Jack A Grim Reaper Romance (31 page)

“I’ll not let him near you, love.” He gave her hand a squeeze, and then linked his fingers with hers before turning his attention back to Pierce. “I want us to be quick but thorough at this first scene. The longer we linger, the less time we’ll have at Mitre Square before Jack’s energy starts to dissipate and we’re unable to recreate what happened.”

They left the carriage a street over from Berner, and walked over to Dutfield’s Yard. The police were milling about the scene and the coroner was already examining the body where it lay in a pool of blood, her throat slashed. A constable told the coroner her name was Elizabeth Stride, also known as Long Liz.

Jack’s energy clung to the area, confirming that he had indeed been there. And yet… taking in the body, Mason soon realized something was different. He touched the woman and released her trapped soul. Jack had not reaped her. It sent his mind racing, but his thoughts would have to wait since they had little time.

Mason looked around, and realized Nelson had yet to arrive—either that or he chose to go to the other scene first. He looked over at Lilly, her eyes already filled with dread. She knew what he was going to ask of her. “I’m sorry, love. But there’s no other choice.”

Lilly nodded, her lips pursed with unease. “Just do what you need to. It’s raining, I’m freezing, and I want this over with.” She let out a ragged breath and then looked away.

All he could think was that he should have brought an umbrella to help keep her out of the rain. It was an absurd thought to be worrying about trivialities with such horror before them, yet Lilly kept him from thinking logically. Annoyed with himself, he tried to clear his head. He had not the time to coddle her with another body waiting, nor would she invite such an attitude. “Very well, then. You know what to do.”

He held her head in his hands, and felt her open up to him, even as she shuddered from the pain, her entire body stiff. Her memory of that blasted evening with Jack played for him once again, mocking, teasing, letting him know that he had not been the first, nor would he be the last—not even their marriage could guarantee such a thing with Corwin’s constant presence. She’d made that much abundantly clear despite her willingness to work on their marriage.

He felt her draw upon the energy left behind at the scene, but nothing materialized. “I need you to concentrate, love.” When he lent her some of his energy, she bit back a scream.

“I
am
, damn it.” She pulled at Jack’s essence, but nothing came from the body itself. Nothing played out as it had with the previous murders.

Mason released her from his thoughts, linking his hand with hers as he held her close to try and comfort her. “Let’s give it a rest for a moment, and then we’ll try again.”

She shook her head and took a step away from him. “Yes. Of course. After all, it’s only my pain, and never mind that there’s a second murder for which you’ll be rifling through my head.” She let out a ragged breath, and looked away from him. “I’m sorry. I know you’re just trying to do your job, but I cannot bear going through this time and again. It’d be one thing if it actually helped with the investigation, but it hasn’t.”

“I know this isn’t easy on you, love. But we
are
getting close, and we’ll soon be able to put this all behind us.” He cupped her cheek, and hoped he hadn’t been telling her untruths. “Let’s forget about repeating the reenactment here. I’d rather not have you spent by the time we get to the next site. And if we can manage to avoid Nelson, all the better.”

They made it to the next murder in less than a half hour. The crime scene was illuminated by several lanterns, though darkness clung to the place. There was no sign of Nelson, but Amara was present, her lanky form and long blond hair standing out amongst the milling police, though he did not see Damon or any of the other Elders.

Mason’s gut clenched at the thought of Amara taking part of the investigation. If Amara wanted to go through Lilly’s head, she would dispel with any niceties and do whatever it took to get the information she needed. He turned to Lilly, sensing her panic. “I’ll be but a minute. Just stay here with Pierce. He’ll keep you safe.”

Mason noted Jack’s essence clinging to the area as he made his way over to where Amara stood. It would do no good to ignore her, and if anything, he’d only make matters worse. When he got closer, she gave him a smile that sent a chill down his spine. Taking her hand, he bowed over it.

“M’ Lady.”

“Lord Archer.” She tilted her chin in the direction of the murdered woman. “Yet another one.
Why
have we not caught Torrington yet?”

He bit his tongue. In the mood he was in, it’d be too easy to tell her to ask Nelson. “I wish I had an answer for you, but he’s managed to elude us unlike anything I’ve seen before. Not even the trackers have had any luck.”

“Luck? I’d not think you got to be chancellor with just luck and your good looks.” She stepped closer, her body brushing against his. “I’m losing patience, Mason.”

“Perhaps Nelson’s doing better at tracking Jack down? He is the one in charge of this mess, no? And yet he’s not even here.”

She threw back her head and laughed. “You certainly are bold. You’re just lucky I find that sort of thing charming.” Her eyes sparkled in the lantern light, as though glowing from within. “It’s been a long time, Mason.”

“A hundred years, if not longer.” And the once had been enough.

She tilted her head and gave him a sidewise glance. “Once this mess is dealt with… Could be fun. Could also be worth your while.”

Was she offering him the lead on the investigation? Perhaps. Yet, the price he’d pay would be high, no matter what he got in trade.

“I’m sure it would be a grand time, m’ Lady, but I am now a married man.” He raised his hand and wiggled his fingers to show off the wedding band he now wore.

She looked over in Lilly’s direction. “Do you think that matters? I’m an Elder, my dear. Rules seldom apply.”

He knew not how to avoid the matter without offending. “I fear I’ve gotten tiresome in my old age and I’d do nothing but bore you.”

“The girl doesn’t seem to mind.” Her eyebrow perked in question, and Mason knew he needed to tread lightly.

“The girl doesn’t know any better, now does she?”

“Well done, Mason.” She let out another laugh, and he took the moment to make his escape.

With a step back, he took a deep bow. “If you’ll excuse me, I believe the coroner is about to start with his findings.”

“Soon, Mason.”

