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

by Liza O'Connor

“Enough!” Xavier barked. “Vic had just cause for placing him high on our list and he will stay there until your evidence can be analyzed. End of discussion.”

  Vic noticed Barns studied Jacko with a distinct eye of suspicion again.

  “Xavier, you were gone for hours while we interviewed the servants. May I assume you’ve been chatting with Ott before he’s shipped off to London tomorrow with Barns?”

  “You may.”

  “Hold on! I should have been present,” Barns objected.

  Vic rolled her eyes. “You cannot be two places at once. You were assisting me, and doing a good job of it.”

  “Amazing,” Jacko stated with enough attitude that he left no doubt the idea of Barns doing a good job at ‘assisting’ was impossible to believe.

  “Enough,” Xavier snapped. “There is more than enough work to be done on this case.” He focused on Vic. “Please tell me you have narrowed down your unwieldy list of suspects.”

  “Barns and I have, plus we’ve acquired a great deal more. First, only two servants remain on the list of suspects.”

  “Who?” Jacko demanded.

  “Nora and Chelsea,” Vic replied.

  “That’s absurd.”

  “Jacko,” Xavier warned. “Must we exclude you from this case?”

  “No, it’s just…It was almost certainly a man. While a strong woman might have done this, a young girl wouldn’t have the strength.”

  “Well, we won’t know that until we have a doctor examine the body,” Vic said and focused on Xavier. “Is the body in London?”

  He nodded.

  “Can we have Connors examine it?”

  Xavier stretched out his long legs in a clear act of preening. “A messenger left nearly an hour ago requesting Stone retrieve the body and deliver it to Connors.”

  Barns muttered something.

  Xavier looked over at him. “I didn’t catch that.”

  The boy looked up, his face full of resentment. “I just said I should have been involved.”

  Vic lost all patience. “Have we locked you in the nursery room with the pups? No! You’ve been a member of the team every step along the way.”

  “But I should have written the letter requesting Inspector Stone to retrieve the body.”

  Xavier stood and stared at them. “Speaking of petulant children who refuse to be pleased…”

  Vic’s eyes narrowed. He’d better not be talking about her.

  “Shall we go upstairs and attempt to soothe our neglected pups before they become scarred for life?”

  Vic rose, all too happy to do so.

  Once upstairs, sitting on the floor waiting for their angry, yapping pups to settle down enough to be soothed, Vic covered her face with her hands. “Make a note never to use Barns and Jacko in the same case again.”

  “Barns will have to learn to deal with a great many people far more annoying than Jacko.”

  “It wasn’t all Barns fault. Jacko is too personally involved in this case.”

  “I agree. If he believed any of his servants were capable of killing a young girl, he wouldn’t have kept them in service, thus, he shut down the possibility at once. However, I have not. What did you learn?”

  “The fellow who delivered Alice’s message to us this morning was not Elwood. More than likely, Elwood never left this village. And both girls thought him a fine catch and wished to reel him in.”

  “Really? Most interesting. Any chance the two servants you’ve kept on the list have family nearby?”

  “Not that anyone knows of, but I couldn’t interview them because the housekeeper gave them the weekend off to visit family in London.”

  “Do you suspect them for Elwood’s disappearance or the murder?”

  “Could be either or both. From the other servants I’ve learned they are aggressive, sly, manipulative bullies.” She grimaced. “I haven’t confirmed this with Alice, but they may be part of the Dragon’s Cloud lot I saved.”

  He wrapped his arm around her. “Always remember, no good deed goes unpunished. When we save people, often they will later prove unworthy of our fine efforts.”

  She sighed and then yelped when her son bit her. Xavier snatched the boy up and snapped, “No!”

  Cannon growled, earning him a light smack on the head. “What else did you learn?”

  “Well, I learned about the camera. Also, Nora may have killed a kitten because Thomas told her it belonged to someone else and to leave it alone.”

  “That’s an interesting parallel. Did her propensity to kill when she’s denied what she wants push her to the top of your list?”

  “No, Ott still has the top position.”

