Page 62 of Equalizer
They heaved for breath, sucking in the cold air and wiping away tears.
“Owen! Calvin!” Arabella hurried to meet them. “Is Humphries dead?”
“Yes. That was his headquarters,” Calvin told her. “He’s got a necromancer helping him.”
“Hehadone, you mean,” she replied with a smug smile. “We trapped him when he left the warehouse. Maria Bianchi wrung out a confession before she killed him. He won’t be helping anyone take over Humphries’s role, and after today, I doubt any other ambitious witches will be looking to take the job if someone is stupid enough to try to take Humphries’s place. Get out of here. I’ll make sure the whole place burns to the ground.” Arabella waved her hand.
Calvin glimpsed Louisa and several men he assumed were Pinkertons holding a periphery around the warehouse. The gunfire hadn’t come closer, but it sounded like a pitched battle was underway just a few blocks away.
“Pearl and her gang are keeping the Russo guards busy,” Owen told him. “We’re going to try to go around them and keep our heads down. Don’t get shot.”
When they rounded the corner, shots pinged in the brick wall near them. Owen dragged Calvin into a doorway.
“You got him?” Pearl shouted over her shoulder as she reloaded, barely pausing before shooting again. She glanced from Owen to Calvin. “Get out of here. We’ll handle the goons.”
They were barely another street away when an explosion shook the ground, and they turned to see a fireball where the warehouse had been. Calvin felt certain that Arabella would ensure that nothing remained of Humphries’s equipment or his work.
“Winston took a contingent of witches to Humphries’s house,” Owen told him. “He’ll make sure that no papers or files survive.”
“How did you find me?” Calvin couldn’t stave off another coughing fit. Owen rubbed his back.
“I’ll tell you everything later,” Owen promised. The wail of sirens sounded, growing louder. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t want to explain any of this to the cops.”
By the time the fire engines and police wagons thundered past them, the gunfire had ended. Calvin knew that the witches would have vanished into the shadows and that the Pinkertons as well as the mobsters and Pearl’s gang would be long gone.
A carriage rolled up beside them, and the driver lowered her hood so they could recognize Louisa. “Get in.”
They climbed aboard, and she snapped the reins, setting them off at a brisk pace. Two men Calvin didn’t recognize were already inside.
“Pinkertons,” Owen said. “Louisa’s people.” He turned to the two agents. “Thanks for the assist.”
The younger of the two men grinned. “There’s never a dull moment. Glad we could be of help. Whoever hired the warehouse guards did a lousy job. They folded as soon as we showed up in force.”
“Probably weren’t getting hazard pay worth the risk,” Owen said. “Better than fighting tooth and nail to the last man.”
The younger Pinkerton looked at Calvin. “You the guy who got kidnapped? Your partner called out everything except the cavalry to rescue you.”
“Thank you,” Calvin said. The smoke had made his throat sore and roughened his voice. “Did any of your people get hurt?”
“Nah. The guards didn’t have the belly for a real fight,” the older detective replied. “We trussed them up and left them for the cops. I don’t imagine they’re upstanding citizens.”
Once the dust settled, Calvin figured they would hear Pearl’s side of the fight with the Russos, either from Louisa or Pearl herself. He wondered how Maria Bianchi’s standoff with the other covens had gone and whether tonight would tip the balance of the Mob wars between the Conti family and the Russos, but at the moment, he was too exhausted to care.
Squashed into the carriage, Calvin’s knee bumped Owen’s, providing needed comfort. There were so many questions hewanted to ask, but not until they were safe in the Pullman car, in the privacy of Winston’s wardings.
After we shower. I can still smell the smoke and charred flesh. I hope we’ve got menthol rub.
“I’ll be in touch,” Louisa called to them when she stopped the carriage at the train station.
“Thanks for the lift,” Owen replied.
“Thanks for a fun night,” she said with a jaunty mock salute.
The carriage waited until they were inside the Pullman car before it drew away. Winston hurried to greet them.
“Oh, thank the gods. You’re alive.” He appraised them for injuries.
“Have any luck at Humphries’s apartment?” Owen asked Winston as he guided Calvin out of the foyer and toward the bathroom.
