Night Storm (36 page)

“Dammit, Charley. Neither is to my liking.”

“Nevertheless, they are the only two options you have.”

“Fine,” he all but growled. “But you will follow my instructions without question. If you don’t, I’ll tie you up and deposit you into the nearest room I can find.”

She believed him. “Deal. May I borrow paper and pen?”

“Yes. Trig will take your message straightaway.”

“I can get Danny Denton to deliver Mrs. Fielding’s note. You might need me.”

Cam said nothing, simply raised a brow.

Trig groaned.

“Did you see anything else?” Cam asked.

“No,” Trig said with less enthusiasm. “I waited for about an hour for him to reappear, but I never saw him again. I didn’t think much of it because he’s been moping outside that theater all week. I thought he finally got up enough nerve to go inside. It wasn’t until I followed the sister to the same location that I grew suspicious.”

Cam caught Charlotte’s eye. “Now would be a good time to write your message.”

Chapter Seventeen

Piper’s knees were beginning to ache from sitting in one place for so long. After making one fruitless search of the theater with Peter, she now waited in this small, unobtrusive alcove until Felix showed himself. Discarded crates littered the area and a dingy gray curtain hung from a rather unstable-looking rod high above her head. From behind the curtain, she could see the actors and stagehands coming and going, with them being none the wiser.

Peter had wanted to stay and search the place again with her, but he had to hurry home to help his mother care for his sick sister. Before he left, Peter had assured her that if Felix was still here, he would have to come this way, eventually.

While crouched amid decades-old dust and God only knew what else, Piper saw many familiar and unfamiliar faces rush by, but no Felix. Slowly, the theater grew increasingly quiet and dark shadows began to fill in around her.

Felix wasn’t here. No one was, given the uncommon silence.

Feeling panicked and ridiculous having wasted so much time and inconveniencing her neighbor, mother, and Peter, she shot up from her hiding spot and promptly banged her head on a low support beam.

“Ow!” Stumbling, she rubbed her head and winced at the blood rushing back into legs that had been in one position too long. “Felix, you’re going to pay for this.”

“For once, I’m glad I’m not Felix,” an amused voice said.

She whirled around to find Christopher Gordon garbed in a beaver hat and great coat, smiling at her as if she played the lead role in a farce. More like tragedy, she thought.

The actor doffed his hat and gloves. “What brings you to our fair theater?”

“I—um—” Piper had never been good at prevarication, so she settled on the truth. “I came to fetch Felix.”

He angled his body in order to see around her—toward the alcove. “No luck in there?”

Heat poured over her. “I—I thought I heard a noise.”

“Ah.” His keen gaze roamed down her body. “Shall I help you find him?”

She backed away, shaking her head. “He’s not here. I must have misunderstood him earlier.”

“Happens to the best of us. Piper, right?”

Nodding, she glanced down the wide thoroughfare toward the exit. The familiarity with which the actor’s gaze drifted over her made Piper uncomfortable.

“Do you need an escort home?”

“No, thank you.” She took another step toward the exit. “I’ll be perfectly safe on my own.”

“Very well.” He spoke slowly, as if he were coming to a decision even as his words slipped passed his lips. “They’ll be locking up soon.” He angled his head to the side, listening. “You had better hurry.”

“Of course, thank you.” The moment she turned to leave, another voice stopped her cold.

“Soft-hearted, Christopher. What might you be up to?”

Piper glanced over her shoulder in time to see regret edge across Christopher Gordon’s handsome features. A feminine hand curled over his shoulder, caressing the broad ridge. The mahogany-haired temptress, Vivian Keighley, emerged from the shadows to smile upon Charlotte.

This time, the stunning actress wore a deep emerald-green gown shot through with gold ribbon. The same colored ribbon adorned a pearl drop hugging her slender neck. Below the ribbon, she sported yet another necklace. The heavy gold chain was so long that if it had been worn by a more modest woman, Piper would never have seen the jeweled locket dangling at the end.

“Piper Scott, correct?”

Feeling gauche and awkward, Piper nodded, tucking a nonexistent stray lock behind her ear.

“How adorable!” The actress laughed, a rich, velvety waterfall of sound concocted to force men to their knees.

