Chapter 27

 

The attic was a maze of wood planks and beams with low trusses and scarcely any light. Robert trailed slowly behind Ainsley, who was acutely aware of each breath and tiny moan from Robert. Halfway to their target, Ainsley wondered if it would have been better to have left Robert with Nelly and the other women. He was in a tremendous amount of pain and the crouching and crawling through the attic void would only be doing further harm to Robert’s already injured organs.

Finally, Ainsley stopped and turned to Julia’s brother. “I can take you back,” he said, pausing below a truss and holding onto the beam with one hand.

Robert shook his head and wiped some sweat from his brow. The attic was stifling hot, without any movement of air. Each breath was hard for Ainsley to pull and must have been excruciating for Robert in his present condition.

“Keep going,” Robert gasped. “Don’t pay any mind to me.”

Five minutes later they were crouched at an opening in the floor, indicated by a thin line of light that bordered a rectangular piece of wood. A tin box, about the size of a loaf of bread, was sitting on the opposite side of the attic opening. Curious, Ainsley reached for it but froze when the beam of light turned dark. Squinting, Ainsley could see someone below them, walking around in Thaddeus’s office.

Ainsley raised a finger to his lips and looked to Robert, who nodded in acknowledgement. The sweat dripped wildly from their faces as the heat threatened to cook them like a Christmas goose. Ainsley prayed Thaddeus would leave his office soon so that they could get some fresh air at last. His prayer was answered when moments later the light beam returned and the sound of determined footfalls made their way across the room below. They strained their ears and concentrated on the sound of Thaddeus’s door closing, the latch of the knob tapping into place.

Gingerly, Ainsley pulled at the board and stole a peek into the room. Empty. Feet first, he lowered himself down and stood on the solid desk in the middle of the room. “Hand me that tin,” he said to Robert before he was able to follow him. Robert passed it down, careful not to let the metal box drop, and then moved to slide through the gap himself.

Ainsley saw Robert wince as he stepped down from the desk and then the man doubled over with an arm pressing into his left side.

“Robert?” Ainsley crouched down on the desk before jumping to the floor.

Robert waved him away and a moment later he was standing upright again.

The lid of the tin box opened easily and inside Ainsley found a few pocket-size notebooks, with tiny, detailed writing inside.

“These are his books,” Robert said, flipping through one. “He writes everything in here.”

Ainsley had to fight the urge to read them then and there and instead slipped the books into his inside pocket. “Watch the door,” he said, nudging his chin to Robert.

Robert went without argument and stood at the centre of the door with his ear to the wood. Hurriedly, Ainsley opened each of the desk drawers and even reached up under the bottoms. Nothing. He dropped to his hands and knees and looked beneath the shelves as well as under Thaddeus’s chair and still he found nothing.

Ainsley balled his hand into a fist, supressing the urge to yell. He couldn’t be so close and leave empty-handed. The man could singlehandedly destroy his life by revealing that gun to the authorities. More than enough witnesses had seen him use it. By itself the pistol was enough to bring an investigation to his door that even Simms could not ignore.

And then Ainsley saw it, an iron grate screwed into the floor just under a table behind Thaddeus’s desk. When Ainsley moved closer he could see the screws were missing and that simply lifting the grate was enough to access the void. He wasn’t able to look directly into the hold but he could reach his arm in up to his elbow and felt around.

“Yes!” His exuberant hiss was muted by the fact that his face was pressed into the hardwood floor.

Ainsley heard the door open.

Robert landed a quick jab to Thaddeus’s face before pulling the man in and closing the door. Although caught off guard, Thaddeus fought back, landing a right hook into Robert’s side.

“You fucking bastard.”

Thaddeus growled as he tried to push Robert to the floor but Robert stood his ground and was able to shake Thaddeus off him with enough force to send him into a shelf along the wall. The shelf teetered but didn’t fall. Thaddeus scowled and took a step toward Robert but Ainsley cocked the pistol and pressed it into Thaddeus’s temple.