  He kissed her. “I concur.”

  Vic gave up trying to coax her son and pulled Arroo into her arms. “You’ll forgive me, won’t you Arroo? I didn’t purposely ignore you. We are on a case, with one sweet person already dead, and a very fine young man at risk of the same.”

  Watching Arroo be petted finally broke Cannon’s angry resentment and he crawled into Vic’s arms as well. Xavier, clearly hating to be left out, moved them all to the small cot, where they crushed together and eased towards sleep.

  Until Vic recalled one last item.

  “Thomas heard someone on the main stairway between the wolf howl and the gun shot. We should check the servant’s clothes tomorrow for blood.”

  Chapter 10

  Xavier woke up the moment Vic’s mutterings were deciphered by his exhausted brain. If it turned out to be anyone else other than the two girls missing, then the killer or killers were in this house right now. And if they were working with Ott, they were probably trying to free him. Otherwise, they might be washing, burning, or burying their bloodied clothes. Gently, he eased from the cot.

  “What’s wrong?” Vic muttered.

  “Nothing, just going to the water closet.”

  A soft snore assured him she’d already fallen back to sleep.

  He hurried to the basement, worried that Ott would be gone, despite the multiple precautions they had taken to secure him.

  When he arrived in the kitchen, his heart sank. The door to the basement stood wide open. Thankfully, he’d failed to undress for bed, thus still wore his suit and more to the point, his shoulder holster with his gun. He pulled his weapon and silently entered the basement, the light already on.

  He readied his gun and eased around the corner, spotting a giant of a man blocking his view of the post where Ott used to be chained, tied, and handcuffed.

  Tubs turned and looked at him. “He’s dead. They probably silenced him when they couldn’t set him free. I’m guessing he died a couple of hours ago.”

  Xavier frowned and pulled out his pocket watch. Two hours ago was about the time he’d finished his interrogation of Ott and sent the message to Stone. With a heavy sigh, he stepped forward and studied the slice across Ott’s neck. “Your assessment?

  Tubs pointed to the slashed throat. “Knife was sharp. The cut sliced half through the main artery, so the killer doesn’t appear to be strong. However, they knew where to cut for a bleed out. Might be experienced in slaughtering livestock, which could mean they are strong, but knew brute force wasn’t necessary to do the job. Killer appears about five foot four.” He frowned. “Height could be off too. They could be playing with the clues.”

  After staring at the body a moment longer, Tubs shook his head. “With Ott contained and not resisting, this was an easy kill. They could have stood on a box or bent their knees to alter their height.” He sighed in frustration as he looked at the dirt floor around Ott. “I would normally say they’d be covered in blood, but look at the spray pattern on the floor and walls.”

  Xavier stared at the clean wall behind him and the demarcation line of blood on the floor. “They held some sort of shield before them.”

  Tubs nodded. “It went all the way to the floor.”

  “Why are there no footprints on the dirt floor?”

  Tubs pointed to the broom by the stairwell
.

  Xavier sighed. “Let’s wake everyone up. It looks like Vic was right. We’ve got a murderer in this house.”

  ***

  Xavier first went to the butler’s room and knocked on his door. The man opened the door in less than a minute. “We need to re-interview all the servants.”

  “Of course, I will arrange it in the morning.”

  “No, we need to do it now, so they haven’t any more time to destroy evidence. I would like everyone placed in the parlor and for you to assist in the search of their rooms.”

  “I will wake my master and mistress at once, so they may decide what they wished done.”

  “Of course. I should have woken them first.” He turned and rushed upstairs.

  “Mr. Thorn, wait!” Thomas yelled. “I said I would do it.”

  Xavier ignored him and took the steps two at a time. He opened doors until he found one that looked to be Jacko’s taste. He located the bedroom in the suite, opened it to verify the occupants were Alice and Jacko, then closed it and knocked on the door.

  A moment later, voices could be heard within.

  “Xavier, come in,” Jacko ordered.

