Requiem (The Penny Dreadfuls Book 1) (6 page)

The thief tried to shake his head in denial, but the gun barrel up his nose made the movement painful.

“What you going to do wiv us?” the leader asked. “Kill us in cold blood?”

“Of course not!” Chastity said. “In spite of appearances I am not a common criminal such as you.”

Still looking the thief in the eyes, Chastity lowered her pistol. As the man breathed a sigh of relief, she squeezed the trigger and shot him through the leg, sending him tumbling to the gutter, a howl of pain erupting from his lips.

“On the other hand, I cannot exactly leave you to your own devices. That shot will bring the Bobbies who should recognize you from the wanted poster in the lobby of the Yard. I am certain they will know just what to do with you.”

With a grin, the young woman holstered her pistol and darted away down a narrow alley. She used a nearby drainpipe as a ladder and climbed to the top where she could see the show below. The thugs were thrashing about in the street trying to make an escape, but it was useless. The London police arrived in a matter of minutes and the thugs were hauled away almost as quickly, all the while screaming about a masked woman.

Chastity smiled and turned away, using the rooftops to return to Newgate where a mug of mulled cider and a good night’s sleep were waiting.

CHASTITY WAS AWAKENED
at the crack of noon the following day by the sound of Malachi pounding on her chamber door like he was trying to knock it down. The young woman roused herself and opened the door, prepared to offer her opinion of Malachi’s malodorous behavior, but seeing the urgency in his face she settled for a simple frown.

“What is it?”

“Two things,” he said.

He entered the room and dropped onto the only available chair, a feminine chaise designed for lounging rather than sitting. He wriggled, looking for a comfortable position then looked up at Chastity. He blinked and slapped a hand over his eyes.

“Don’t you think you should cover up a bit more?”

Chastity closed the door with a shrug and walked toward her private bathing area.

“You used to change my nappy, Mal,” she said. “Not much has changed since then.”

She heard Malachi swallow.

“Things have changed in many ways,” he said. “Chas, most assuredly you have become a woman. An attractive one, at that and it isn’t proper for a man to see a woman in the altogether, even if he is her brother.”

Chastity laughed from behind the flower embroidered changing screen and began filling her tub with warm water.

“You know I am not a woman overly concerned with what others think is proper, dear brother. What is it that brings you to my door before noon?”

Malachi cleared his throat and opened the copy of the Times he’d kept tucked under his arm.

“First, Father William wishes to know why you burned down Doctor Bond’s office last night. Did you find some sort of monster within?”

Chastity peeked around the screen. “I did nothing of the sort! When I left this morning the building was safely locked and I had left everything exactly as it was before I arrived.”

Malachi nodded and used a scrap of charcoal to slash through the article.

“That is one thing off the table then. Doctor Bond’s office burned to the ground in the wee hours of the morning. There were no witnesses and we only knew you had been there from your report. Did you see anyone when you were there?”

Chastity sat in the tub and began soaping her body, her mind a turmoil of anger and concern. Obviously someone else knew what Doctor Bond had uncovered and was anxious to destroy his files. It seemed silly to burn the office down when the Yard had copies of all his reports.

“I did not see anyone,” she said over the splashing of water. “The building was empty and there were no lights in the adjacent shops. Does the Times article indicate if any remains were found?”

Malachi ran a finger down the paper and nodded. “Indeed it does. The reporter states that unidentifiable human remains were found in the wreckage, though Doctor Bond confirmed the building should have been empty. Is that important?”

Chastity began soaping her hair with shampoo she’d purchased in Geneva.

“I think that is what whoever set fire to the building was after,” she said. “The doctor had kept the body parts for study and they must have been locked in the office somewhere. The arsonist decided to kill two birds with one stone and just destroy everything.”

Malachi whistled through his teeth and sat back in the chair. “If that is the case, someone really didn’t want anyone investigating those limbs.”

Chastity splashed water on her torso. “Agreed. What was the other item you wished to discuss?”

She heard the rustle of newspaper.

“There was another murder last night,” Malachi said. “It may be connected to the case you are working on. A scientist named Davis was found dead in his rooms by his assistant this morning. The story is so new the paper is still wet.”

“People are killed all the time in this city, Mal,” Chastity said. “What makes this one different?”

“According to the paper…he was in a locked room, and he was killed by decapitation,” Malachi said.

He turned the paper so Chastity could see the artist’s rendering of a headless man seated at a desk, a quill clutched in his hand. “Davis’ head was missing from the locked room.”

Chastity smiled. “Now that sounds quite interesting. Does it say who the officer in charge is?”

“Yes, it is your Inspector Price, the copper you met yesterday,” Malachi said. “Do you know he is an American? He was a Texas Ranger or something before coming here.”

Chastity finished washing her hair and stood, letting the soapy water cascade off her body. The tub emptied at her feet with a sound like a straw at the bottom of a glass and she used another pot of warm water to rinse the remaining soap from her skin.

“I knew he was American from speaking with him,” she said as she worked. “I didn’t know he was one of the famous Texas Rangers. Do you know why he is in London?”

Malachi folded the newspaper and stuck it under his arm, replying, “I don't, but I am sure you will find out soon enough. I know what that tone means, Chastity.”

Chastity giggled and peeked around the divider again. “What tone? I merely find the idea of an American in London intriguing. It must have taken a bit of time to get here, even by steamship. I want to know what made the trip worth taking.”

Malachi shrugged. “Perhaps it has something to do with their Civil War. I am not particularly interested. Regardless, Father William wants you to add the deceased scientist to your agenda for the day.”

“I will see to it forthwith. Will you hand me my drying cloth, please?”

Malachi rolled his eyes and plucked the sturdy cotton cloth from its place on the drying rack. He thrust it behind the divider without looking and blushed when his knuckles brushed what was clearly his sister’s breast.

