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by Robin Jeffrey

  “Poor little things,” Cadence gazed at the gore encrusted FASC with fondness. “All they know is that when something hits the mat, they’re supposed to clean it. They didn’t realize it was Felix’s face.”

  Calling over an EO officer from the front door, Brisbois instructed him to get the FASC under evidence quarantine as soon as possible. Once the officer had gone, Brisbois took a moment to clean his hand with a worn handkerchief and, unless I was mistaken, get his gag reflex under control. Henry broke the silence, brow furrowing.

  “Hold on – how did he get upstairs with the body? Felix must have weighed over 200 pounds. If someone tried dragging him up the stairs, one of us would have heard or seen something.”

  Patting him on the shoulder, Cadence headed down the long hallway on the right. We followed her past the kitchen to the hallway’s dead-end, where she depressed the small brown button once more and revealed the dusty dumbwaiter.

  Solomon examined the space from a distance, his hand on his glasses. “What makes you think they used this?”

  “Besides it being logical?” Cadence lifted a finger. “Henry, could you climb inside there, please?”

  Dutiful as always, Henry attempted to crawl into the small space. Grunting and hissing, he tried to force his tall frame into the stunted box, but in the end, he gave up, prying himself free. “I can’t fit; not unless I shrunk.”

  “Or broke a few bones.” Cadence rolled back on her heels, hands clasped behind her. “It’s why Felix’s arms and legs were broken post-mortem; to make him fit in there. I also have this,” she produced the shred of my father’s jacket from her pocket and handed it to Brisbois. “I’m sure your men would’ve found it if they’d been looking properly.” Beaming, she inclined her head towards me, missing Brisbois’ glare. “Chance found it in the wheel of his breakfast cart.”

  “I imagine it was Belinda who cleaned up the blood while Merton posed the body upstairs.” We wandered back into the entryway, following Cadence as if she was the leader of a demented brass band. “Henry said it was very hot in his room that night. His rooms butt up against the kitchen wall, which houses the incinerator. Someone put it through its paces, but it seems to have trouble with cloth. I found more rags inside of it.”

  “Miss Turing.”

  “Yes, Inspector?”

  Brisbois tilted his head towards her ear, voice a low, but still audible, murmur. “This is all…amazing, actually, but you still haven’t given me anything to prove that Dr. Merton killed Felix Hale. I need something more concrete.”

  Turning towards Henry again, who was staring off into the distance with a befuddled look on his face, Cadence cleared her throat. He came to attention, going through his pockets and depositing yet another item into her hands. Smiling her thanks, she turned back to Brisbois. “Will this do?”

  Sitting in the palm of her hand was a pair of glasses almost identical to those worn by Dr. Merton. Except these were cracked, splattered with a dried brown substance that had to be blood.

  “Do you remember when you had Dr. Merton sign for the release of the body? He had trouble reading the tablet.” Cadence pushed her prize towards Brisbois. “It’s because these are his glasses; he’s wearing a spare pair, about two or three years old, I should think. Have you ever tried to beat a man to death while wearing glasses? They would go flying.” She pointed to one of the potted bushes which stood by the door. “I found them there; in the plant.”

  A flurry of movement made me jump, but it was too late to react in any meaningful way. Merton had his arm flung around my shoulders, pulling me against him, and the sharp stab of a needle plunging into my carotid artery took my breath away.

  “Everyone – stay back!”

  24

  Chapter 24

  Desdemona screamed and Brisbois pulled his taser gun, his finger sitting next to the trigger as he struggled to find a clear shot. The EO officers by the door likewise drew their weapons, inching forward from either side.

  As they attempted to outflank him, Merton tugged me this way and that. “Stay back, I said! I’ll put so much drogan in him, he’ll be dead before he hits the floor!”

  Henry strained against Cadence’s hand, held flat against his chest, while she curled her free hand into a fist at her side. “You won’t do that.”

  Barking a laugh over my shoulder, Merton continued shuffling back to the door. “And why not?”

  “Because you’ll be dead before you can push that button.”

