Pack of Trouble (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 5)

by Liza O'Connor

  “I’m going to be driven insane with itching?” Vic looked at Xavier, evidently expecting him to save her from this torture.

  The doctor spoke as he cut. “In the natural process of a day, the very top layers of skin dies and flakes off as new skin forms from beneath. However, the cast holds the dead skin to the new, and if a fungus sets in, which it normally does, the irritation will cause an intense itching sensation.”

  “Connors, I believe Vic has been through enough torture. Why cannot he have casts that open and close?”

  The doctor finished cutting through the front side of the cast as he pondered the matter. “Normally, I would now pull it apart causing it to shatter.” He paused, sniffed, then ripped apart the cast.

  Vic frowned at him. “What would have happened if you had rolled me over and cut the back?” Vic challenged.

  “We will try that the next time you want a bath. However, these casts are too contaminated to be used in our experiment.”

  Before Connors continued on to the next cast, he examined Vic’s leg, prodding it gently with his fingers. “Tubs truly has a gift.” He glanced up at Vic. “Tell me if there’s pain.”

  Vic smiled. “Sorry, it feels so good to have the cast off, I doubt if pain could get through if it wanted to.”

  By the time all four casts were cut away, Gregory and most of the staff invaded the room, adding bathing salts to the water.

  “Pour a few bottles of Xavier’s whiskey in there as well,” Connors suggested.

  Xavier wasn’t sure if Connors thought it would sanitize the water or if he was retaliating for the theft of his tool. However, since he now possessed one hundred and thirty cases of whiskey in his basement, he nodded at Gregory to do it.

  “Be very gentle scrubbing the injuries, but get all the dead skin off.” His brow furrowed. “What exactly were you two doing?”

  “Settling a dispute between overgrown miscreant children.”

  Connors looked puzzled for less than a second before he sighed in relief. “It is settled then?”

  “I believe so, but I will not declare it thus until two days from now.”

  “And why did Vic have to be involved?” Connors asked.

  Xavier’s glare turned to his friend. “Because he is my partner. How is he to learn if he does not silently observe from the corner?”

  “It was most educational,” Vic added. “Xavier is a master of intimidation and persuasion.”

  With a chuckle, Connors nodded. “There is no one better.”

  Chapter 24

  Fitted in new casts, the next morning Vic arrived at Lady Abigail’s home to let her know there would be no homecoming between her niece and her. “Julia is alive and well, but she’s greatly changed due to the years she spent on her own. She’s happy with her current life and has no desire to return to society. Nor do I think such an attempt would succeed. If the connection between the two of you was publicly known, it would not just ruin your standing in society, but it would destroy her desired future as well. While she holds no anger against you, she wants no further contact.”

  Vic left the poor woman in tears, and returned home. She shared her dissatisfaction with how the case had settled with Xavier when he returned that night.

  “Sometimes, cases don’t work out as we wish. My only advice is to focus on the positive points. Had you not spoken to Lady Abigail, we would have never found Julia and retrieved the damnable book. Without the book, Olgeton would have refused to quietly step down, and worst of all little Maddy would be dead now.”

  She pressed her head upon Xavier’s chest. “Thank you, for reminding me of those very important wins.” Suddenly, Lady Abigail’s tears over never knowing a young woman she would have hated didn’t seem a terrible conclusion at all.

  ***

  Vic sat on the floor of the library, her re-casted legs spread wide, rolling a ball to Cannon, who would swat, push, or head butt it back in her direction.

  Xavier entered and smiled at the sight before him. “My two favorite people, lounging about on the floor when the rest of the world is hard at work.”

  She stared up at him as he crossed the room and now stood behind her. “Since you have banned me from leaving the house, this is as productive as I can possibly be.”

  To Vic’s shock and Xavier’s annoyance, Blackhand Harry had not honored his word, so Xavier had to remove him and currently worked through his lieutenants trying to find one with a brain and yet sufficient brawn to hold the position, all the time keeping the other crime lords from taking over the area, which would cause an imbalance of power and end in a major crime lord war.

