A Most Peculiar Circumstance (27 page)

“Lovely,” he breathed. He stepped into the room and offered her his arm. “Shall we dine?”

Arabella forced herself to accept his arm and allowed him to escort her out of the room. The hallway was completely silent as they marched down it, and she could only hope Betsy would be successful in arming herself and spreading the word to the other women.

“We’ll be dining in the parlor this evening,” Jud said.

“There’s a parlor?”

“Of course there’s a parlor. I’ve rented a grand mansion for my holiday festivities. You’ve been spending all your time in the basement, and for that you have my deepest apologies. I couldn’t very well take the chance you or any of the other ladies would get it into your heads to pound on the windows to seek assistance, could I?”

“Where in the world did you obtain the money to rent a mansion?”

“My mother left me quite a tidy sum. I’m sure she would be pleased with how I’ve spent her fortune.”

Arabella tripped on the hem of her gown as they climbed the stairs, but Jud simply hauled her back to her feet and
pulled her the rest of the way up. She blinked when they came to the main floor and then blinked again as her eyes adjusted to the bright light coming from the massive chandelier hanging above her head. He’d not been lying; they were in a mansion.

The sound of passing carriages met her ears, and hope flowed through her. There were people right outside the house, people who would lend her assistance if she could just get out the front door.

As if reading her mind, Jud laughed and pulled her down a long hallway and into the parlor. He shoved her into a chair and wagged a finger at her. “Don’t even think about moving or I swear you’ll regret it. Brandy?”

“No, thank you.”

“I insist,” Jud hissed.

“I would
love
a brandy.”

Jud strode over to a small table, poured brandy into a glass, and moved to her side, handing her the glass before returning to the table and pouring another, larger glass.

She decided then and there she’d do her best to get him drunk.

She pretended to take a sip as he took a seat beside her and watched as he gulped down half the contents of his glass.

It might not take long if he continued to guzzle his drink in such a fashion.

“No need to fear I’ll get sloppy, my dear. I have an unusually high tolerance for alcohol.”

Was the man capable of reading her mind?

“You promised to entertain me with stimulating conversation,” he said. “I’m waiting.”

“Would you care to hear about the latest lecture I attended? It was very stimulating, and the speakers were well-versed on the Constitution.”

“I don’t understand why you waste your time on that non
sense,” Jud snapped. “Women have no business using their brains. That’s why God made you so attractive.”

“I don’t think you really find women attractive,” Arabella said slowly.

“I love women. I love collecting them.”

Even though Arabella didn’t want to hear more, she couldn’t seem to stop the questions that began to pour out of her mouth.

“When did you start collecting women?”

“After my mother died.”

“Why did you wait until after her death?”

“She would never allow me to have ladies in her house.”

“But . . . why didn’t you simply try courting a lady?”

Jud’s eyes began to burn. “None of the good ladies of Gilman seemed to be receptive to me.”

It would not serve her well to comment on that particular statement. Arabella cleared her throat. “How did your mother die?”

“I don’t care to discuss that.”

Jud stood and gestured around the room. “I hope you don’t mind, but I thought we’d dine in here before having the other girls join us in the dining room for the rest of the festivities I have planned.”

“That’s fine,” Arabella said, wondering how she was going to be able to get a single bite down her throat while Jud leered at her throughout the dinner.

“You’re very agreeable. It’s a shame we couldn’t get to know each other better, but I’ve decided I simply can’t allow you to live.”

“You could always change your mind.”

“No, I couldn’t do that. It’s Christmas Eve, you see, and this night is very, very special to me.”

Arabella frowned. “Does Christmas Eve have something to do with your mother?”

Pure evil spilled out of Jud’s eyes. “I don’t discuss my mother.”

Arabella’s breath hitched in her throat when Jud suddenly moved to her side. She winced as he drew back his hand, but before he could strike her, a man burst into the room.

“We’ve got a bit of a situation, boss.”

Arabella narrowed her eyes as Deputy Cunningham, a man she’d seen but hadn’t spoken to back in Gilman, stepped farther into the room, his eyes wide and his clothing disheveled.

“What is it?”

“Sheriff Dawson spotted me.”

Jud lowered his arm. “That complicates matters.” He smiled. “I guess we’ll need to speed up our festivities.”

 22 

T
heodore, I hate to disturb you, but there’s a man waiting in the foyer who wants to speak with you,” Ethel said quietly. “Shall I send him in?”