  He wasn’t sure how Jacko knew it was him, but he entered upon what appeared to be an argument or perhaps a standoff. Alice held a pair of pants behind her while Jacko held tight to her skirt.

  Alice faced him. “Whatever you plan, Jacko is not well enough to participate.”

  “One of your servants is almost certainly the murderer. Ott’s throat has been sliced, presumably to keep him from revealing who else was involved.”

  “That is not possible. I have very good servants,” Alice insisted.

  “Evidence to the contrary,” Xavier replied and focused on Jacko, hoping he wasn’t going to insist the same.

  “When did this happen?” Jacko asked as he took advantage of Alice’s distress and took possession of his pants.

  “Tubs thinks about two hours ago, which means probably the moment I left to send the messenger to Stone.”

  “So we have reason to believe this messenger may not have made it as well,” Jacko concluded.

  “I’ll send Barns back with the next one,” Xavier replied.

  “Might want to verify he can fire a gun first,” Jacko snapped. “So far, the fellow hasn’t impressed me in the least…unless being a fool counts.”

  Alice pulled on her robe and faced Xavier. “What can we do?”

  “Well, I asked your butler to round up the servants and put them in the parlor. However, he evidently requires your permission to do so.”

  Alice smiled ever so slightly and looked over his shoulder. “Thomas, please do as Xavier asked, and in the future, if this ever happens again, you may act immediately on any request Vic or Xavier makes.”

  The man left without a single glare towards Xavier. He appreciated the fellow’s restraint. “I like your butler. Let us hope he’s not involved.”

  Alice glared at him. “The possibility is inconceivable and in the future, please refrain from making comments against his character.”

  Xavier refocused on Jacko. “Are you up to helping us search rooms?”

  “I’m not worth much right now,” he admitted.

  “I just want you to divine hidden items,” Xavier clarified. The rest of us will do the heavy lifting.

  “Jacko, the doctor said you needed to stay in bed,” Alice reminded him.

  “I cannot rest in bed while there may be killers in our house. In fact, I need you to get the boys and keep them at your side.”

  “Might want to grab the pups as well. Vic is highly attached to them,” Xavier added.

  Jacko placed a gun in her hand. “Just for precaution. Either Xavier, I, or Vic will knock on the door if we want you to leave the nursery. We will not send a servant. If one comes to the door, fire a single shot through the wood.”

  “I will not,” Alice exclaimed.

  “Then shoot the ceiling. We’ll hear the shot and come running,” Xavier snapped. “Right now we need to gather the one or more culprits and send Stone another message.”

  Alice shook her head. “You are not risking any more of my servants. Just use the telephone in my office.”

  Xavier frowned. “You have a telephone way out here. That must have cost you a bloody fortune.”

  “In fact, it did. However, I needed it for…it doesn’t matter why I have one. It’s there. Use it!” Alice stormed from the room, hopefully, headed to the nursery.

  As Xavier assisted his friend, Jacko apologized for Alice’s anger. “Discovering someone in our staff is a murderer has hit Alice hard. No less than if you discovered someone on your staff had betrayed you.”

  “That will never happen,” Xavier stated. It took forever for them to reach the main steps, and Jacko was already breathing hard, no doubt in pain.

  Both of them stared at the endless steps going down.

  Vic bolted from the downstairs parlor and stopped, then looked up at them. “Have you already finished with the female servants’ rooms?” she asked.

  “Not quite.”

  “Then why are you just standing there?”

  Before Xavier could rally a reply, Vic called out Tubs’ name. A moment later, he appeared. She pointed at Jacko. “Help Jacko with the steps. We’ll start with the butler’s room.”

  “Thomas is not our problem,” Jacko yelled.

  “I agree. However, it doesn’t mean someone hasn’t hidden something in his room,” Vic added.

  Tubs ran up the steps and lifted their favorite pirate in his arms and hurried downstairs. The moment he reached the bottom step, Jacko demanded to be put down.

  While Tubs set him down, Alice’s angry voice could be heard from the third floor. “Pete, get back here!”

