can question the Bergers in the matter.”

  “I’d prefer questioning them now,” Barns stated.

  Thomas closed his eyes as if Barns had frayed his nerves to a breaking point. Finally, he turned to Xavier. “If I might speak with you alone, sir.”

  Xavier nodded. “Vic, why don’t you and Barns ferret out the dining room table and settle in?”

  “But…” Barns began his protest, only to have Vic grip his arm and pull him from the room. Once in the hall, Vic whispered, “Never get between a witness and his or her desire to provide information to one of us. Whatever Xavier learns, he will share. And if a young maid wishes to confide into you, then you must share with us. What we don’t do is insist the person must tell us all.”

  “But he should tell me. I am a policeman. This is my investigation.”

  Vic stopped and glared at him. “And Xavier and I are here for the balmy weather? This is our investigation, and if you do not learn to share, we will never assist you again. Is that what you want?”

  Barns grimaced. “No! I’m just…It seems to me that I should take the lead.”

  Vic pulled him into the dining room and pointed to a chair and sat on the other side. “Lesson one: The person with the most appropriate skills and knowledge should take the lead. Do you seriously believe you are more experienced and skilled than Xavier Thorn?” If Barns replied ‘yes’ she would have Tubs wrap him up and return him to London.

  “No, of course not. But I am the policeman in charge.”

  “You are, and when it comes time to arrest someone, it will be you who has the best credentials, experience, and skill to do so.”

  “But won’t these people think me a fool if I allow others to lead the investigation.”

  “Two observations. Do you perceive Captain Meyers to be a fool?”

  “Not at all,” he stated, clearly offended Vic would ask such a thing.

  “Exactly, yet in every case Meyers has asked us to assist, or we have asked him to assist, he allowed us to take the lead when appropriate. And secondly, given Ott was their constable, these people probably have a very low opinion of policemen at the moment. I doubt anyone will tell you anything of importance.”

  “Oh…I dare say that’s true, which is no doubt why the butler wished to speak to Mr. Thorn.”

  Vic chuckled. “No, I believe the butler is aware you are a cut above Ott. He probably prefers Xavier because you and I look a day out of short pants to him.”

  Finally, Barns smiled and relaxed

  “We’ll have better luck with interviewing young people and old women. I do really well with old women,” Vic added.

  Just then a young maid entered, carrying a bowl of soup and stared at Vic and Barns. “Dinner has not been called yet,” she said.

  “Just pretend we aren’t here,” Vic insisted.

  The girl grinned at them as she placed the bowl on the table. “Are you here to catch the werewolf?” she whispered.

  “More like a murderer,” Barns replied.

  “Why does everyone think Daisy was killed b
y an animal?” Vic asked the girl.

  She glanced at the door and then back to Vic. “Daisy’s throat was torn away. It had to be the werewolf. He must have gone mad.”

  Barns opened his mouth, but Vic jumped in before he bullied the girl away from her claim of werewolves. “Have you seen the creature?”

  Barns crossed his arms and snorted loudly.

  The girl glanced at Barns, then focused on Vic. “I have to get back to work,” she whispered and hurried from the room.

  Vic sighed and shook her head at Barns.

  “What? Werewolves do not exist!” Barns snapped.

  “Lesson two: Do not argue with the witness over what they think occurred. Just ask more questions to tease out what the bloody hell they really saw. These people have clearly seen something, but they aren’t going to tell you if they think you perceive them mad or worse, you actually argue with them.”

  Barns groaned and rubbed the palm of his hands against his eyes. “Clearly, I lack the skill of interviewing witnesses.”

  Xavier’s voice spoke from the door. “Lucky for you, no one is better than Victor at teasing out the truth.”

  She turned and smiled up at her partner, knowing Barns wouldn’t be able to see her love shining towards Xavier. “What did the butler know?”