Piper glanced at Christopher. No longer could she read regret in his expression. In fact, his face seemed devoid of all emotion until the siren’s fingers tunneled through his hair. Her touch sparked an instant, if slightly reluctant, reaction. The more Vivian toyed with his hair, the more his reluctance disappeared.

“That’s better, my pet.” Vivian released Christopher and sauntered over to Piper, circling her like a breeder inspecting prized horseflesh.

Vivian moved behind Piper, clasping her upper arms as if she were about to present her to a potential buyer. With her chin resting on Piper’s right shoulder, she spoke to Christopher. “Lovely, don’t you think?”

The blank look had returned to Christopher’s face, though the gravelly tone to his voice spoke volumes. “Breathtakingly so.”

Enslaved,
Piper thought. Something about this mahogany-haired woman obliterated all sense and human decency in the handsome actor.

Vivian caressed a bladelike nail along Piper’s cheek. “Much more pliable than her ladyship, yes?”

“Vivian, I don’t think—”

“No, you don’t,” she interrupted. “It’s my job to do the thinking for the both of us.” Her voice grew velvety again. “Time to play, pet.”

Christopher began unfastening his greatcoat.

Piper’s attention remained riveted on his hands, even while her mind screamed,
Run!
She didn’t understand what game these two were playing, but it scared her. Never more so than when Vivian’s hand covered Piper’s breast.

She bolted away, her body shaking violently. “What are you doing?” She glanced at Christopher. Seeing no help there, she demanded, “Are you mad?”

Vivian’s amusement faded, taking with it her beautiful mask. She lifted a heart-shaped locket from the valley of her generous bosom and rubbed the golden keepsake over her painted lips. “The last time a woman questioned my state of mind, she paid for it with her life.”

Piper focused on the heavy gold chain and tried to pull the riddle together.
Gold chain. Her ladyship. Bruising around the neck. Corpse at the theater.

The answer struck her so hard she nearly cried out from the shock of it.
“You
killed Lady Winthrop?”

Satisfaction smoothed out the cruel lines that had taken hold of the actress’s features. “I had tired of her, so no real loss.”

“But why?”

Vivian’s languid gaze slid over to Christopher, who had remained unnaturally quiet through their exchange. “Would you like to tell her, darling?”

Anguish blanketed the actor’s handsome face. “Go to hell, Vivian.”

“Language, pet. Sweet Piper isn’t used to such harsh talk.” Vivian’s gaze traveled down Piper’s length in much the same way as Christopher’s had. Where Christopher’s attention made her uncomfortable, Vivian’s sent terror running down her spine. “Have you ever been kissed, Piper?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Vivian chuckled. “I didn’t think so. Having never taken a man between your legs means you’d be doubly shocked to learn Lady Winthrop was my lover.”

The notion of two women making love was too fantastical. “You lie.”

“Do I?” Vivian’s voice dropped to a sultry whisper. “Tell her, Christopher.”

Jaw set, he said, “She speaks the truth.”

“Why would you kill someone you cared about?”

“Dearest, Piper.” Vivian looked upon her as if she were about to counsel a child. “I said nothing about caring for the baroness. I simply gave her access to my body. And Christopher’s.”

Piper’s mind froze, unable to comprehend the siren’s words.

“All had been going well. The baroness showered gifts upon us, paid our rent, satisfied our appetites…until she tempted Christopher away from me.” Vivian pulled the locket from between her breasts. “When I realized the two were meeting each other secretly, I knew it was time to end our liaison with the baroness. Permanently.”

“Why did you have to kill her?”

Vivian flashed a cruel smile toward her lover. “Christopher forced my hand the moment he fell in love with her.” She kissed the heart-shaped locket. “Inside this little trinket lies a lock of dear Christopher’s hair. Romantic, is he not? Too bad her ladyship did not get a chance to enjoy his costly present for long.”

“You cannot kill every woman I fall in love with,” Christopher said, anguish riddled his features.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Vivian said in a singsong voice. “I’m doing pretty well so far.”

Piper stared. How many people had these two killed?

The actress shifted her attention back to Piper. “Before we get started, there’s one thing you should never forget.” She drew up her jewel-tone skirts and pulled a knife from a sleeve tied around her calf. Sending Piper a seductive sidelong glance, she lifted her hem higher to reveal black garters. “Never forget Christopher is mine.”