  “No, I have to help,” Pete insisted and flew down the steps, leaving two howling pups at the top of the landing.

  Vic stormed up the steps, secured Cannon and Arroo in her arms, and returned downstairs.

  When Xavier arched his brow in challenge, Vic replied, “We have a great deal of rooms to search. We need all the help we can get. If there is anything with blood on it, these two will find it.”

  Barns left the parlor and locked the door. He then reported to Xavier. “Everyone is accounted for except for the two servants on leave, Elwood, and the messenger you sent to London.”

  “Excellent.” He handed Barns a small derringer. “Stand guard before the door and stay alert. It is possible someone other than a servant is in the house. If you hear a shot upstairs, it means someone is trying to enter the nursery where Alice, two nursemaids, and two children reside. Investigate with gun drawn.”

  “But do not fire your weapon in the direction of the nursery. Walls do not stop bullets,” Jacko added.

  Barns glared at him and then refocused on Xavier. “I believe it is best if I assist in the search and Jacko guard the door.”

  Jacko opened his mouth, but Xavier spoke first. “I do not have time to argue with you, Barns. Now do as I say!” he barked. “Vic take the butler’s room. Tubs…”

  The giant shook his head.

  “Go with Vic and the pups. Jacko, you, Pete, and I will take the housekeeper’s suite.

  ***

  Vic smiled at Tubs as they entered the butler’s suite. Once the door was closed, she sat both pups on the floor. “I need to run to the basement and get some blood off of Ott so the pups know what they are searching for.”

  “I got some.” Tubs pulled out his handkerchief and let them smell the stains of blood.

  Once scented, they stood side-by-side, three feet apart, sweeping their noses back and forth. Arroo barked and both Cannon and the bloodhound headed to the corner. Arroo arrived first and scratched at the corner plank. Cannon pushed the hound aside and plucked at the wood with his fingers.

  Vic knelt beside her child and pulled out her knife, knowing if these two didn’t get their prize soon, they’d be howling in frustration.

  She popped up the floorboard
, exposing two weapons: a knife and a hand-weeder with five sharp bladed prongs, both covered with blood.

  “Damn it. I was hoping the murderer would be stupid enough to put it in his or her own room.” She rose. “Keep checking the room, I have to ask Thomas a few questions.”

  He shook his head. “I’m going with you.”

  “Then grab the pups,” she ordered and rushed from the room. Barns sat in a chair before the parlor, sulking.

  “Barns, can you ask Thomas to step out from the parlor?” Vic asked.

  “Did you find something?” he demanded.

  “Yes, the murder weapons, but—”

  Barns stormed past her to the butler’s room. Vic shook her head. “God, I miss Meyers.”

  Tubs nodded in agreement.

  Vic didn’t have a key for the parlor door, so she pulled out her picks and unlocked it. Tubs then gently moved her back and stuck his head in. Thomas had evidently been leaning on the door. Tubs motioned for him to come out.

  The butler stepped out and closed the door. “Have you found something?”

  Vic nodded. “Could you lock the door so I can show you and then ask you some questions?”

  “Of course, but how did you open it without—”

  Barns returned with his gun drawn. “Sir, stay where you are and place your hands behind your back. You are under arrest for the murder of—”

  “No, he is not,” Vic snapped. She checked that Thomas had managed to lock the door before Barns shocked him to his core. She then glared at Barns. “Guard the door.”

  “I will not. You said when someone needed to be arrested that was my skill.”

  “True, but the ‘someone’ needs to be the real murderer. Just because you find the murder weapons in someone’s room does not mean they belong to the occupant.”

  “The murder weapons were in my room?” Thomas asked, sputtering his words.

  She led him to his front room so he could see them.

  “Clearly, you did not do this.”

  “How do you know he didn’t?” Barns demanded.

  Vic glared at the boy. “I will explain later. Right now, I need to question Thomas.”

  She rubbed the old man’s back, for honestly he looked as if he might be keeling over any minute. “Let’s sit down,” she suggested and led him to a chair while she took its footstool. “Do you lock your rooms?”