  With the situation so delicate, he’d asked Vic to remain inside the house, so he could make use of Tubs.

  Her response had been immediate. “Make use of anyone you wish, just stay safe.”

  Thus, she’d spent her week playing with Cannon. He turned out to be a great deal more interesting when she joined him at ground level.

  Suddenly Cannon lost all interest in the ball, sniffed the air, and headed straight to Vic. When he climbed up her chest, she thought he wanted milk. “Shop’s closed, big guy. Want me to call Diane?

  She decided ‘not’ when the boy continued upward, attempting to mount her head.

  “Could use a little help here,” she pleaded.

  Xavier knelt down behind her. “Is this what you want?” he asked.

  By Cannon’s squeal, the boy had found the target of his interest. So much so, he barked.

  Vic groaned. I’ve worked all week on getting him to stop growling and now he’s barking. “Cannon, no! Barking is not allowed.”

  Xavier burst into laughter.

  Unable to turn so she could face her barking son and laughing partner, she scolded Xavier with her back to him. “You cannot encourage Cannon. He’s starting to scare people.” She didn’t want to name names, but the boy’s nursemaid, Diane, had admitted to Sara she was afraid he was half wolf and might someday bite her.

  Vic’s attempt to dislodge the terror from her head caused Cannon to growl, which soon sounded like two growls in unison.

  “No growling,” Xavier chided.

  “Barking won’t be well received either,” Vic grumbled. “But Cannon won’t know that because his father rewarded his bark with laughter.”

  To prove her point, a fury of barking occurred. “Aurroo, aurroo, aurroo.”

  God, he couldn’t even bark correctly.

  “Cannon, no. That’s not a proper bark. If you are determined to live your life as a canine, then do so properly,” she scolded as she finally pulled him off her head and sat him on the floor.

  Her son looked up at her, his eyes rounded in pure bafflement…and the tiny, long eared brown and black puppy in Xavier’s hands seemed equally confused by her outburst.

  “Oh, thank God,” she laughed and patted Cannon’s giant head. “I thought that was you.”

  With matters resolved between them, Cannon turned his attention back to the puppy, which Xavier held out to her. “I believe that is the natural sound a bloodhound makes, but if you wish to change it, my money is on you.”

  Vic took the pup from Xavier and hugged it to her. “Sorry, little guy. You can bark however you like.” She then kissed the soft fur on its head and put it on the floor beside Cannon who had been remarkably patient while she spoke with the pup.

  “Cannon, be gentle with your buddy. He’s younger than you,” Xavier warned.

  Cannon dropped, stomach down on the floor, and stared at the pup as straight on.

  The pup backed up, as if afraid.

  “What’s his name?” Vic asked.

  “If we give him a name now, we’ll be changing it a hundred times. Let’s just observe them and make sure they get along first.”

  Cannon stretched out a hand and wiggled his fat chubby fingers at the fellow.

  The pup eyed the moving digits and slowly approached. Once his nose touched the wiggly object, the pup sniffed his way from hand to arm to Cannon’s
face and back.

  The boy remained amazingly still given the quantity of giggles erupting from him.

  Finally, the pup climbed upon Cannon’s back, as if claiming him, and after a proud display of howls, it curled into a small ball and fell asleep.

  To her utter amazement, her rambunctious child turned his head to one side and closed his eyes, a smile still on his lips.

  Xavier pulled her next to him, and they lay together watching their son and new pup sleep.

  The next thing she knew, her head was being lifted and a pillow placed beneath it. She opened her eyes to Gregory.

  “Is there something wrong with your bed?” he asked softly.

  “No, we’re just watching Cannon and the pup sleep.”

  “Cannon and the what?” he asked.

  Vic pointed in the direction of her son and pup, but they were both gone. She sat up and shook Xavier. “The pack’s gone missing.”

  Xavier pushed himself up and yawned. “Gregory, there was a small feral boy and an even smaller bloodhound pup in the room. Did you allow them to escape when you entered?”