  I didn’t dare to do more than tug at the arm around my shoulders, the needle stinging with every shift of my body, its pen-like housing digging into my skin. For a split-second Merton’s arm was gone and I heard him fumbling the front door open, his other hand staying steady on the plunger. A breeze blew past me, and his arm returned, crushing my windpipe.

  “Dezzi! I did this for you – for us!” Shouting, his spit slickened my cheek. “I love you; I’ve always loved you. That man, you didn’t know what he was really like! This whole family is soulless: hollow, heartless machines. I – I didn’t kill Felix, I shut him down.” I jerked as the needle moved deeper inside me. “And I’ll do the same to him if you don’t let me go.”

  Brisbois lowered his taser, eyes fixed on Merton. “Back off.” The other EO officers glanced at one another, their guns still up. Brisbois turned to them with a bark. “Back off!”

  My neck throbbed and every time Merton pulled me backwards my heart raced, sure that the jarring motion had squeezed some drogan from the needle. We stumbled down the stairs to the nearest Enforcement Office PT. Merton wrenched the passenger side door open with his free hand and, leading me in after him, slid over the seats until he was behind the wheel.

  Switching hands so he could operate the controls, he jammed his finger against the ignition button. The vehicle hummed to life and he shoved at the needle. “Close the door!”

  Leaning over, I pulled it shut, trapping myself inside. The PT gave a lurch and we started forward, gathering speed. Sitting on the edge of my seat, my hands splayed over the dashboard, I licked my lips, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “Dr. Merton…please–”

  “Shut up!” I flinched as the needle tore at my skin. “I’ve spent most of my life listening to Hales gibber on and I’m not going to do it now; keep your mouth shut!”

  I gave a curt nod, hissing as pain radiated down my shoulder. We both looked up and, at the same moment, we saw Cadence run straight into the path of the PT.

  If she had put more distance between herself and the car, Merton might have had time to swerve, or at least time to run her down. But the shock of seeing a body so close so suddenly, made him flail, one hand ripping the needle from my neck, the other turning the car into a hard-left bank.

  My stomach lurched as the PT began to flip, the whole world tilting like an amusement park ride. But before the top of the vehicle crunched into the ground, before the endless skid across gravel and dirt began, the back end of the car clipped something solid.

  Curled up in the roof, my every muscle ached as I came back to consciousness. Dr. Merton lay a few inches away, moaning, cuts all over his face from his broken spectacles.

  The windows hadn’t shattered, but they were damaged enough that a few swift kicks dislodged the one beside me. Pulling myself out, I crawled away from the wreck on my belly, the gravel biting into my skin. Once I was clear of the PT, I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees, shaking.

  The trees, several feet away, swam before my eyes. Lifting my head, I blinked away the drops of rain that had started to fall. The earthy smell of burning plastic filled my nostrils and, at last, the trees shifted back into focus as did the prone figure sprawled in front of them.

  “Ca–Cadence?”

  Face down on the ground, her arms were spread in front of her, legs pulled up against her torso; even from a distance I saw the wide gash which ran up her shoulder.

  She wasn’t moving.

  “Cadence!” Scrambling to my feet, I heard nothing but
ringing as I stumbled towards her too still frame, panic and terror pumping blood through me so hard I feared my heart would burst. I fell to my knees beside her and, careful of her most obvious wound, I turned her over.

  There was a rough scrape across her cheek and several more on her arms and hands; still, she didn’t move. I lifted her head into my lap, ignoring the rush of EO officers that moved around us. “Cadence, can you hear me? Cadence! Please, Cay – please!”

  “Stop. Shouting.” Her face twisted into a wince. “I’m not deaf.”

  Pulling her up into my arms with more roughness than may have been wise, I held her head to my chest as an unexpected peal of laughter erupted from me. Finding wetness at the edges of my eyes, I buried my face in her hair, wiping the would-be tears away before someone else could see them. “You are a very, very stupid woman, do you know that?”

