Page 82 of Grave Expectations
I fingered the sleeve of his jacket but stopped again when I saw how dirty my hands were. "Holloway's dead."
His head jerked round. His lips parted. He took a step toward me, then stopped and put his hands behind his back. "How?"
"I killed him, in a way."
"It weren't your fault," Gus said.
"He's right," Seth added. "If he hadn't taken you, he'd still be alive."
"Will somebody tell me what happened," Lincoln ground out.
"We spotted Mrs. Drinkwater as we were leaving The Alhambra," I said. "Seth and Gus pursued her—"
"Leaving you alone." His razor sharp glare tore shreds off his men. Both turned a shade paler.
"Holloway had a gun and threatened to kill me if I didn't go with him."
"A gun?" Lincoln dragged a hand through his hair, down the back of his neck. "What about the imp?"
I explained to him how it would only save me if I was in direct danger.
"You could have summoned it anyway so that it was ready," he said.
"In full public view?"
A beat passed, two, in which his eyes went from icy to cool, to shadowed. "You wanted to ask Holloway questions, didn't you? That's why you went with him."
I bristled. I'd expected this inquisition, but had hoped he would temper it with a show of affection. There was nothing affectionate in his barked questions and the taut planes of his face. "We needed answers," I said.
"And what did you learn?"
"That a man helped him escape. A man who doesn't like magic or supernaturals. I think this man wanted Holloway to kill me, that's why he helped him escape. I also think it's the same man who commissioned Captain Jasper's work, and almost commissioned Reginald Drinkwater, Miss Brumley and Frankenstein, killing both Drinkwater and Brumley when he learned they were supernaturals. Paying someone else to kill them, I should say. We must look at the hired assassin more closely. He could be the key to finding out the identity of the villain behind it all."
"I learned his name and address from the Kensington Police Station yesterday. There was nothing in his house to identify anyone who might have hired him. I checked thoroughly. He also has no family and few friends. There's a possibility some of my other contacts may have heard who he was working for, but I haven't questioned them all yet. I will continue tonight."
"Oh."
He arched his brows.
"I was hoping you would stay in tonight and we could…" I glanced at Seth and Gus. They looked as uncomfortable as I felt. "Talk."
"I need to go out, Charlie. This must be resolved." Lincoln dragged both hands through his hair this time then pinched the bridge of his nose.
I clasped both his arms. "If you two wouldn't mind leaving us for a moment," I said over my shoulder.
"Stay," Lincoln barked, pulling away. "You haven't explained the soot."
I sighed and retreated back to the armchair. I wouldn't beg for his attention. Not in front of the others. "Holloway took me to a factory. I started a small fire to distract him from killing me. Unfortunately the small fire became a larger one when some powder exploded and the rafters caught alight. The chimney fell on Holloway, killing him. I escaped."
"With the help of the imp?"
I nodded.
His hands curled into fists at his sides. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Gus is right. His death is not your fault."
I rubbed my arms, to chase away the chill, and studied the floor so he couldn't see the tears puddle in my eyes.
Another deep breath from Lincoln drew my attention back to him. He quickly looked away. "Take a warm bath. Afterward, if you're feeling up to it, you can summon Holloway's spirit and question him about the man who helped him escape."