“I will not hesitate,” he said.

Thaddeus put up his hands slowly. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Where is she?” Ainsley asked, moving to face Thaddeus, who only shook his head. The expression on his face betrayed his confusion.

“Who?”

“Julia!” Ainsley stepped forward, pressing the gun into the front of Thaddeus’s cheek.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Ainsley kicked up his elbow and landed a hit to Thaddeus’s jaw.

Thaddeus faltered and stumbled. “I told you, I haven’t seen my wife in a year!” He raised a hand to his lip and patted at the blood.

“You sent a carriage for us this morning,” Ainsley yelled, stepping closer and pressing the barrel of the gun into Thaddeus’s cheek. “Sergeant Fisher, he works for you.”

“Yes, but”—Thaddeus let out a breath, looked to Robert and then back to Ainsley—“I never sent him for you. I told you I haven’t see Julia in months. She left me. I don’t chase after women.”

Ainsley gave a sideways look to Robert, who looked equally confused. “You picked me up and forced me to fight in your ring,” Robert said. “That wasn’t to force Julia to come find me?”

“You owed me,” Thaddeus said, his mouth folding into a sneer. “And I needed someone I haven’t used in a while.”

Ainsley’s heart raced as he stood there, keeping Thaddeus in the corner. All this time he had thought Thaddeus was trying to pull Julia out of the shadows. He figured it was some sick plan for revenge.

“Who killed that man in Belgravia?” Ainsley pressed.

“Jeremiah,” Robert offered. “My friend. You sent your boys to my house. You scared my wife. They told me you called in my debt. Why?”

“Look it wasn’t me, all right? Perhaps you don’t understand, I don’t give a fuck for that woman. She killed my brother and I don’t blame her for that, but I certainly ain’t going to share my bed with her anymore. When she walked out that door I knew she was as good as dead. It’s a miracle no one else killed her just to get to me.” Thaddeus pushed the barrel of the gun away. “Are we done here?”

Ainsley pulled the trigger. A bullet ripped into the wall over Thaddeus’s shoulder as Ainsley pushed him back. “I told you I’m not bluffing.” He glanced to Robert, who despite much cooler temperatures compared to the attic, was still dripping sweat from his brow and hairline. Ainsley needed to get him to the hospital or he would surely die.

“Let’s go.” Ainsley gestured for the door, and pulled Thaddeus away from the wall by the collar. With the pistol pressed firmly in between Thaddeus’s shoulder blades, Ainsley guided him out into the empty hall and led him toward the stairs.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and made their way across the courtyard to the main gate. A quick scan of the place revealed only a handful of people, all easily subdued once Thaddeus instructed them to lower their weapons. He said nothing, only signalled with his hands, and they all obeyed.

“I told you I don’t know anything,” Thaddeus said, allowing them to guide him to the main door at the side of the gate. There’s no need for the gun. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Ainsley could hear him smiling through his words. “Like the last time you said I could go?”

“That was just so you knew who was boss.” Thaddeus pivoted, grabbed Ainsley’s wrist, and pushed his arm to the ground. Ainsley used his free hand to hit Thaddeus in the face and then pushed up his chin before taking hold of his throat.

Without letting go of Ainsley’s arm, Thaddeus used his body to block Ainsley’s hits. The struggle brought them to the ground, and sent the firearm sliding across the cobbles.

Only able to pull one arm from his body, Robert tried to pull Thaddeus away, but was clocked in the face and sent backward into the brick wall. The pair were a mess of elbows and fists, each man fighting for control, sending dust into the air about them. Ainsley tried to crawl for the gun and felt the desperate hands of Thaddeus pulling at his body, pinching his arms in a vise-like grip and hitting his kidneys wildly.

Ainsley could feel the metal of the gun just inches from his grasp but the gun kept sliding from his fingers. He used his legs, kneeing Thaddeus in the stomach and then groin, while growling his frustration.

Men with guns drawn began to stream out from various doors heading into the courtyard.

Click.

