The Troublesome Apprentice (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 1)

by Liza O'Connor

  “Lass?” Vic exclaimed. “You would hire a female apprentice?”

  “If she were like Claire, I would,” he replied. “Although, you are right, while I would have no issue, many of my clients would protest having a female investigator on their case. Bloody nonsense, but most people care more about appearances than substance. My God, can you imagine what a marvelous sleuth Claire would make?”

  “Can we talk of something else?” Vic crossed her arms and glared with ferocity at her feet.

  “Victor,” Xavier chided. “There is no reason to be jealous of your sister. As brilliant as she is, you would still be my finest apprentice.”

  She stared up at him. “Truly?”

  “Absolutely. As unfair as it is, this is a man’s world, and you can go places a lady never could. My use of Claire would be quite limited…unless she’d be willing to dress up like a man. Do you think she might?”

  “No, she will not. And don’t even ask her. The job is mine and I don’t want to share it. Now, let us change the topic or I will be in a dark mood when we arrive, and poor Edward will have no one to whom he can confide.”

  Chapter 22

  Before they reached Edward’s house, Davy pulled the carriage to a stop and the door swung open. Vic drew her gun and aimed it at the dirty-faced street boy who froze at once, his eyes rounding like saucers.

  “Put the gun away, Victor, Barnacle works for me. He’s been watching the house.” His focus turned to the boy. “I gather you have something to report.”

  “Aye, the lady has company. A toff with the finest growler I ever did see.”

  “A description, please,” Xavier said as he rapped his fingers against his other hand.

  “Long, black with springs nearly two feet—”

  “The man, Barnacle. Describe the man,” Xavier yelled.

  “Sorry, sir, but I didn’t get a good eye on him. It weren’t that other swell, but the growler—”

  “Focus on the man, Barnacle!”

  Vic shook her head. “Allow me to question him, sir.”

  Xavier sighed. “Yes, by all means. Barnacle, this is Victor. He is my apprentice in training.”

  “But I thought I was your Jack,” the boy objected.

  “I’m his secretary,” Vic explained.

  The boy relaxed and grinned. He evidently knew secretaries didn’t last for more than a week. “Was there a crest on the door of the carriage?”

  “Yes! That’s what I was trying to say. It has a big S in solid gold on the door.”

  Xavier sighed. “Thank you for persisting to bring this matter to my attention, Barnacle. You can return to your watch now. Good job.”

  The boy nodded at Xavier before eyeing Victor with caution. A moment later, he was gone.

  “Onward, Davy,” Xavier ordered.

  Vic smiled. “Ollie Simpson.”

  Xavier nodded. “A surprise appearance. I had concluded Ollie was completely outside of the plot. His return is most odd, for Charles Kingsley did not strike me as a man who liked to share.”

  “I agree. Had we gone home with Charles and Edward the other night, I am certain he intended to do away with you and keep me.”

  Xavier leaned forward and took her hands. “Is that why you burst into tears? Because you were frightened?”

  Vic glared at him. “I don’t recall doing anything of the sort. You told me to get cold feet and cry off and that’s exactly what I did.”

  He stared at her for a long minute. “My mistake. Your acting was so fine it fooled even me. However, I believe your instincts to be quite excellent. If you ever find yourself alone with Charles Kingsley and feel in danger, do not hesitate to pull your gun and shoot him in the heart.”

  Vic suspected Scotland Yard might wish for a bit more provocation to justify her killing Kingsley, but before she could make the point, they had arrived at Edward’s house and Xavier impatiently shooed her out.

  He gave their real names to the butler and insisted upon waiting out of the damp air. With reluctance, the butler showed them to a parlor. The moment he left, Xavier boldly followed him out, leaving Vic no option but to keep up as well.

  By the time she entered, the butler stared in outrage at the collapse of protocol while Edward, secure in Ollie’s protective embrace, trembled in fear.