  “I couldn’t let him hurt you, Chance.” She struggled to sit up, holding me for the briefest of moments. “Are you still angry with me?”

  “Yes. No. Shut up.” I showered kisses across her forehead, massaging her arms and shoulders as if I were afraid she would fall to pieces without warning.

  My ministrations provoked a loud hiss from her, and I pulled away, wincing. I had forgotten about the gash in her shoulder, and it seemed Cadence had too. She straightened, prodding around the edges of the cut. Bringing her hand in front of her, she stared at the red stains on her fingers.

  “I…” Cadence looked at me, at her bloodied hand, and back again, mouth hanging open. “I…hurt myself.”

  “Yes.” I shook myself, the full implications of her wound sinking in. Gathering her up in my arms, I got us on our feet, glancing at the milling EO officers with newfound concern. “Yes, right – we better get that looked to before someone–”

  “Chance!” Henry rushed towards us, pushing EO officers out of the way. “Chance, are you alright?”

  I nodded, swaying back a step, but was unable to avoid Henry’s heartfelt embrace. He wrapped his arms around us both, squeezing us like ripe fruit and shaking with relief. Pulling back, the sensation of something slick on his hand soon captured his focus.

  “Blood!” He twisted Cadence toward him before I could intervene. “Cadence, you’re–” The sight of her injury silenced him like a gag. A clear plastic panel was visible through the gash, a collection of thin tubes and cables behind it, with strange fluids flashing through them.

  Staring at her shoulder, hypnotized like a toad caught in a snake’s gaze, Henry lifted his bloody finger, pointing at the cut as he stuttered, “You– you– you’re–”

  Fear of discovery making me much less tactful than I would have been otherwise, I yanked Cadence away, stepping so close to Henry that the tips of my shoes touched his. “Yes, I know, it’s all very shocking, but she’s just the same Cadence as ever, and we both adore her, so if you’d rather she not be deported, give me your jacket before anyone else sees, please.”

  Swallowing, Henry nodded, but he remained frozen in place until I hissed his name. Jumping into action, he pivoted around to the other side of Cadence, helping me shield her from view as he slipped off his coat and placed it over her shoulders.

  I took my first deep breath, more at ease now that my guest remained under wraps. The moment of peace was short-lived, however, as an enraged Victoria appeared before us, railing and red-faced.

  “You idiot! You stupid, blithering idiot, you could have gotten him killed!” Victoria clutched at me, tearing me from Cadence’s side and looking up at me with wide, suspicious eyes. “Chance, darling! Are you hurt?”

  I peeled her off me, grimacing. “No, Victoria, I’m fine. In fact, I’m finally fine enough to tell you that you are the most frigid, self-serving bitch I’ve ever met, and if I never see you again it will be too soon.”

  With a self-righteous gasp, Victoria writhed free from my grip. “Chance! What are you saying?”

  Groaning, I hung my head, pushing my hand through my hair. “Oh, don’t pretend that I’ve broken your heart. Please? I’m too tired.”

  “But…Chance!” Her eyes flickered from my face, to Henry’s, who struggled in vain not to laugh, and then rested on Cadence. Victoria’s jaw clenched. “Chance, stop it. Stop it this instant! We’re going to get married!”

  “I can think of at least ten inanimate objects I’d want to marry rather than you.”

  The slap stung, but after receiving similar treatment from Cadence, Victoria’s strike felt like a sharp gust of wind. Narrowing her eyes into pinpricks of green, she stomped her foot, every bit the spoiled brat throwing a fit. “You– you bastard! I can’t believe – screw you!”

  “You already have.”

  Victoria gave a strangled cry and, after slapping me again, marched back to the house in an absolute fury, telling anyone who would listen that she had never been subjected to such treatment in all her life and EO or no EO she would be packing to leave that very minute.

  Turning to watch her go, Henry bared his teeth in a face-splitting grin. “Bye, Victoria.” He looked back at me, slipping his hands into his pockets. “I love you.”

  “You’ve wanted me to do that for some time, haven’t you?”

  “Since we were three.”

