The CrimeLords' War (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 7) Read online

  David shook his head and then focused on Tubs. “I’m guessing the house you brought down wasn’t as well built or suffered from wood rot, because I assure you before that beam comes down the screw will tear out.”

  Tubs considered his theory, then nodded happily. “I’ll give it a try, but only if you two will get out of the way of the falling screw.”

  “I don’t expect that to happen either,” David said.

  It didn’t, but neither did Tubs have the strength to get himself up. So Gregory sent in Fagan and Casey, who pushed from the back as he pulled forward. The moment he was up he gripped the walker. “You can stop supporting me,” he said to Casey and Fagan.

  They cautiously stepped back and everyone applauded as Tubs remained standing. The door opened and Sara watched from the back room.

  “Can I try for the water closet?” he asked.

  David grimaced. “Better not yet. I need to assess the space, make sure the walker will fit inside and there’s room for rescue if need be.”

  Tubs sighed heavily. “I’ll wait then.”

  Vic worried that Tubs planned to ‘wait’ until David fixed the problems instead of using a bed pan.

  “David, if we placed another mattress on this bed wouldn’t it be easier for Tubs to stand up and sit down?”

  “Absolutely. But before you do, I’ll need to see how the bed frame is constructed. We might need to give it more support for the extra weight.

  Tubs laughed. “It’ll hold another mattress and I think that would make it much easier to get out of bed.”

  “Gregory!” Vic yelled, wanting to solve this problem at once.

  “I am right behind you and Casey and Fagan have gone to get another mattress.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled at her butler-parent with happiness.

  Gregory focused on Tubs. “I gather at your height, sitting on beds or chairs would be like us sitting on a foot stool?”

  The giant fellow nodded. “Which is why I’ve been standing most of my life.”

  Which was also why Vic had a special chair built for Tubs, only it was in their place of work next door. “We can bring your chair over, cut a hole in the top and set it over a chamber pot.”

  Tubs frowned at the idea. “I really like my chair.”

  “I’ll have the fellow build another. I’m sure he won’t mind the business,” she teased. “By the time you are back at work, I promise you’ll have a new chair.”

  “That sounds like a perfect solution,” David declared.

  Casey and Fagan returned with the mattress and were about to place it on top, but Gregory stopped them and removed the bedding and sheets. He then nodded for them to continue, then personally saw to the proper placement of the sheets and bedding with Sara’s help.

  David encouraged Tubs to sit down on the bed, which he was quick to do. He had been standing awhile.

  “Now try getting up again,” David said.

  Tubs frowned. “I might need to rest first.”

  Vic pushed the walker closer to the bed. “Just try. It should be much easier.”

  He took in a deep breath and stood up without any help at all. A grand smile appeared on his scarred face. “That is much easier,” he proclaimed. He focused on Vic. “Go ahead and cut a hole in that chair. I can put a metal plate over it later.”

  “I’ll go get my saw,” David said.

  “We have saws.” Gregory sent Casey to get one while Fagan retrieved the chair from the office.

  Vic went with him to ensure he got the right chair.

  The moment she entered the office, their secretary and investigator in training, Ben, stared at the ceiling. “Thank you God!” He then brought her a pile of cases pending.

  “Let me see to Fagan and then you’ll have my total attention,” she promised. She hurried upstairs and helped Fagan carry the giant chair down. She paused at the door. “Ben either you or I need to help Fagan carry this chair over to Tubs.”

  “I’ll go,” Ben said. “Only you have to stay here and do my job,” he warned her.

  She opened her mouth to yell at him “Who’s the boss here?” but muted her response. Ben probably wanted to see Tubs. “Go on, but come back so I can advise you on the cases you are going to do.”

  “Yes, sir!” he said and nearly pushed poor Fagan down the outdoor steps in his excitement.

  Vic sat down and sorted the cases between investment advice, which was their bread and butter, mundane cases, and those of interest. There was only one case that qualified as interesting.

  Mrs. Penderheim’s husband has gone missing. He was in bed when she went to sleep two days ago and when she woke, he was gone.

  Vic huffed. Had she not woken up to Xavier’s quiet dressing in the dark, she would have experienced the same situation. She sat down and read Ben’s interview, making note of some follow up questions.

  Ben burst into Xavier’s private office. “I’m back!”

  His exuberant spirit cheered her up. “Yes, you are. Sit and let us discuss your cases.”

  He nodded excitedly.

  “We will leave the investment queries for Xavier. Most of the rest I believe you can handle with a bit of help.”

  The boy literally glowed with happiness.

  She thumped the case before her. “However, this missing husband case will be an excellent chance for you to enhance your skills.”

  The boy looked worried.

  “You will require my help on this one,” she added.

  He breathed out and nodded in agreement.

  “First, I want to point out the questions you missed, not as a reprimand, but so you can be better prepared next time.”

  Ben nodded, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

  Satisfied he wasn’t crushed by his failures, she began. “My immediate question was how long had she been married to her husband.”

  Ben grimaced.

  “Also I need to know how much older or younger is he than his wife. If he’s a great deal older, what can we suspect?”

