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

by Liza O'Connor

  “Xavier left while I was rescuing Richard.”

  “Thank God!” Jacko said. “I’d feared he’d returned to the cabin.”

  “Jacko, what’s happened?” Alice asked as she ran to him. “Are you all right?” she asked, as she touched his soot covered cheek.

  He gripped her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I’m fine, Tubs and Casey are fine and I’m relieved to hear Richard is fine. However, his home is burnt to the ground and the damn fools nearly set the woods ablaze, which could have traveled through every farm.”

  Alice’s eyes rounded in outrage. “What were they thinking?”

  “They weren’t thinking at all.” He pulled her to his soot-covered body, evidently knowing she wouldn’t complain, which she didn’t. Even when Alice was a young girl, she never complained when Vic accidentally got her covered in mud.

  Jacko’s eyes met Vic. “Any chance you can take Richard home with you? I don’t believe he’ll ever be safe here. These fools are too superstitious.”

  “That’s already in the works. He’s having a bath right now. We’ll be ready to go…” she paused noticing the droop of Casey’s shoulders. Tubs never looked tired, but Jacko looked ready to fall. “Alice, would you mind if we stayed tonight and left in the morning?”

  “Not at all, I was going to suggest it, only I thought you… I’d much rather you get home safely tomorrow. If you left tonight, I would worry myself sick. I know Xavier refuses to acquire a phone, but if there is someone else you could call, who could let Xavier know you were delayed.”

  “I’m sure he doesn’t care, at the moment,” Vic stated and hurried upstairs to her guest room so she could cry in private.

  Chapter 16

  Jacko watched Vic run up the stairs and then looked at Alice, grimacing at all the soot he had transferred to her previously lovely gown. “What did Vic mean?”

  “Xavier left without resolving whatever made him so angry.”

  Jacko sighed. “I think we need to stay out of this.”

  “I would normally agree, but Xavier left believing Vic would follow within the hour.” She stared at him. “Someone needs to let him know Vic is still here because a fire broke out, and will return tomorrow. Otherwise, he’ll be sick with worry and may think Vic has done this to spite him.”

  Jacko groaned. “And you think the someone should be me?”

  “Yes, but let me be clear. I mean you should call Scotland Yard or perhaps Dr. Connors and ask them to let Xavier know. Under no circumstances are you riding off to London. You can barely stand,” she gently scolded.

  God, he loved her. He couldn’t have dreamed a woman half so fine. “Thankfully, there is one brilliant mind in this town. Let me call Dr. Connors before I take a bath.”

  “Oh, I have given our bathroom over to Richard.”

  “Then perhaps the cook can serve dinner as soon as possible?”

  “I will bring you hot soup to eat while you make your call.” Everything was so easy with Alice. He leaned in and kissed her.

  When he attempted to step back, she refused to leave his side, supporting his wobbly walk all the way to her office and settling him into her chair, never once complaining about her ruined clothes.

  She even called the operator and asked for Dr. Connors’ number. She then handed the phone over to him and left the room.

  “Connors, this is Jacko.”

  “You sound terrible. Are you hurt?” the doctor asked.

  “Well, I’m not at my best, but I’m calling to ask you for a favor.”

  “How may I help?” His instant unfaltering assistance made Jacko smile. Being in Xavier’s ‘family’ had its benefits.

  “I believe Xavier and Vic had a disagreement over something and Xavier left, thinking Vic would follow within the hour. However, the crazy villagers here decided to burn down a cabin in the woods, and the woods caught on fire. So Tubs, Casey, and I have spent the last few hours putting it out before it became an unstoppable inferno.”

  “And you want me to let Xavier know so he won’t worry.”

  “Yes, if you don’t mind. And try to convince him to get a damn phone, so I don’t have to annoy other people who have better things to do than deliver messages.”

  Connors chuckled. “I don’t mind. In fact, it sounds as if Xavier might need someone to talk to.”

  “Probably. I’ve certainly never seen Vic in a sadder state.”

