Into the Ether (13 page)

 

“I trust you understand the
gravity
of your situation?
”
Kreios began, settling back against the cushions of the auto.
Spiros crossed his arms and kept a watchful eye on me.
They had crowded me in, keeping me away from the doors.

“I understand.”
Anger made my words sharp and sarcastic.
It was beyond my ability to keep my temper in check.
I brushed at the front of my dress, now marred by the dirt and grime that had rubbed off when I embraced Terry.

Kreios sighed.
“I'd hoped I could clean you up, but it appears you attract filth like light attracts moths.”
He studied me.
“I don't suppose you can he
l
p
it.”

If it had been anyone else, in any other situation, I would have assumed it was a slur on my previous occupation.
Nothing I hadn't heard a million times before.
But there was a strange note to Kreios' tone and an odd glint in his eye when he said it.
It almost seemed that he
looked
through me, not at me.
Whatever he saw
, it disturbed him.

“What do you mean?”

He ignored me.

“You have three days to steal the box.
After that, I
'
ll look for alternate means of getting what I want.”

My heart moved to my throat.
The implied threat vibrated in the air between us.
“Three days?
That's insane!
I thought there was no time limit for this job.”

He checked his nails then folded his hands on the top of his cane.
“My plans are often subject to change.
You can argue all you want, but I won't
alter
the deadline.
I would suggest thinking of a better way
to get
what you want, my dear.”

My fingers twisted in my skirts as I clenched and unclenched
my fists.
My response danced on the tip of my tongue
.
Ranting and raving might make me feel better
, but I knew it would only make my situation worse.
I needed a plan, and I needed a good one.
Biting back the urge to speak
,
I turned
away to look out the window.
The green countryside faded back into the
grays
and browns of the city.
As I watched, I realized we weren't returning the way we had come.

“Where are you taking me now?”
I demanded.

“The museum, of course.
You can't very well get what I
want from my townhouse, now can you?”

I glared, but didn't respond.
We pulled to a stop and Spiros got out, holding out a hand for me.
Kreios leaned forward as I
exited
.

“Remember,
Genevieve
, I have Terry
and your new family is not without their own weaknesses.
If you'd like to keep everyone
in one piece, you will be outside the museum gates at eleven
on the evening of the third day.
”

He leaned back and Spiros released
me before
climbing back into the carriage.
Without another word, the auto puttered down the road.
With a sigh I m
ade my way up the museum
steps
.

Adele was working the information desk when I walked up.
She came around the side of the desk and threw her arms around me.

“We were all so worried about you!
The
colonel
insisted you'd met with some foul play, but no one could find any trace of you!”
She pushed me away and gave me a thorough once over.
“What have you been up to?”

I shrugged.
“It's a long story, but believe me, it wasn't exactly my idea.”

Adele shrugged.
“Doesn't matter.
You can explain it all to Colonel Worthington.
He'll deny it later, but he's been worried sick about you.
Come along, he and Phillip are eating luncheon.”

She ushered me into a gallery and through a service entrance, leading me to the
colonel's
rooms.
She knocked once and then opened the door.

“Colonel Worthington
,
Phillip
, look
who's appeared!”

I stepped around her, and Colonel Worthington and Phillip both rose from their chairs.
Phillip took the distance between us in two long strides and swept me into a crushing hug.
When he put me down, the curator was
waiting, crutch under one arm, reaching for me with the other
.

“We are so glad to see you safe, Genevieve.
Come, have a seat and tell us what happened.”

Adele had slid out in the midst of everything, so I took the other chair in the room and sat with a sigh.
It was strange how this place had become home in
such a short
time.
As my gaze passed between Phillip and the
colonel
, I thought about what Kreios had said.
The
re
were no more options.
I would do what they wanted, even if it killed me
.
Because the alternative might kill them.

When Colonel Worthington repeated his question, I dredged up a smile and sighed.
“Justin surprised me and knocked me out.
When I woke up, he was taking me to see Lord Kreios.”

The curator's eyes narrowed when I mentioned Kreios' name.
It seemed they knew each other, and
I could only speculate on the circumstances.
“What happened then?”

I shrugged.
His scrutiny was becoming uncomfortable.
“He told me Terry was alive and that he knew where he was.
He then insisted I go upstairs, have a bath, rest and wouldn't tell me anything.”

Phillip snorted.
“Sounds like him.
He enjoys other people's discomfort.”