  Xavier sat down beside Vic and rested his hand upon her thigh beneath the table. “Jacko had insisted Daisy’s mother and brother accompany the body, so they climbed onto the wagon with the driver. However, when they reached the crossroads outside of town, instead of taking them to the doctor, Ott ordered the driver to carry Daisy to an address in London. The woman realized her husband would not know where she’d gone, nor did she have money for food and shelter once they arrived in London. Thus, she and her son had no option but to get off the wagon and walk home. She is most distraught and…” He looked at Barns. “When we do visit her, it will be best to allow Vic to ask the questions.”

  Barns nodded. “Just for the record, Ott should not have done that. I cannot fathom why he did.”

  “If Ott were not a policeman, but some thieving swindler, what motivations would you consider?” Xavier asked as he sat down and served himself a bowl of soup.

  “Xavier, you cannot serve yourself! Damn it! You don’t plan to wait to begin the interviews until after dinner, do you?” Vic challenged.

  “What do you think?” Xavier snapped.

  She sighed in frustration. “We’ve a great deal to resolve. First a murder, a missing servant, a werewolf…”

  Xavier’s right eyebrow arched accusingly at Vic at her mention of the ‘werewolf’. “And now, a missing body. I tried to send Tubs to resolve the werewolf issue, but he refused to do so until you are tucked into bed tonight.”

  “Then you believe there is something to the werewolf claims?” Barns asked.

  “Oh, there is something to it. I imagine some unnaturally furry fellow…like the one who used to reside in Bedlam.”

  Vic grabbed the large bowl of soup and dished out a serving for her and then Barns.

  “I’ll ask Tubs to go out at once,” she snapped.

  “Save your breath. He insists the real murderer is one of the villagers, thus, he intends to stay at your side.” Xavier focused on Barns. “Vic is a trouble magnet. Tubs’ primary job is to keep the boy alive.”

  “No, that was his primary job when he worked for you. Now his primary job is to assist me in solving crimes.” Vic slapped the serving spoon in the bowl causing bouillabaisse to splash onto the white tablecloth.

  “Now look what you made me do!”

  “Ha! I had nothing to do with your mess,” Xavier protested.

  She stood up, her hands on her hips. “The hell you didn’t. You purposely threw the werewolf in my face, knowing damn well he isn’t the murderer.”

  “Wait,” Barns said. “You know a werewolf?”

  “Of course not. They don’t exist. But I do know a person with a genetic mutation that results in long hair growing over his entire body. I had hoped it wasn’t him, but Tubs and I smelled him when we were rescuing Jacko.”

  “You smelled him?” Barns echoed.

  “Not a major feat. A person with a severe cold could smell the wolfman,” Xavier said as he finished his soup.

  Barns smiled at Vic. “And you didn’t provide this information before because I might lose the lesson you wished me to learn.”

  “Right,” Vic said as she stood and frowned at Barns’ full bowl of soup. “I fear you’re going hungry now. Lesson three: Eat whenever you get the chance, at least, when you are around Xavier. The man has no respect for hunger.”

  Xavier stood. “Hopefully, you do not require feeding as often as Vic. The pup wants fed three times a day. Ridiculous!” He stormed out with Vic and Barns in tow.

  “Vic, we are about to have dinner,” Alice called.

  Vic stopped and grimaced. “We have to start our investigation.” She leaned in and whispered, “Xavier made a mess on your table cloth. It wasn’t intentional. He’s horribly impatient.”

  “Go,” Alice said.

  As Vic rushed to catch up with Xavier and Barns, she heard Alice calling for Thomas. She chuckled at the thought of Xavier getting blamed for the mess.

  She was still smiling when she entered the carriage.

  “Ah, the pup always cheers at the scent of a murderer.” He leaned out. “Down the lane, Davy.”

  The carriage didn’t move.

  Xavier’s eyes rounded in clear outrage. “Davy, I said we’re ready!”

  Vic laughed at him and leaned to her window. “You may go now, Casey.”

  She leaned back with a smug smile. This was her carriage and her driver.