  “I just finished with my last patient. I’ll go now,” Connors promised.

  Jacko hung up the phone and smiled at his wife returning with food. “Connors is going to visit Xavier now.” Alice rewarded him with a hug, a kiss, and an exquisite soup with fresh hot bread.

  Chapter 17

  Xavier stared out the carriage window trying to ignore the chatter of the nursemaid as she attempted to keep Cannon and Arroo entertained. His thoughts remained on Vic. Had the pain of childbirth changed her in some fundamental way, or had he simply never known her?

  He first became concerned when Nora claimed Vic had purposely shot her in the leg for sport. Naturally, he didn’t believe the maid until he saw Vic attempt to shoot the girl a second time, only Tubs stopped her. And was she ashamed for her actions? No. She turned and yelled at Tubs for interfering.

  However, his concern tripled when Tubs made his confession and Vic showed no surprise, which meant she’d already known Tubs claimed a brother.

  That put a whole new light on her reaction to Stone when he accused Tubs of being a mastermind. She wasn’t trying to give Tubs an alibi when she pointed out the fellow was always with her, she was taunting Scotland Yard, proving she could do anything, including be a mastermind criminal and there was nothing they could do about it.

  Somewhere he had failed Vic and led her to believe she was above the law; that she could shoot young girls for no reason, and declare herself a criminal to Scotland Yard and nothing would happen to her because she was too important to England.

  His anger turned to Stone and Connors. If Vic believed herself to be untouchable, it was because those two had filled her head with the belief she was vitally important to her country.

  And she had been before they ruined her!

  A person with her intelligence, but a belief she could do anything to anyone, would quickly be labeled a serious threat to England, and when those above demanded her removal, he would no doubt be kept in the dark until the deed was done.

  Nor did he have any confidence he could rein Vic in before that happened. She was already keeping secrets from him. A sickening thought roiled his stomach. Perhaps the reason Samson felt so confident in his admiration of Vic was because a relationship had already begun.

  What a bloody fool he’d been! All the while he was working to keep England safe, Vic had been slipping away to see Samson, and he’d never seen a single sign. Still, she couldn’t have managed this widespread crime spree on her own. More likely Samson ran the daily operation while Vic and Tubs gave him advice.

  The small suits in the closet meant nothing. Vic was clever enough to leave suits too small for Tubs in the mastermind’s house. And Samson had the means to purchase and establish a house that could never be traced back to him. In addition, he had plenty of men and contacts to pull this racket off without getting his own hands dirty.

  Yes, Samson in charge made far more sense than an alleged brother of Tubs. Xavier and Stone had been tracking Tubs’ activities for over twenty years and never once had there even been a single whisper or suggestion of a brother. And the claim his mother had run off and married another man to bear this sibling was impossible. Xavier had long ago witnessed the death of Tubs’ mother. His claim was unquestionably a lie and not a very good one at that. Why hadn’t he, at least, bothered to claim his father and another woman had born this imaginary sibling?

  Xavier felt physically ill.

  He didn’t want to believe Vic and Tubs were involved, but Stone had been correct: if Tubs were involved, then Vic had to be involved.

  Only Vi
c could not be running the show. She didn’t have the time. Most of the day they were solving crimes together. However, Xavier had no clue what Samson did and such a widespread crime would explain how he could afford to replicate Xavier’s library in his own mansion. Xavier was certain when he asked Stone, the minions would all come from Samson’s territory.

  Still, that Vic assisted Samson broke his heart. He’d never loved anyone half as much as he did his beloved partner. He’d hoped when he broached her betrayal to him when she kept Tubs’ alleged brother a secret that he would see sincere regret and remorse giving him an opening to pull her back to the side of good. But instead, all he met was resentment and stubbornness. She was sorry he was angry, but she adamantly refused to apologize for keeping vital information from him.

  Xavier glanced down at his son…presumably his son. If Vic would lie and deceive on other matters, why not this as well? Perhaps he’s Samson’s son. God knows the boy is big enough. And honestly, Xavier couldn’t see a single feature of his in the boy.