A frown pulled at my mouth.
“How do you know him?”

Phillip reddened then crossed his arms.
“I'm just full of surprises.”

Colonel Worthington drew my attention away.
“What then?
You slept, you got up…”

“He dressed me up in this ridiculous
outfit
,
and then he told me he wanted to take me on a
tour.
He took me to a factory.
” My
nose burned and I sniffed back tears.
“There were children everywhere.
He's one of
the people
taking children
from the streets
.
Terry was there, in chains
,
working on the big piston.”

Phillip patted my shoulder with one large hand.
Colonel Worthington continued to watch me.

“And then he just dropped you off here without any other information?”

I shook my head, breathing deep to calm myself.
“No.
He told me I must steal the box and produce it in front of the gates
in three days
.
”

“Or else he'll take it out on Terry.”
The curator made the statement with a snort of disgust.

“And
out on
you two.”
I
nodded
,
sliding down into the chair as far as the confines of the corset would let me.
“I told him I would get the box.
Not that I would give it to him, but that I would get it.”
It seemed important to point out those semantics.

Colonel Worthington smiled and my shoulders sagged with relief.
“Ah, you are far more intelligent than he thinks you are.”

“I doubt he thinks so
,”
I muttered.

“That's all for the better then.
Now, we just have to find a way for you to bring him something satisfactory while we try to catch him.”

I leaned forward.
“Catch him?
What would we do with him if we did?”

The
colonel's
smile was a bit toothy, and I wondered just what he'd done in
the military
.
“Believe me, I have several people who would love to take him off our hands and speak to him at length.”

The whole situation had spiraled out of my control, and I didn't like it.
My stomach seemed to be permanently tied in knots, and I felt like looking over my shoulder all the time.
Even though I loved this place, and care
d
deeply about Colonel Worthington and Phillip, I couldn't be at ease with them anymore either.
They knew more than they were letting on.
Everyone around me seemed to have received notes giving them all the details and I had been left off the list.

I sat up, accepting a plate with a sandwich from Phillip.
For the moment, things
would
stay as they were.
I needed them, and they me, to an extent.
For the most part, I was safe here.
Until I could think of something better, it would have to be enough.

 

“We need to decide what we're doing in three days
,
”
Colonel Worthington announced.

I sat back, finishing the last bite of my sandwich.

“Believe me, my dear, I am thrilled you've returned, but things aren't going to get better until we get Kreios off your back.”

I knew that already.
Phillip made quick work of a
tiny
frosted cake,
and then
smiled.
“I've got a brilliant plan.”

The curator's face made me stifle a giggle.
He sighed and waved a hand.
“All right then, tell me.”

Phillip wiped a hand through his hair.
“Well, we know Kreios isn't going to take any excuses.
So why don't I make a replica of the box for her to take him?
He obviously only has a vague idea of what it is.
I can make
an exact copy
and put a lock on it.
By the time he gets it open, we'll have nabbed him.”

Colonel Worthington's eyebrows drew together in a bushy line.
Finally he look
ed up with a faint smile.
“I
t might work.”

“What happens when I take it to him?
How can you be certain he won't know it's a fake?”
I demanded.
“I still have to get Terry out of that factory, and I can't afford anything going wrong that might jeopardize that.”

Colonel Worthington patted my hand.
“Don't worry.
I've got some friends at Scotland Yard
,
and they'll have someone tailing him.
He won't get anywhere without us knowing.”

I shook my head.
Even I knew Kreios would expect something like that.
“No.
Make the replica.
Make a lock for it that requires a lot of effort to get open.
But tailing him is a ridiculous notion.
He'll expect it.
He'll know.”

Phillip looked a little less sure.
“She does have a point.”

“We can make this work.
Don't worry so much.
I'll
hash
out all the details with my contacts.”

My hand pressed against the
curator's sleeve.
“No tails.
Promise.”

His
fingers
covered mine and his features softened when he looked at me.
“I promise.
No tails.
I won't make it easy for him.
And don't worry.
We'll get Terry back.”

I nodded and leaned back.
Phillip and Colonel Worthington sat, sketching out a plan in words.
Listening to someone else make the plans was difficult, but I was out of my league and out of ideas.
The longer I sat there, warm in the fire glow, fed and comfortable, the heavier my eyelids grew.
Somewhere along the way, in between a discussion about what the replica should be made of and whether or not Scotland Yard or the Home Office should be involved, my eyes drifted shut and I slept.