  Xavier’s focus went to Edward. “I beg your pardon for my unannounced arrival, but time is of the essence. I need to understand your involvement in my case before Scotland Yard discovers your address,” Xavier said. “I am Xavier Thorn, perhaps you have heard of me?”

  By their gaping mouths and wide eyes, Vic presumed they both had.

  “You are said to be the real Sherlock.” Ollie held out one hand as he continued to support Edward with the other. “I am most grateful you are here, for you can tell us what is to be done.”

  His response bewildered Vic, but Xavier took it in stride as he sat down. With a wave towards Vic, he introduced his apprentice.

  “As part of his training, Victor will conduct this interview, but understand, this allows me to focus more closely on those small ‘tells’ that will give you away if you lie. So do not take advantage of his youth and genuine sympathy for your situation and sway from the truth.”

  Poor Edward paled as if he might faint any moment. Vic came forward and shook both their hands, before taking a chair across from them. Giving Edward a moment to recover from Xavier’s threats, she turned to Ollie. “Perhaps we can begin with you, sir. I had not expected to find you here tonight. Can you explain how you’ve come to be involved?”

  “I came for Ed…Edwina.”

  Xavier huffed loudly. “If you cannot inspire more truth than that, Victor, I shall send you to the carriage and do this myself.”

  Vic glared at her boss before continuing. “We cannot sort the matter out properly unless we have the complete truth.”

  Ollie focused on Edward, evidently trying to imbue the poor man with courage. Finally, the man breathed in and out, then met Vic’s gaze. “I am Edward Wimple.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Vic replied, letting him comprehend they had already known. Her gaze turned to Ollie.

  “I am Oliver Simpson.”

  “And your reason for being here?”

  “Because Edward is my friend, and will always be so. Nothing will ever change that,” he declared and stared deep into the man’s eyes. Edward burst into tears and apologized for being such a fool.

  Ollie held his former lover tight against him as he focused on Vic. “We have been estranged for the last six months.”

  “Because of Charles Kingsley?” Vic asked, trying to speed matters along. Xavier drummed his fingers with great vigor upon his leg.

  “Yes,” Ollie replied. “But the fault was mine. I opened the door—I was neglectful—and Charles slithered in and swept Edward off his feet.”

  “And when did you reconcile?”

  “Tonight. I came the moment I received Edward’s note saying he needed me. He has confided in me as to what happened, and I know how it must appear, but it is not his fault. He is easily swayed by those he loves. However, nothing could sway him to murder. It simply is not within the dear man to hurt another person.”

  Vic turned to Edward. “Can you tell me the truth of your participation?”

  Edward paused and steadied himself. “Three months ago, my mother’s health took a turn for the worse. I wanted to see her and settle matters between us. I planned to go, not as a man, but as you see me. I wanted her to know the truth and why it was not Mary’s fault I no longer played the role of husband. A small part of me hoped she could love me as I am.”

  Edward covered his face with his hands for a long moment, then recovered and faced Vic. “Charles declared there was no possibility she would love me and if I showed up as a woman, she’d disown me and leave everything to my cousin, David. I told him I didn’t care. I had never wanted to be an Earl.”

  Gripping Ollie’s hand, Edward shook his head. “The things he said in return were
brutally cruel and I cried a week straight before I could pull myself together. He never apologized for his vicious remarks. Instead, he claimed he had to hurt me, for my own good, and whatever pain his words had caused, it would have been a thousand times worse if they had come from my mother. He convinced me to let sleeping dogs lie. I might still have gone ahead with my plan, but for Mary. I realized she would also suffer if my mother disowned me. I have ruined Mary’s life and her only crime was to love me. I could not impoverish her as well.”

  Ollie kissed Edward’s temple in a gesture of comfort and love. “Mary would not survive poverty,” he explained to Vic. “Parties are all she has. Her religious upbringing precludes any other pleasures.”

  “I would not have faulted her if she had taken a lover, but I knew she wouldn’t,” Edward said.

  Vic jumped on his claim. “If you knew it to be impossible, why did you send her a note telling her to do so?”