  “I was not aware we had acquired a dog, sir, but I assure you neither escaped upon my entry.”

  “Then they must be here,” Xavier declared. “Neither is tall enough to work a door handle yet.”

  The first search of the room revealed no sign of either.

  “Gregory, it appears I’m mistaken. One of the two can open a door. Please alert the staff to be on the lookout for them.”

  The butler frowned, but left the room.

  Vic looked up at him from the floor. “You cannot possibly believe a seven-month-old child can open doors.”

  “Of course not. But I didn’t wish to challenge Gregory’s claim he didn’t let them leave when he entered.”

  She patted his leg. “That was most considerate. Now instead of thinking you impertinent, he thinks you daft.”

  Xavier rubbed his chest. “I believe my ego can take the blow.”

  Ending her search for the missing pack, Vic studied her partner. “Now that you mention it, your head does seem quite large today. Did you resolve the underworld fiasco?”

  “I did. Although, it has cost you a driver.”

  “What? No!” Samson died assisting Xavier? How could he be so damn happy if that were the case?

  He couldn’t.

  Which meant Samson wasn’t dead, or even hurt. So he had either quit, which still wouldn’t explain Xavier’s happy mood, or somehow Samson got promoted to underworld crime lord.

  Before she suggested anything so ludicrous aloud, she decided to test this insane theory.

  “Does Samson come from Blackhand Harry’s territory?”

  Xavier stared at her in shock, shook his head slightly, and then smiled. “Well done, Vic. Yes, he does.”

  “And did he run with the riff-raff as a boy?”

  “And went to prison for it,” Xavier added.

  “Did Gregory know that?” Given how protective her butler-parent was over her, she couldn’t imagine him hiring a former prisoner as her driver. Still, Davy had served time in prison and he’d always been an excellent driver for Xavier. Maybe Gregory thought if she had her own criminal driver, that he would be as loyal to her as Davy was to Xavier.

  “Samson had his prison stamp removed, and I suspect failed to mention his past.”

  “But Tubs knew him.”

  “Tubs recommended him highly. No doubt why Gregory hired him.”

  “Let’s not mention his past or his current job to Gregory then.”

  “If you are referring to Samson,” an annoyed butler spoke as he entered the room. “I was aware of his criminal record. Tubs was most forthcoming about the young man’s faults, skills, and reliability. I hope I never grow so hardened as to fault a young boy for trying to feed his family when his father dies. That any judge would send a boy to prison for theft of food disturbs me greatly. And as to his new occupation, I only advised him not to lose his excellent qualities of honor and integrity, since they are qualities worth having in all professions.”

  Gregory then focused on Xavier. “Master Cannon and the previously unknown dog are not in the remainder of the house. Have you checked the hidden caches?”

  “There are hidden caches in here?” Vic asked.

  “Three,” Gregory said.

  “No one move!” Vic ordered. “This mystery is mine and mine alone!”

  Xavier poured himself a drink and pulled his chair to the corner so he would have a good view. Once he sat down in his leather chair he smiled with amusement. “Gregory, you should leave. You could possibly give away a cache or two unintentionally. Vic has proven he requires only the slightest hint.”

  Gregory huffed. “As you wish, but you will keep in mind Master Cannon requires food, water and air to survive?”

  “I do not expect this to take hours. But I will intervene if needed.”

  Once Gregory left, Vic glared at him. “Your intervention will not be required.”

  “I have no doubt of that whatsoever.” His black hawk eyes sparkled with adoration, as his focus remained solely on her, never flickering to the left or right, providing a hint of the locations.

  No, he was not going to make this easy, but she was up to the challenge. She systematically wiggled across the floor, looking for unnatural seams in anything wood: floor, walls or furniture.