Ainsley brought the butt down into Thaddeus’s face and scrambled to his feet.

Below him, Thaddeus writhed in pain. Blood gathered above his eye, where Ainsley had hit him. Thaddeus’s men, Fisher and Delaney included, glanced to each other, unsure how to handle the threat.

“To your knees,” Ainsley yelled, glancing up at the gathered crowd. “I said, to your knees!” He pressed the barrel into Thaddeus’s temple just beside his gash.

Thaddeus laughed as he pushed himself to his knees. Allowing the gun to slide over his blood-streaked faced, Thaddeus turned to reveal a wide smile. “Do it, Doctor.” He erupted in laughter and inched closer to Ainsley, pressing his forehead into the gun. “I said, do it!”

“Peter, we should go,” Robert said. “We need to get help.”

Ainsley pulled at Thaddeus’s collar, dragging him to his feet. “Let us leave,” Ainsley said, addressing the crowd, “And I won’t have to kill him.”

The men with guns, four by Ainsley’s count, resighted him but remained where they were.

Robert skirted ahead, still clutching his lower ribs, and unlatched the main door.

“Walk.” With his back to the door, Ainsley guided Thaddeus backward, away from the group and toward the alley that would allow them to go free.

Before they could walk through the door, Julia appeared. With her hands up in front of her, her eyes darted to the side. Delilah appeared behind her through the doorway.

“Julia?” Ainsley’s heart skipped at the sight of her.

Delilah made Julia walk ahead and then gave a half turn to close the door, her movement revealing a small, derringer pistol pressed into the small of Julia’s back.

The maid had her hands raised in front of her, her palms open, but her expression remained solid until her eyes met Ainsley’s and then they only faltered for a second.

Delilah guided her, with a hand clutching a clump of hair at the base of Julia’s skull and the gun pressed into her side. Using Julia as a shield, Delilah inched forward. “Look who I found lurking out front.”

“I’m sorry, Peter.”

“Delilah, go home.” Thaddeus shook his head, no doubt ashamed at the way her hand shook and her voice trembled when she spoke.

“I can do this,” she answered defiantly, stepping closer, pushing Julia ahead.

“One more step and your brother doesn’t make it,” Ainsley warned.

“And I’ll shoot Little Miss here before my brother hits the ground.” She reached up with her free hand and tightened a fist around Julia’s hair.

Julia let out a tiny yelp and jerked her head back slightly.

Mrs. Calvin appeared at one of the doors to the courtyard. “Thaddeus?” She inched closer to the scene and glanced to the men, who still had their weapons pointed to Ainsley. “What’s going on?”

“This doesn’t concern you, Mother,” Thaddeus said, through gritted teeth.

“Delilah, what are you doing?”

Delilah raised her chin at the sight of her mother. “I can do it,” she proclaimed yet again.

“Tell her to stop, Mother,” Thaddeus said. “Tell her to lower her weapon and make a trade.”

Ainsley licked his dry lips as Mrs. Calvin inched toward Delilah with her hand outstretched. “Listen to your family, sweetie,” she said. “Do the right thing. For all of us.”

On the other side of Thaddeus, Robert looked up to Ainsley. All colour had vanished from his face and Ainsley could tell it was a struggle for him to remain upright. “Promise me you’ll take care of my girls,” he said in a whisper.

It was clear they were not all getting out of there alive. Thaddeus was only bidding his time.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Robert,” Ainsley said softly. He could see Robert steeling himself against what he believed he needed to do.

“I’m not going to make it,” Robert said, the muscle in his cheek twitching.

“I can still get you to a hospital. Guy’s is just around the corner.”

“Delilah, put the gun down,” Thaddeus warned. “Delilah!”

The young woman trembled, as her heart quickened beneath her tight bodice. “We have to do this, Thad.” Her eyes darted to their mother and then back again. She recommitted herself by raising her gun so that now it pressed into the flesh of Julia’s temple. “Let my brother go!” she demanded.