  Edward’s eyes rounded as he shook his head. “What are you talking about? I would never suggest she act against her religion. She would see it as a slap in her face.” His brow furrowed and he chewed his bottom lip. “Did she receive such a note?” he asked, his voice trembling.

  “Yes.”

  “What exactly did it say?”

  “First, I need you to finish your story.”

  Edward nodded. “I discovered the cruel side of Charles the night we fought about telling my mother the truth, and I’ve seen it often since. Sometimes he would portray the wonderful man who swept me off my feet, but more often, he became a monster. He declared me parochial and insisted we visit the clubs and find other couples…” Edward stopped and stared at Vic then glanced at Xavier. “I never felt comfortable with the arrangements, but it made Charles happy, so I went along.” Edward glanced at Xavier again and his brow furrowed once more.

  Vic didn’t have much time to get the truth out of the fellow. Xavier’s fingers drummed at the speed of hummingbirds. “When did you learn of your mother’s death?”

  The question refocused Edward, and fear now replaced sorrow. “Charles told me on Friday. He’d paid someone on her staff to alert him the moment she died. Upon hearing the news, I burst into tears, for it meant I, Mary, was going to have to die and allow Edward to return. That’s how I feel, you see? I don’t think of myself as Edward, anymore. I’m Mary, but Mary cannot be the Earl. Mary would have to die, and I did not want to die, God help me, I didn’t.”

  “I understand.” Vic said. And she did, more so than he could ever imagine.

  “Charles explained a way Mary could continue to live. Instead of Mary dying, all we had to do was let Edward die and the beauty of this plan was all the money would go to my wife, Mary, and she could throw the grandest parties and never need worry about the costs, and I could continue my quiet life outside of society.”

  Tears gathered in Edward’s eyes. Ollie encouraged him to go on and finish it. Edward leaned into his arms and continued. “I never considered exactly how ‘Edward’ was to die. I had thought Charles would find someone already dead, put my identification on him, and everyone would believe me deceased.”

  “But that wasn’t what happened,” Vic prompted.

  “No. Had I known he intended to take some man’s life, to kill him solely because he resembled me, I would have never agreed. I would have let my feminine side die, returned to society, and played the role I have dreaded all my life. I swear to you, I did not know what he intended until I went to the morgue today and recognized the man as the one Charles brought home late Saturday night.”

  “And this man accompanied Charles here?”

  “Yes. He was very drunk and declared me the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Charles encouraged him to be affectionate with me…” He paused and took a breath. “I have promised to tell the truth, but this is hard to say. I have always played a secondary role in our usual foursomes. In the past, these games all focused on Charles and his enjoyment, but this time he insisted the man and I engage in pleasure while he sat in a chair making suggestions or chiding me when I lacked sufficient enthusiasm. He would not allow us to stop until the poor man fell asleep in exhaustion. He concocted a great prank to play on the fellow and insisted we dress him in one of my old suits.”

  “Are you certain he was still alive at this point?”

  “Yes, his skin was warm and his eyes would flutter, as if he was trying to regain consciousness, but he was still out when Charles sent me to bed. It was nearly noon before I woke. My butler let me know the police had been to my wife’s house with the news of my death.”

  “How would he know?”

  “He still keeps in touch with some of the staff. They don’t know he works for me, of course. Anyway, I got it into my head that I owe this man, chosen to be Edward, the courtesy of a visit for giving up his own name and identity. When I saw him, I knew he had lost more than his identity. He had given his life.”

  “Why did you not alert the police at once?” Vic asked.

  “I was in shock, at first. I kept thinking there must be some explanation. You have no idea how difficult it is to accept the man you love is a cold-blooded murderer. When reality took hold, fear overtook me. What would Charles do when he discovered I knew him to be a monster? I froze in terror. So I sent a letter to Ollie begging him to help me, to tell me what to do.”