  Xavier glared at her, but as the seconds passed and the carriage didn’t move, a smile slowly appeared on his hawk face.

  Suddenly, the carriage lurched heavily to the left and a moment later, it raced down the road.

  Vic sighed. “I do not intend to chide Casey for not leaving until Tubs arrived. I promised Tubs he could always assist me in solving crimes. The fault was yours for rushing me. Fortunately, Tubs clearly foresaw the potential of your bad manners and had asked Casey not to leave without him.”

  “More like threatened him. Tubs is very keen to keep you alive,” Xavier stated.

  “I’m sure if he has time, he’ll save you and Barns as well,” she said with fake sweetness.

  Xavier cuffed her on the head, making Barns eyes round in shock.

  “See what you’ve done! Now Barns is worried he’ll have to arrest you for assaulting me. And then who would interview old butlers in the future?”

  The carriage soon stopped, then tilted dangerously to the left. Vic climbed out the right door, standing on the rim, and whispered over the top of the carriage. “Tubs, you probably shouldn’t come in.” Her protector’s appearance was all too apt to cause females to faint.

  “I won’t unless you’re in harm’s way,” he promised.

  She jumped down and hurried around the carriage to meet Xavier and Barns at the door. Xavier pulled her forward so she could be their spokesman, then knocked on the rough wood door.

  A haggard, angry man opened the door and glared at her.

  “We are investigators called in by Alice and Jacon Bienora to solve the murder of your daughter, Daisy. May we come inside?”

  “You can’t help us,” he growled.

  “Because you believe it was a werewolf?”

  “I know it was. I saw it running from the barn,” he yelled.

  “Then we will investigate that possibility,” she assured him.

  He stared at Vic then Xavier and Barns, sighed, and opened the door. He turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving them to follow as they wished. Xavier peeled off and made his way upstairs.

  The moment Victor stepped into the simple but clean kitchen the wife yelled, “I want my daughter back!”

  Vic sat across from her at the table next to a young man around sixteen. “I understand. Constable Ott
was arrested by…” She gestured to Barns. “Officer Barns of Scotland Yard only moments after we arrived in Litchfield. Tomorrow, he will be taken to London and questioned by professional interrogators and made to tell what he has done with Daisy.”

  The woman reached over and gripped Barns’ hands. “You’ll bring her back when he tells you.”

  “He will,” Vic assured her before Barns could answer.

  “Bless you. You are a good man,” she added. Barns smiled at her declaration.

  “Xavier Thorn and I shall remain here searching for the murderer, be it human or werewolf.”

  “Then you believe me?” Frederick asked.

  “I believe you saw something that looks like a werewolf,” she said. “I have seen it myself.”

  “Where?” he demanded.

  “Not here, but I know such things exists.”

  He breathed out, his large calloused hands finally unclenched and relaxed on the table. “And you can find and kill this thing? We spent the whole day searching for it, but found nothing.”

  “If would be better if the search is left to us. We have brought a specialist. A large and very strong fellow. He stands seven-foot-tall and weighs over four hundred pounds. He is examining the barn as we speak.”

  Frederick shook his head. “He’ll find nothing of use. The constable destroyed all the wolf prints.”

  “Destroyed them how?” Vic asked.

  “He tossed hay over the blood and walked over everything.”

  “He shouldn’t have done that,” Barns muttered and wrote something in his notebook.

  “What are you writing?” Frederick demanded.

  “He is making a list of everything Constable Ott did that was wrong…a very long list that will hopefully see the man not just fired, but jailed for life.

  “Be sure you put down he stole my daughter.”

  Barns nodded. “I have it logged.”

  Satisfied, Frederick looked at Vic. “How can we help you find the werewolf?”

  “Let us refer to the person we seek as the ‘murderer’. We do not wish to cause a panic.”

  “But we’ve all seen the werewolf,” Frederick said as his fists clenched.

  “Do you recall when you first saw him?” Vic asked

  “About four months ago.” He looked at his wife and she nodded in agreement.