When Piper made no response, Vivian hiked her skirts to her hips and signaled to her lover. She wore nothing beneath.

Enslaved by something Piper was not equipped to understand, the actor dropped to his knees before the temptress. Vivian smoothed the knife along his jaw. “My little pet forgot my cardinal rule for a few weeks, and the baroness paid for his mistake with her life.”

Vivian nicked her finger with the knife. Blood beaded over the open wound, and she smeared it over her lover’s bottom lip, and then slipped the tip into his mouth.

The sickening display both horrified and fascinated Piper. Her feet seemed rooted in place, yet her mind kept urging her to escape. When Christopher bent his head toward the apex of Vivian’s legs, Piper did just that. She ran. As fast as her booted feet would take her.

The siren laughed. “Oh, innocent Piper. Don’t you want to see your brother, Felix?”

Piper halted, breathless, tears threatening. Dear God, could Felix be here after all? Slowly, she pivoted. Bile rose in the back of her throat at the mere thought of what vile act those two would be performing. An act she would be compelled to watch if she wanted to see Felix again.

Christopher still kneeled on the floor, a look of frustration marring his features. Vivian, on the other hand, stood with nonchalant grace near a staircase. The same one Piper and Mrs. Fielding had exited from after observing Felix’s performance on Monday. She couldn’t believe how much their lives had changed in such a short period of time.

“Pretty Piper,” Vivian crooned, waving her hand toward the staircase. “Your brother awaits.”

Chapter Eighteen

Charlotte’s heart thundered, and sweat trickled into the corner of her eyes, making it difficult to see through the haze of her fear. One by one, she crawled up the Augusta’s spiral staircase, determined to reach Felix.

After Trigger’s disturbing discovery, she and Cam had hurried to the theater while Trigger delivered her regrets to Mr. Buchanan. Even now, with Piper’s and Felix’s safety hanging in the balance, she still experienced a twinge of guilt for having deserted Mr. Buchanan and Lachlan.

Entering through the same passageway where they had found Lady Winthrop’s corpse a few days ago, she and Cam paused just inside and listened for any telltale signs of disturbance. As luck would have it, they had arrived in time to hear Vivian Keighley’s dark description of what she had done to Lady Winthrop in order to keep her “pet” all to herself.

Amoral, perverted creature. Charlotte now had a better understanding of why the killer—Vivian—had slashed the baroness’s face. The actress either felt threatened by Lady Winthrop, or she was marking her territory like a wild animal. Both options were incomprehensible to her.

And Charlotte now understood the significance of the blue thread beneath Lady Winthrop’s fingernail. The day of the murder was the day she had met Vivian. Charlotte recalled admiring the actress’s ability to wear the garish sapphire dress.

Joseph had been right. Lady Winthrop had tried to fight off her attacker. Her female attacker, who wore a deep sapphire-blue dress.

Such cold-blooded evil is rarely associated with women.

Cameron’s words surfaced in her mind. Evidently, evil did not have a preferred gender.

Charlotte paused to catch her breath. This ascent was so much worse than the first time. She had to go slowly so as not to arouse Vivian’s or Christopher’s notice. Add the pressure of finding Felix and getting him to safety, and she had the makings of a dismal heroine.

Craning her neck, she tried to catch a glimpse of Cam. But she could not see him anywhere. Leaving him to deal with two mentally unstable actors had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. How she wished they had taken the time to notify the authorities or round up some help. But they had both been focused on getting to Piper and Felix posthaste.

The moment the actress mentioned Felix’s location, Cam had given Charlotte urgent instructions, punctuated by a hard, love-filled kiss and a harsh warning to be careful. She hadn’t the heart to tell him about her fear of heights. Given a choice, she would much rather have faced a crazed actress than climb forty-seven wrought-iron stairs.

Unable to put it off any longer, she continued her ascent, gripping each stair as if it were the only thing keeping her from plummeting into the depths of hell.
Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven.

Piper’s voice reached her. “Did you also place the red tie next to her ladyship’s body?”

Charlotte froze midcrawl. How had Piper worked out that particular scenario for the red tie? Her assistant had been there when Charlotte had discovered the evidence, and she’d accompanied Charlotte to the theater, knowing that their visit had something to do with Felix. But to link all those circumstances together to create a conspiracy against Felix would have taken a great deal of ingenuity.