  Ollie held her tight. “Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer. Charles is a dangerous man. When he first stole my sweet love, I confronted him, declaring I pay for this house, and I did not want him within a hundred feet of it. I had barely spoken the words when he had a knife pressed into my throat. It hurt like the devil, and I could feel the blood running down my neck. I was certain he had cut a major artery and I’d be dead any moment. He told me he goes where he wants and takes what he likes, and that I would continue to pay the lease on the house, but I would never again come within a hundred feet of it.”

  Edward cried pitifully. “Ollie, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. If only I had not entertained his company.”

  Finally, Xavier spoke. “There is nothing you can do to change the past. And, assuming you are equally as honest with Scotland Yard as you have been with Victor, I do not expect any charges laid against you. However, more than likely, they will require you to testify in court and to acknowledge you are Edward Wimple.”

  “I cannot do it,” Edward declared. “I’m sorry, truly I am, but the man is already dead. As you said, I cannot change the past.”

  “Yes, but your wife is yet alive and if you allow her to die, I will see you hang as Charles’ willing accomplice.”

  “Mary? How could she be involved?”

  “Because Charles wants your fortune. Has from the beginning.” Xavier told him in harsh and brusque terms of the man’s seduction of his wife. “He intends to reenter society as the new husband of Mary, only two of you presently exist. Since you are the more malleable of the two, your wife will surely die.

  “No! You can’t let him harm her. Please, Mr. Thorn. You have to save Mary.”

  Vic had hoped Xavier would wait until tomorrow for Scotland Yard to be called, for it was nearly ten at night and Edward looked ready to faint from the stress of his day. However, Xavier opened the window, generated an ear-piercing whistle, and waited. A moment later, he leaned over the sill and ordered Barnacle to retrieve Inspector Stone from his bed.

  As they waited for the inspector, Xavier asked them a dozen questions Vic should have asked. He also revealed their presence and purpose the night they had met at the club. Edward’s mouth fell open when he learned Xavier had been the man with Vic.

  “I don’t recognize you at all.” He turned to Vic. “But you, I knew at once. Your blue eyes. They are very intense…not an attribute one forgets.”

  Xavier frowned at Vic. “Tomorrow, you will sit in front of a mirror and learn how to alter the intensity of your eyes. Otherwise, putting you in disguise is a waste of effort.”

  ***

  Vic thought the i
nspector from Scotland Yard would be annoyed at being summoned so late at night, but Xavier and he spoke in private for almost a half hour before he sat down with Edward and took copious notes while the man told his story once again. When he finished, Inspector Stone asked Edward if there was somewhere else he could stay until the matter concluded.

  Ollie immediately offered his home, but Edward refused, not wanting to put him in danger.

  Ignoring his protests, the man gripped his former lover’s shoulders. “You are coming home with me, and that is final.”

  ***

  At half past midnight, Xavier, Stone, and Vic climbed into the carriage. Vic could barely keep her eyes open, but Stone seemed to have all the energy in the world.

  “Edward Wimple would make a terrible witness. Fortunately, we do not need him. We have excellent evidence pertaining to other murders Charles has committed. What we haven’t been able to do is locate the bastard. He is said to be thick with Seth Sojourn, raised in the same workhouse. We believe he has access to Seth’s network of informers. Every time we get word of his location, he jumps ship. To be honest, we don’t even have a decent description of him.”

  Xavier barked off the particulars, which Stone frantically copied down.

  “I could draw you a likeness, sir,” Vic offered, not realizing Stone would not only accept the offer but would expect Vic to produce it at once. Thus, instead of being driven to her home, they all went to Xavier’s office via the back door.

  Despite her fatigue and Xavier’s constant corrections to little details of the drawing, she finished it within an hour. Xavier brought her a cup of cocoa as her reward.

  Stone smiled at her. “When Xavier fires you, come see me, and I’ll hire you onto my staff.”

  “The hell you will! His talents would be utterly wasted. You’d probably have him drawing silly pictures all day.”

  “This is far more comprehensible than your description,” Stone said.