  Had their love been a lie from the beginning? He thought of all the young women he had seduced throughout the years he worked for External Affairs as a spy. Some of them had loved him dearly while his affections were nothing more than pretense and acting.

  His gut cramped. Had Vic been playing him all this time?

  He thought back to their first year and his slow, tortuous seduction.

  No! Whatever Vic may or may not feel now, she entered this relationship with genuine love.

  So when did it change?

  He sighed in frustration. That was his problem. She had never once given him reason to doubt the sincerity of her love until today…when she shot Nora in the leg and would have shot her a second time had Tubs not stopped her.

  The Vic he loved would never shoot a person for the sport of it.

  Finally, they arrived home.

  Xavier departed the carriage at once, headed straight to his library and poured himself a generous drink.

  Vic’s empty chair upset him to such a degree; he dragged it across the room and tossed it out into the hall. Now being truly alone, he sat and stared at the fireplace, cold and empty, rather like his heart.

  He could not imagine a life without Vic, nor did he wish to. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks. He had never cried before, but neither had he suffered such an excruciating betrayal. Vic had become his purpose in life, and now, with his eyes opened to the truth, there was no going back to the man he once was or forward to a life without her.

  Gregory’s familiar soft knock sounded and the door opened.

  “I’m not interested in dinner,” he snapped.

  “Dr. Connors is here. He says he has an important message.”

  “Ask him to write it down and go home. I am busy at the moment.”

  “I’ll handle this, Gregory,” Connors’ voice spoke from outside the door.

  Xavier quickly blotted his face to remove his tears. “Damn it, Connors, I’m in no mood for company tonight.”

  “Jacko told me you and Vic had a fight,” he entered, dragging Vic’s chair back into the room. After placing it across from Xavier, he sat down.

  Gads! Could the man not take a hint? “Then you’ll understand why I wish to be alone.”

  Connors ignored his non-too-subtle request to leave and leaned forward. “I dressed a superficial wound on a young lady an hour ago. She claimed Vic shot her for sport. You didn’t believe her I hope.”

  Xavier breathed in and closed his eyes, wishing Connors would cease digging about in his wounded heart. “In fact, I did. Vic would have shot her a second time, had Tubs not stopped her.”

  “Well, just so you know, it was a minor injury, little more than a flesh wound.”

  “Thank you for the information, you can go now.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone. You are clearly upset and I am your friend. Will you not tell me what has put you in this sad state of mind?”

  The offer was tempting. Connors would die before he shared the truth with others. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

  “I gather you had a fight with Vic,” Connors said.

  Xavier’s eyes opened. “Is Vic here?”

  “No, I came with the message there was a fire in Litchfield and Vic, Casey, and Tubs would leave tomorrow morning. Who’s Casey?”

  “Her driver. She no doubt feared Davy would report to me about her clandestine meetings, so she got her own driver and carriage. I suspect she and Tubs have already returned to London and are presently removing all evidence that might incriminate them.”

  “Jacko was most certain Tubs and Casey had been putting out a major forest fire the villagers caused by setting some cabin afire.”

  “More likely Vic,” Xavier muttered and rubbed his face with his hands.

  Connors leaned closer, touching Xavier’s knee. “Talk to me. It’s not like you to assume the worst of Vic.”

  He barked a painful laugh. “No, I have been his greatest champion. I never once doubted him.”

  “Until now. Can you tell me what happened?”

  His head fell back and he stared at the ceiling as he shared with Connors the truth of Vic and Tubs. He was tempted to glance at the good doctor, to see the horror and pain in his eyes. He had long suspected Connors had fallen in love with Vic. However, unlike Samson, Connors would never act on his feelings.

  He concluded his revelations and closed his eyes. “We have all been played by a master of deceit.”

  A moment later, he heard the library door open and close.

  Tears poured down his cheeks. He understood why Connors had left without a word. There were no words to ease his pain, or to lessen her guilt.