Chastity giggled at the touch and said, “Mal! You’ve taken an oath!”

Malachi blushed even further and tossed the cloth on his sister’s shoulder before leaving, the slam of the door echoing behind him.

Chastity laughed at her brother’s discomfort and prepared for the day. She donned a two piece dress of maroon cotton that accentuated the blue of her eyes and the rose in her cheeks. She left her hair in an unfashionable waterfall down her back and finished the look with a black and red hat that perched at a jaunty angle above her eye. When she was through, she gathered a few useful items from her desk and placed them in a wrist bag, then exited the room and hurried to the exit where a Hansom cab was waiting to take her to the nearest crime scene. Malachi must have ordered it for her; she’d have to remember to thank him later. She gave the driver the Belbrook Common address and sat back into the not too uncomfortable seat.

The drive to Belbrook Common was quiet and dull; when the driver knocked and opened the stagecoach door, Chastity was relieved to step out into the overcast afternoon. She looked up at the large brick building where the late Richard Davis had kept his laboratory and frowned. It wasn’t at all what she had expected. It was four stories tall and made of sturdy brick shot through with oak timbers. The bottom floor consisted of a bakery and the smell of warm pies wafted through the open door. Mr. Davis’ rooms took up the remaining three stories, and Chastity found the building to be altogether too boring to have housed the strange crime from the night before.

Two uniformed policeman were standing near the side entrance that would lead to the upper floors. They were sharing a roll-up in the lee of the building and Chastity could tell they were shaken by what they had seen in the scientist’s lab. Both men were pale with hooded, dead eyes like men who have witnessed horror on the battlefield. Other officers were walking up and down the street speaking with residents and passersby, Chastity presumed about the bizarre murder of Mr. Davis, yet there was no sign of Inspector Price.

Chastity assumed that the inspector was still upstairs, she didn’t think he was the type to leave the scene with men still working. She paid the driver with coins from her purse and crossed the street to where the two officers were standing. The taller of the two tried to hide their cigarette in a cupped palm and the two men pulled themselves into some semblance of attention.

“Good afternoon, Miss,” said the shorter, stouter officer. “This building is currently under investigation, may I ask your reason for entering?”

Chastity smiled at the officer as if he were the most attractive man she had ever seen, “Oh, officer I am here to see Inspector Price, I understand he is upstairs?”

The taller officer nodded and his helmet dropped lower over his eyes. “He is upstairs conducting an investigation, Miss. What is your business with him?”

Chastity waved her trusty notebook. “I’m writing an article on the Inspector and just had a few more questions. I promise I won’t be a moment.”

She smiled and started past the two officers. The taller one barred her path and raised his helmet. “I’m sorry, Miss, the inspector said no one but police was to go upstairs until he said otherwise.”

“But this is very important,” Chastity said. “I am sure my readers want to know about the dashing American Inspector’s methods on a crime scene. Certainly you don’t want to spoil the inspector’s story for my readers or ruin the inspector’s chance at fame, do you?”

The officer shook his head, making his loose-fitting helmet swivel like a top. “No Miss. Certainly not, but the inspector said—”

Chastity smiled and patted the officer on the arm. “I’ll be sure to mention you and your partner as well. Your service is impeccable. He’s this way, is he?”

She didn’t wait for him to speak, instead she pushed her way past the officers and trotted up the stairs. As she climbed, she could hear their voices echoing up the stairs behind her.

“Cor, she’s a good reporter, ain’t she?” That was the taller one.

“Wot you mean?” asked the other.

“Well, she’s going to put us in that rag of hers, and didn’t even have to ask our names!” said the tall officer.

“Too right! Maybe she ought to be in the Yard, eh?”

Chastity stifled a giggle and continued up the stairs.

Inside, the building was just as plain as the outside had been. The walls were covered in stained white plaster cracked with age and neglect and the floor was made of wood that creaked even under Chastity’s light footfalls.

The first two floors consisted of living quarters, most of which was stuffed with sheet-covered antique furniture. The only livable room was a large chamber at the north end of the building. This room was clean and freshly whitewashed making it seem bright and inviting. A large mahogany bed sat against the wall opposite a small dining table and three chairs. A cold iron stove sat like a squat demon next to a window that overlooked the park and a large, comfortable looking chair was placed within easy reach of the tea pot atop the stove, affording a view of the outside world where, presumably, Mr. Davis sat to enjoy the occasional sunset.

Chastity paused here on her way to the third floor, torn between investigating what was likely Mr. Davis’ private sanctum and seeing the crime scene. After a time, her curiosity got the better of her and she entered, closing the door behind her for what privacy it would offer. She moved slowly, taking in everything in the room.  It was very neat and orderly, from the small rows of books near the large chair to the bed which didn’t appear to have been slept in for quite some time. It was too neat for a bachelor living above a bakery.

She crossed the room to the dining table where the remains of a meal still waited. The doctor had last supped on mint-jellied lamb, potatoes and bread. By the look of it, he hadn’t had much appetite, though a hearty meal, the plate remained almost untouched.Chastity tapped her nails on the table and turned to survey the rest of the room, her eyes falling again on the chair and the neatly stacked books. In the glow of the sun, she could see that there were drag marks on the floor indicating the chair had recently been moved to that position. Something glittered in the marks and Chastity knelt to examine them. She pulled the magnifier from her purse and poked at the grooves. Embedded within them was a small amount of colored chalk of the type used by witches to draw sigils and spells. Puzzled as to why a scientist would be attempting magik, Chastity collected a small sample of the powder for testing in the Sanctuary’s lab. Magik of any kind was uncommon. A well-known scientist resorting to magik was almost unheard of; magik and science didn't mix well and often resorted in grisly deaths.