“M’ Lady.” Mason turned and headed back to Lilly, but something was wrong—her gaze kept scanning the crowd. “What’s happened? Is Nelson here?”

She shook her head no. “It felt like someone was watching me, even though I know no one can see me.”

“No one except for Stefan.” Mason took her hand in his, while looking around.

His gaze settled on Pierce, and without needing any words between them, he told him to keep an eye out. It could be nothing. She’d not seen Stefan, after all. Yet it left him feeling uneasy.

With the coroner ready to start, Mason took a quick look at the woman’s mutilated form and again, realized the woman’s soul had not been reaped. He bent down and touched her, releasing her soul, his eyes on Pierce as his lieutenant realized what he’d just done.

“What is it, Mason?” Lilly looked between him and Pierce, but it would all have to wait as the coroner got started.

Pierce got ready to take notes as the coroner’s voice carried loud and clear, the area thoroughly lit with lanterns. “Just the preliminary examination and then we’ll do a thorough post mortem at the morgue.”

Dr. Frederick Gordon Brown paused for a moment to make sure his assistant was ready to take down his findings and then turned to the woman’s form. “The body is on its back, the head turned to the left shoulder. The arms are by the side of the body as if they had fallen there. Both palms upwards, the fingers slightly bent. The left leg extends in a line with the body. The abdomen is exposed. Right leg bent at the thigh and knee. The throat cut across.”

He then knelt down, silent for a moment before continuing. “The intestines are drawn out to a large extent and placed over the right shoulder. A piece of… about two feet… appears to be quite detached from the body and has been placed between the body and the left arm, apparently by design. The lobe and auricle of the right ear is cut obliquely through.”

He moved around the body while making his observations, careful not to disrupt anything. “There is a quantity of clotted blood on the pavement near the left side of the neck, around the shoulder and upper part of the arm.”

He then knelt down before the mutilated corpse and touched it, raising the woman’s arm and lowering it back in the position it was found. “Body is quite warm. No death stiffening has taken place. Her death will likely have occurred within the half hour. No spurting of blood on the bricks or pavement around. There is no blood on the front of the clothes.

“The face is very much mutilated. There is a deep cut over the bridge of the nose that extends down near the angle of the jaw on the right side of the cheek, with a cut extending to divide the upper lip and gum. There’s a cut on the right angle of the mouth as if made with the point of a knife. Another cut can be found on each cheek.”

The coroner let out a ragged breath, and shook his head, before returning to the brutality. “The throat is cut across to the extent of about six or seven inches. The larynx has been severed below the vocal chord. The death was immediate and the mutilations were inflicted after death.”

Mason looked away from the body when Lilly gripped his arm, catching her as she collapsed in a faint. He scooped her in his arms and carried her off to a stoop where he could set her down. Pierce remained to continue with his notes.

It wasn’t long before Lilly started to come to. “You’re all right, love. It must have been a bit too much for you, is all. Can you stand?”

Lilly fisted his coat, her eyes wide like saucers, shining black in the dark. “Mason, I’m begging you not to make me go back there. That poor woman. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s so much worse than the others.”

Mason knew the mutilations to the woman’s face made it all the more horrific, yet he could think of no way to spare Lilly. His stomach clenched in knots, for he knew the misery he felt was nothing compared to what she would be exposed to. “I wish there was something I could do, love.”

He looked into those pleading eyes, and wanted nothing more than to protect her. Yet it was for that exact reason that she could not be spared. The Elders would be displeased if she did not help with the investigation, and pulling her from these horrors would only land her in a far worse hell.

“You need to do this, Lilly. Amara’s still here, and if I don’t have you recreate what happened, I guarantee you she will. I promise to be as gentle as I’m able.”

He hauled her to her feet, still holding on, should her legs give out from under her. She glared at him, but seemed steady. Without another word, he tucked her arm in the crook of his elbow, and escorted her back to body.

The coroner had just about finished with his findings, so Mason got started. “Tell me when you’re ready.”

Lilly’s forehead was lined with worry. “Just be quick, Mason. I do not think I can manage this for long.”

The familiar scene played out with Jack and Lilly in the cottage, and Mason swore if there was another murder, he’d make her pick a different memory. Lilly pulled on Jack’s energy, trying to tease the body to life and recreate what happened. Yet once again, nothing came into view.

He gave her a jolt of his own energy, hoping it would help her coax something to life, but other than her scream, nothing changed. He tried again, and her entire body tensed in response.

“There’s nothing here, Mason.” She spoke through clenched teeth, her hands grasping his wrists as he held onto her head.

Mason knew she was right. But what left him puzzled was why these murders were different? The women had not been reaped, and Lilly had been unable to recreate the murders, despite Jack’s essence being in the area.

He closed his eyes and let the information spin around his head like a maelstrom.

***

“We need to go over all the evidence we have thus far. Something isn’t adding up.” Mason poured over his notes, and then moved to Pierce’s findings, flipping back and forth between the two. “And I’m referring to the murders, aye? Forget about finding Jack for just a moment.”

Pierce hovered over his shoulder, going over the same notes. “What exactly are we looking for?”

“These last two murders—neither of the women were reaped, yet once more, they died before their time. I had to release their souls, aye? So why? Why did Jack not release them like the other times? And why weren’t we able to see the murders reenacted?” Mason then turned to Lilly, who was nursing a brandy to soothe her nerves, Corwin at her side. Why the bloody man was even here was beyond him. “Love, I need you to go over the details of each crime. Have you ever seen the whole crime, start to finish?”

“Can ye not see that the lass isna well?” Corwin shook his head, angry, but Lilly waved his concerns away.

“I’ll manage. This is information only I have.” She set down her glass and turned her attention to Mason, though her brow was still furrowed with pain. “I’ve seen more than I’d like to, but no, never from start to finish.”