  Chapter 25

  Vic found a cache beneath the desk. As she pushed about with her recently splint-free fingers, she located the trigger to open the secret compartment. It reminded her of Minister Thurber’s hidden spot beneath his desk. Why would anyone think this was a clever hiding place? She fully opened the two four-inch floor planks that popped up and located a tin box beneath. While its size precluded her finding Cannon and the pup, she was curious what Xavier might hide in it…perhaps poisoned cookies for a thief.

  That would be a very bad idea. It would be many years before Cannon could be taught not to eat poison.

  Opening the box, she discovered a crisp white envelope, tucked but not sealed. Curious, she untucked the flap and pulled out the folded paper.

  And laughed as she read it.

  Why on earth would you think I would place anything of value in such an obvious place?

  Xavier Thorn

  P.S. My advice to you is to stop searching and go home. You are clearly not up to the task.

  “Put the letter back,” Xavier warned.

  “Of course. However, I expect Cannon will find and chew on it before he is old enough to read your chastisement.”

  “Give up?”

  “Cannon has plenty of air. Otherwise he’d be thumping his head against the hidden compartment and the pup would be barking.”

  “Good point,” he said.

  Vic continued her methodical search, wishing she had Jacko’s divining skill. He had the ability to sense the presence of anything of value in a room. Normally, she didn’t believe such claptrap, but Jacko’s ability had helped them solve several cases.

  Her methodical approach brought her to Xavier’s chair. “Will you move, please?”

  “I am your audience, you cannot move me.”

  She was about to declare him her impediment when loud voices sounded outside the door.

  “Miss Claire, I asked you to wait in the parlor,” Gregory snapped.

  “Vic hates parlors. Why would I ask him to leave his library and endure a room he dislikes?”

  Xavier rushed to the door.

  “I want to see her,” Vic said as he opened the door.

  “Ah, Xavier, I owe you an apology,” Claire declared.

  Her partner stepped out and closed the door behind him. Fortunately, she could still hear their muted voices through the door.

  “You owe Vic the apology.”

  “Which he received the day we made up. I am now apologizing to you. I was completely out of line. My only excuse is that my desire for a baby had gotten out of hand.”

  While those two
made up, Vic turned her attention back to the faint seam she found in the corner bookshelf panel. She pushed about on the various wood knots until one, a few inches from the floor gave way to her touch and the panel before her slid back, exposing a space four by four feet. Eight cases of whiskey were stacked inside leaving only a small section of free space, which was presently filled as well.

  “Arrooo,” the pup, curled on Cannon’s back, barked—if one could call it a bark. It sounded to her far more like a drunken sailor singing.

  After lifting the pup and setting him on the library floor, she tried removing Cannon, but he was too heavy for her injured arms to lift, so instead, she grabbed his chubby hands and pulled. By the time she had him out and the panel closed, she was utterly exhausted and curled on the floor, watching her now awake son and Arroo fight for the position of lead pack dog.

  They were presently growling and circling each other, looking for an advantage when Xavier led in David and Claire, who held Maddy.

  “Vic! Why didn’t you call out when you fell?” She passed Maddy off to David and ran to Vic’s side. David passed Maddy to Xavier and joined her.

  Whether Vic wished to be rescued was irrelevant. The Brown family lifted her up and settled her in Xavier’s chair.

  She smiled at her partner with triumph. Not only had she found the catch and released the pack, but she occupied his chair, as well.

  He said nothing, but the pride in his eyes spoke volumes.

  “Claire, don’t step on Cannon or the pup,” Vic warned.

  “Why is he on the floor? Did you drop him?” Claire knelt down and attempted to pick the feral boy up, but he was having none of it. Evidently, he sensed her desire to contain him and scampered across the room, hiding under the desk.

  “That baby can move,” David said, clearly amazed.

  “He’s half feral. Leave him alone, Claire. Let me see Maddy?” Vic said.

  Claire looked to David, who pointed to Xavier. He held her baby out like it was old trash that smelled.

  Within seconds, her sister had retrieved Maddy. Vic could see the scold on her lips, but in a stunning feat of self-control, Claire thanked Xavier and brought Maddy to Vic.