  “He’s wealthy?”

  Vic smiled. “That is one possibility, but he could also have a title and could provide her entrance into a better society. To many women, this is far more important than love.”

  “And if the husband is younger?”

  Ben frowned and grimaced. “She’s wealthy or has a title he wants?”

  Vic laughed and nodded. “Yes. And if he’s very old and they recently married?”

  “She’s done him in?”

  “Possibly.”

  “Then why would she come here?”

  “I sometimes wonder that myself. However, we have had more than one criminal come here and ask us to investigate a matter that a rational person shouldn’t want us anywhere near.”

  Ben shook his head at such foolishness.

  “And what might the reason be if the husband is younger and they’ve been married a short time?”

  “That he has a mistress he prefers?”

  Vic was impressed with how quickly he caught on to the whole marriage nonsense. “Very good, and in that case, we need to investigate the fellow very carefully, for he may wish to get rid of his wife and is just biding his time so her death won’t look suspicious. In fact, I would suggest she be thoroughly checked out by a high quality doctor such as Connors in case she’s being slowly poisoned.”

  Ben sighed heavily. “I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask either of those questions. I see how they are critical to determining which direction to look first, for if she is older, we would need to ensure she is healthy right off and figure out where the fellow is hiding out and if he’s been married before, for perhaps he’s done this before.”

  “Excellent, Ben. We had a case in which a man did exactly that. He married wealthy women who would then die of an accident or ill health.” She paused and thought of Xavier. “What reasons might a good husband disappear without notifying his wife?”

  Ben’s forehead furrowed. “He got waylaid and is now a slave on a pirat
e ship…Jacko says that happens more than you’d think.”

  “True, but they tend to grab young strong men who have had too much to drink.”

  “That makes sense.” Then he frowned. “How can I avoid being waylaid?”

  “Don’t drink within a mile of the Thames,” she replied not having the heart to tell him no captain would want him. They wanted muscular fellows. Poor Ben wouldn’t last a week on a pirate ship.

  “What other reasons?” she asked.

  “He’s been murdered.”

  Ben’s statement made her shiver. God, please don’t let that be the reason Xavier hasn’t come home. Ben's not ready to go after murderers.

  “What else?”

  “He’s been arrested for a crime?”

  Vic smiled. “Fortunately, we have the connections to determine that one very quickly. Once we do, should we tell the wife?”

  “Depends on the answer I suppose.”

  “I’ll play the wife, you be our young investigator.” Vic tossed a towel over her short hair so it hung to her shoulders. “Kind sir, have you found my husband?”

  “No.”

  Vic glared in outrage.

  “Not yet,” he corrected himself.

  “You have found nothing?” Her disappointment was most evident in her tone.

  “Well, I have visited Scotland Yard and determined he’s not been arrested.”

  “How dare you! Why would you even suggest such a thing? My husband is a very good man. I am most upset by your accusation. I will hire someone else to find my husband. You may leave.”

  Ben covered his face. “What if I had found him in jail?”

  “If you get such a case, allow me to intervene and break the news whether he’s in jail or not.”

  Ben nodded.

  “However, first I would speak to the jailed husband and try to get a good read on the man. Did he have reasons which Scotland Yard wouldn’t appreciate, but his wife might? Was he trying to save them from bankruptcy, from losing her property? Then I’d break the situation to her as softly as possible, with great empathy.”

  “What if he’s a scoundrel?” Ben asked.

  “That may or may not matter to her. So there is no cut and dry answer. I just let my intuition tell me how to approach the matter.”

  Ben sighed. “I’ll bring you in, because no one but you has your intuition.”

  Vic almost laughed at his statement, but refrained. Ben had meant to give her a compliment, but seriously who but her could possess her intuition. If someone else had it, it wouldn’t be hers.

  Vic wrote several questions down. “I want you to visit her today and get the answers to these and any other questions you can think of.”

  Ben studied the questions. “Of course, all these will help us find the person. I did a horrible job!”

  “You did an admirable job. This is your first missing person case. Now that you’ve begun your search, you simply have follow up questions. And don’t be afraid to ask questions that come to mind throughout the investigation. For example, if she tells you the name of her husband’s best friend but says he’s out of country…”

  Ben paused and then smiled. “I ask her for both the friend’s address in town and where he has gone and the address there.”

  “Why do you need the address here?” she asked.

  “Because the husband might be there.”

  “Excellent. It’s possible they had a fight and she failed to mention it.”

  “No, I asked that. She said they didn’t have a fight.”

  “Good job. However, understand that all clients lie.”

  “Why would they do that?”

  Vic shook her head and threw up her hands. “I don’t know. I just know they do. So if the facts you discover do not correspond with your client’s comments, then go back and hold their feet to the fire for proper answers. And in a case like this, you can use guilt, letting them know their inaccurate answers or failure to disclose information of importance increases the risk the case will not be solved to their satisfaction.”

  “Maybe you should do this one…” Ben stated. “I’m over my head.”