Betting on Delilah’s lack of fortitude, Ainsley shook his head.

Delilah’s naive features betrayed her shock for a few seconds before she corrected herself. “You haven’t a clue how long we have wanted Julia dead,” she said with a scowl. “Don’t give me another reason to pull this trigger.”

“Take Robert and go,” Julia said. “He needs a doctor.” A tear trailed down her cheek as she closed her eyes for a second as if to will any others away.

“I’m not leaving without you.” Ainsley moved his gaze between Thaddeus, Delilah, and Robert. He knew Delilah was nervous. He could see as much by the way her skirt shifted. He imagined she was shifting her weight from one side to the next. Earlier, she tried to convince her brother that she was capable. She was clearly comfortable holding her tiny gun, had probably done so many times, but he doubted she had ever pulled the trigger.

In that instant, Ainsley’s gaze met Robert’s and he realized what Julia’s brother intended to do.

“Remember what I said.”

He charged for Delilah, cutting through the space between them and tackling her to the ground. With Delilah’s fist still clutching her hair Julia was pulled to the ground in the tussle as Mrs. Calvin sprung to help her daughter. A cloud of dust erupted around them as they rolled about.

Thaddeus rounded on Ainsley and tried to wrestle the gun from his grasp. Face to face they struggled, each growling and grunting with the gun raised in the air. With his free arm, Ainsley threw his elbow and landed a hit to Thaddeus’s face. He kicked Thaddeus’s feet out from under him and then threw his body weight onto him. He pressed Thaddeus’s face into the cobblestones and thrust his gun into his back.

A high-pitched shriek came from Delilah.

BANG.

At the same time, Ainsley could hear the sounds of horses’ hooves on the other side of the gate, as if a thousand or so had converged on the small side street. A second later the gate was forced open and a dozen constables stormed through, readying their billy clubs as they spread out into the yard. Thaddeus’s men ran in countless directions, barring doors behind them as they scattered.

Simms appeared at Ainsley’s side. “I hope you weren’t intending to use that.”

Ainsley didn’t answer him. His focus had turned to Robert and Julia, both lying on the cobbles, a pool of blood spreading out between them.

“Julia?” Ainsley stumbled as he tried to run to her, and ended up crawling the rest of the way.

“Julia!”

Ainsley pulled her into his arms, ignoring the blood that caked into the fabric of her dress. The bullet had hit her shoulder, dangerously close to her heart.

“Bring a carriage!” Simms yelled. “A carriage, you fool!”

Robert moaned as he rolled, revealing a grisly wound to his stomach. Delilah sat in shock for a few seconds as she pulled herself away, snatching the gun from the blood on the cobbles.

“You killed her,” Robert said, inching toward the woman who was desperate to get away. “You were supposed to kill me, not her!”

Mrs. Calvin reached out for her daughter.

“Stay away from me,” Delilah commanded, struggling to keep the gun from slipping in her hands.

Robert continued forward.

“I said stay away from me!” She pulled the trigger once as Robert caught up to her and missed. He wrapped her hands around her throat but Delilah shot again, this time getting him in the chest.

“Arrest her,” Simms said. “Peter?”

But Ainsley was already on his feet, Julia cradled in his arms. He passed all the police carriages and ran as fast as he could muster for Guy’s. Her pulse was weak and he couldn’t know how much blood she had lost on the ground of the courtyard.

“Fight for me, Julia. Fight for me,” he begged through gritted teeth.

By the time he reached the front doors of the hospital the words had morphed into a marching song that he repeated again and again even as the attending surgeon rushed him to the nearest surgical bed.

“Save her, damn you, save her,” he said as he backed away.

“Dr. Ainsley, you must let the surgeon do his work,” the nurse said as she guided Ainsley away from the surgical table.

Ainsley looked to her, startled that she had called him by name. No one forced him to leave the room and instead he stood back and watched as the nursing staff rallied and the surgeon barked out his orders.

“Is she going to be all right?” Ainsley heard himself saying.

No one answered him.