  25

  Chapter 25

  “Chance – Cadence! Thank god you’re both alright!” Solomon strode towards us, breaking away from the group of EO Officers who were leading Belinda out the front door. He patted me on the back, helping me forward. “Let’s get you inside.”

  I was happy to comply; the front drive had become a circus of EO officers and their PTs, everyone rushing in different directions and shouting into their radios. The horrors of the day didn’t need to be compounded by watching Belinda and Dr. Merton forced into PTs, cursing all the while.

  Our trip inside was interrupted by a passing EO medic who insisted on running some preventative diagnostics. I rested on the front steps while his equipment whirred, Cadence and Henry waiting by my side. Solomon excused himself to the study to make some calls before the media got hold of the story.

  My med scans revealed nothing out of the ordinary besides an elevated heart rate and some scrapes and bruises. Cadence refused medical attention with great politeness, much to the medic’s concern. Struggling to stand on my shaky legs, I spied Inspector Brisbois walking towards us from the lawn and I groaned aloud.

  Cadence noticed him as well, gaze fixed on his approach even as she nodded to Henry. “Now might be a good time, Henry.” She smiled, her eyes narrowing. “Maximum confusion.”

  Humming his assent, Henry patted my shoulder, grinning. “Be right back.”

  As Henry retreated inside, Brisbois walked up to us, slouched, his hands slung in his pockets, as if we were mingling at some low-key party. He bowed to Cadence. “Very cleverly done, Miss Turing.”

  Cadence clasped her hands in front of her, masking her wince with a smile. If she had had paws, she would have been licking them. “Thank you, Inspector! That’s kind of you to say.”

  Tilting his head to one side, Brisbois leaned in, his hand at his chin. “It does occur to me, however, that during your investigation, you seem to have broken a few laws.”

  Cadence mimicked his posture, nodding with a serious frown. “Only some very, very minor ones, Inspector.”

  Rocking back on his heels, he smothered a smile. “It also occurs to me that you have overlooked one tiny detail.”

  “Have I?”

  “The Negrescu Necklace.” Brisbois spread his hands palm up in front of him, shrugging. “Tell me, in your amateur opinion, who made off with that?”

  “I don’t think anyone made off with it at all, Inspector.” Shaking her head, her long black locks bouncing around her face, Cadence smiled.

  Brisbois opened his mouth to respond when a hesitant EO officer approached him from the house, clutching something in his hands.

  “Um, Inspector Brisbois, sir?”

  “Yes, Daniels, what is it?”

  “
We, uh, found this sir,” shifting from foot to foot, Daniels stretched out his hand, “hanging on the banister, sir.”

  The Negrescu’s blue jewels gleamed in his gloved hand, its white chain clinking as Daniels passed it to Brisbois, who was staring bug-eyed and slack jawed. Coming back to himself with a shake, his grimace hardened into a suspicious scowl.

  My girl was, as always, unfazed, looking at the necklace with a raised brow. “Perhaps someone just misplaced it.”

  Gazing heavenward, Brisbois jangled the necklace, biting the tip of his tongue. “Ye-es… perhaps they did.” He shoved the necklace at me, and I took it without comment, just as surprised as he was to see the damned thing but determined not to show it. “Are you going to be staying on Arrhidaeus much longer, Miss Turing?”

  “Yes, she is.” I cleared my throat, stepping closer to her. “She’ll be getting an apartment in Römer soon, I shouldn’t wonder.”

  “Hmm.” Brisbois forced a hollow, thin-lipped smile. “It might be best then if, in future, you left investigations to the Enforcement Office, Miss Turing.” He threw his hand into the air, taking a step back. “Just a thought. I better get back to headquarters. I have a report to file and I’m almost certain that no one will believe me.” He shook his head, shouldering past me. “Not even a little.”

  We made our way inside and I waited until the front door clicked shut behind us before rounding on Cadence, shaking the Negrescu at her. “How the devil did this end up back here? And on the banister of all places!”

  “Henry can explain it to you.” She patted my shoulder. “I need to fix myself.”