  “I used to feel the same way. The only way you’ll become comfortable is from doing them. One other word of advice: never prejudge a case because it seems like a case you’ve had before. Each one is different, and if you ignore the facts before you, believing the client is an angel because a previous case had an admirable woman, you could end up dead.”

  He sobered and chewed his bottom lip.

  “Now I need you to return to the woman and get more answers for us to work with. In a few days, I’m hoping Tubs will be able to travel in a carriage and I can assist you in this matter.”

  Ben smiled and breathed out. “Yes, please.”

  “Go ask your questions, so we’ll be better prepared to begin our search.” She stood. “I’ll take these other cases with me. Three of them I think Tubs can solve.”

  Ben frowned. “I believe they wanted answers faster than that.”

  “From his bedside.”

  “Oh! I hadn’t considered that possibility. Tubs knows everything that goes on in the criminal world.”

  “Always use your experts,” she stated and headed to the door.

  “Hold on! How will I leave if you aren’t here to take appointments?”

  “There’s a wooden sign in the bottom cabinet, last file folder. Lock up and hang it on the door.”

  Xavier hated that sign, but there were times when their current cases required the office to close.

  Chapter 5

  By the time Vic arrived home, the altered chair and chamber pot sat across the room from Tubs’ very tall bed. His walker stood beside his bed for easy access. Tubs was using the pulley to lift himself a few inches off the mattress.

  He stopped and smiled at her arrival.

  “Have you used your throne?” she teased.

  “I have and it works really well.” His eyes went to the papers in her hands. “Are those cases?”

  “They are…not very interesting, but I thought I’d pick your brain for possible miscreants.”

  He chuckled. “That sounds fun.”

  She climbed onto the foot of his bed and read each of the cases. To her amazement, Tubs suggested people to talk to on all ten of them.

  “Who’s doing the checking?” he asked.

  “Ben.”

  Tubs scratched his chin then shook his head. “Only have him do the first three. The others you should ask Samson to handle.”

  Vic smirked. “You want the crime lord of West London to recover a necklace of sentimental value.”

  He nodded. “Yes, and you need to personally ask him. I don’t think Samson and Ben will get on, so he’d send Ben out to roust the boy responsible, only the boys work in packs and despite the lack of value, Ben might die retrieving it.”

  “Ben is not going to die, so I’ll visit Samson.”

  “Any chance you can wait until I can go with you?” Tubs asked.

  “The boy has almost certainly pawned it by now. I really can’t wait, or it’ll be sold to someone new.” She then smiled at him. “If you can walk to the carriage and climb up by tomorrow, then you can come with me.”

  Tubs shook his head. “You’re right, these minor thefts need to be addressed immediately. Go today and take Casey and Fagan. But give me pen and paper so I can give Samson clear instructions on this matter.”

  Vic handed him a notepad and pencil.

  When he finished she read Samson’s instructions.

  Samson,

  Vic has several cases to solve that look to be the work of Dreg’s boys. Clients want their items returned, no police involved. Could you handle this on your own—without Vic’s involvement? I don’t want no one dying over items not worth dying over.

  Tubs

  She smiled. Stated this way, her former driver Samson would have no choice but to make the boys cough up the items. And since he was a crime lord, they’d obey him.
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br />   She climbed up the very tall wall of mattresses, kissed Tubs on his bald head, then dropped off the bed.

  “Don’t forget Casey and Fagan,” Tubs warned.

  “Don’t forget to work your legs every two hours,” she countered.

  The moment she left the room, she ran into Gregory…literally. “Were you listening to our conversation?” she challenged.

  “Are you going someplace?” he demanded as he snatched the letter from her hand.

  “Yes, I am, if you will be so kind to have Casey ready the carriage and tell Fagan he’s needed as well.”

  Gregory returned the letter to her. “I will see to it at once.”

  Thank God she had that letter from Tubs. Not that she planned to use it. She’d be perfectly safe accompanying Samson in his own territory.

  Casey and Fagan both had the attitude of soldiers going off to war. What the bloody hell had Gregory told them?

  Once she entered the carriage, they took off at a brisk pace. She shook her head. No chance of anyone jumping into her carriage at this speed.

  They arrived at Samson’s house within twenty minutes. Fagan stayed with the horses while Casey asked one of the men guarding the door if their boss was in. He then opened the door and waited for her to climb out of the carriage. Her driver hurried her quickly inside where they passed through eight check points before arriving at Samson’s outer office. Upon seeing her, a fellow lifted the phone and called someone…she assumed Samson, just inside.

  What a terrible waste of electricity: to send a call out to the switch board and back to the room right next door.

  Samson opened the door and smiled. “Vic come in.” He frowned at Casey. “Casey, wouldn’t you rather watch the horses. Otherwise, I can’t promise they’ll be there when Vic wants to leave.”

  “I’ve got someone watching them,” Casey replied and followed Vic into his office.

  “Well, I hope it’s not one of my guys. Terribly unreliable lot.”

  “Fagan’s watching them,” she explained. “And he’s armed.”

  “So are mine,” Samson stated and focused on Casey. “Seriously, nothing is going to happen to Vic, but those horses need a bit more protection.”