  Connors was no doubt broken-hearted as well. While the good doctor’s pain could not be a tenth of his, it had been enough to send him running from the house.

  Xavier pushed himself up and went to the bar, securing a new bottle of whiskey before returning to his chair. He cried like a baby as he downed glass after glass, determined to deaden his aching soul.

  He woke to a gentle hand upon his head. “Go away Vic. We’re done,” he barked.

  “It’s Stone,” the Director of Scotland Yard said and sat in Vic’s chair. “Have I caused this rift between you and Victor?”

  Xavier rubbed his face, hoping Stone was a drunken delusion and would disappear. Unfortunately, the man stubbornly remained. “I have no wish to discuss this matter.”

  “Well, let me discuss my efforts since I’ve returned to London.”

  “I’m in no condition or mood to hear about your problems,” Xavier snapped.

  “I found it hard to believe Tubs could have a brother that I wouldn’t know about.”

  “That’s because he doesn’t. You were right all along. Tubs and Vic are behind this operation. They went rogue and I never had a clue. Everything between us has been a lie,” he cried out in pain.

  “No! I assigned Meyers to find out about this supposed brother the moment we returned. He not only found the fellow’s history but the young man as well.”

  “Then he’s lying because Tubs has no brother.”

  “You are correct. He doesn’t. But Sean Williams convinced Tubs he did. Williams has been arrested on several occasions over the last ten years, and every time he escaped his jailers. Had Tubs ever shown an interest in freeing criminals, I would have suspected him at once. In one case, the jail door had been torn from its hinges. Upon interrogating Williams, the two maids, and their brother, I am convinced Tubs had nothing to do with this operation.”

  “You’re being played. Tubs can read a lie better than anyone. He could never be fooled into believing someone was his brother,” Xavier countered

  “Normally, true. But I have a few men on my staff who also have the same skill. I had them interrogate Sean as he declared his complete innocence, claiming it was Tubs who ran the operations and he just lived in his brother’s house.”

  “And?”

  “He rang true. Sean
Williams is a skilled liar.”

  Xavier shook his head in disgust. “Or Tubs is your man, as you originally thought.”

  “No. Meyers has created a solid case against Sean. We know a great deal about the fifty plus extortions under his umbrella, and quite frankly if Vic and Tubs had been in charge, it would have been run far more efficiently. Besides, we both know Tubs is not a killer of innocent children. Of the hundred plus men and one woman he’s killed, they have all been adults and criminals.”

  “That’s true,” Xavier said softly as a ray of hope touched upon his scorched heart. “How many young innocents have died?”

  “According to the ledgers written by Sean William’s hand, forty-nine. Also, no one involved has ever seen or worked with Tubs. However, they all turned on Sean fast enough, declaring him the man in charge. He evidently doesn’t inspire loyalty.”

  Xavier suddenly wished he hadn’t drunk quite so much whiskey. His brain struggled to grasp what Stone had just said. If Tubs was not involved, then neither was Vic. Also, Vic would have never sent Ott after Alice and Jacko. She had fought her hardest to save Jacko from the moment the message had been received.

  “Your outrage with my accusations today was most justified. May I ask what changed your mind?”

  What had sent him off to a journey in hell? It took his whiskey soaked brain a moment to recall. “Vic knew of Tubs’ brother and kept it from me. She placed his secret above her loyalty to me.”

  “Well, it couldn’t have been for long. You clearly knew about Sean before I arrived here,” Stone challenged.

  “Tubs confessed while I was giving my ‘family’ a confirmation that we would always come to each other’s aid, but in return, we must not lessen our standards, such as shooting someone for the sport of it. Vic failed to show regret for the shooting or surprise on Tubs’ confession.”

  “Did you discuss it with Vic?”

  “Yes. He said it wasn’t his secret to share.”

  “Well, I know how irritating that comment can be. I believe Vic said the same to me when I asked what had been stolen from the former First Minister.” He leaned forward. “Vic’s determination to keep secrets may be a testament to his high ethics, rather than proof he’s gone rogue.”