Theodore rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head. “I’m afraid I have no time to spare at the moment, Grandmother. I’ll be heading out as soon as Zayne arrives, and I’m not up to accepting anyone’s sympathy at the moment.”

“He didn’t claim to be here to offer sympathy.”

“Then he’s most likely just another curious soul come to see if anything’s been discovered.”

“Shall I have him leave his card?”

“That would be for the best.”

Before Ethel could leave, Agatha slid into the room, her features almost completely disguised by the wig and heavy makeup covering her face. She was dressed in a gown that was vulgar at best, and her eyes held a glint of what could only be described as determination.

He blew out a breath even as he rose to his feet. “We’ve been over this a million times, Agatha. You can’t come with us.”

Agatha planted her hands on her hips. “I’m going, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

To his relief, his grandmother stepped forward and put her arm around Agatha’s shoulders. “Dear, I know you want to help and that this has been incredibly hard on you, but you must think about your parents and about Arabella’s parents. Poor Gloria is beside herself at the moment, and the last thing she needs is to have something else to worry about. You’ll stay here with me while Theodore and Zayne hit the streets again.”

Agatha shook her head. “It’s my choice to help, Mrs. Wilder, and my choice alone. I can’t sit by and watch everyone suffer without doing something. If nothing else, I can offer myself up as bait and hope the man who took Arabella comes after me.”

“Dot said no other women have been taken,” Ethel argued. “You’re putting yourself at risk when there’s no guarantee the man is even still roaming the streets. What if some other man approaches you and everyone is distracted from the situation at hand?”

Agatha opened her mouth, but time was running away from Theodore, and he didn’t want to waste it arguing with her, even though his heart was near to breaking from her obvious distress. “Agatha, forgive me, but I can’t allow you to come. The only reason Zayne and I are taking to the streets tonight is to search for Arabella’s body. She deserves a proper funeral from me if nothing else, and the last thing I want you to see is her—”

“Don’t say that,” Agatha interrupted, her voice trembling and her lashes wet with unshed tears. “We don’t know for certain Arabella’s dead.”

“It’s pointless to think otherwise at this stage, Agatha,” Theodore said. “From what I’ve learned through numerous investigations, if a victim isn’t found within a day or two,
it’s rare to discover them alive. Arabella’s been missing for a week.”

Ethel drew herself up. “I have not given up hope just yet, young man. Arabella is a resourceful young woman. She wouldn’t like the fact that you’ve given up on her.”

“I didn’t say I’ve completely given up hope, Grandmother, but you know, given the life you’ve led, that what I’m saying is nothing less than the truth. I would love to find Arabella alive. I would love to be able to see her beautiful face again and tell her how much I adore her, how much I love her. I dream about her every time I close my eyes, but then reality returns the moment I awake, and I know it’s my fault she’s gone. The thought that we were dealing with two separate evils never even entered my head. I thought Wallace and Carter were lying when they claimed to have no knowledge of the missing women. I didn’t even bother to question them again after I handed them over to the police. If I would have been more diligent, I would have realized danger was alive and well in the city. I would never have allowed Arabella to remain in town.”

“It does no one any good if you blame yourself for this, Theodore,” Ethel said. “The odds of having two horrific crimes being perpetrated at the same time are slim to none. You’re taking too much responsibility for what happened.”

“I didn’t protect her,” Theodore said. “While I was lying in some hospital, Arabella was suffering.”

“You’d been shot, Theodore. You lost a lot of blood,” Agatha said. “You were in no condition to search for her.”

“It was only a flesh wound, and I wouldn’t have been shot if I’d been aware of the danger.”

“Arabella would never think you were to blame,” Ethel said quietly. “She’d tell you to quit being an idiot, and she’d also tell you to seek solace from God.”

Theodore’s eyes turned hard. “I have no use for God at
the moment, Grandmother. He allowed this to happen to Arabella, a woman who was filled with faith. He should have watched over her.”

“Perhaps He still is watching over her,” Ethel returned. “God didn’t allow this to happen to Arabella, dear. A man was responsible, and it’s your job to go out, find him, and bring him to justice. You have to put your anger aside and try to help Arabella.”

“I think she’s beyond help now.”

“Don’t you dare give up on her,” Agatha said as tears dribbled down her face, leaving trails through her makeup. “You’re the strong one, and I can’t handle it if you let go of all hope.”

The sight of Agatha’s tears had Theodore’s rage diminishing as he pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on her head. “Forgive me, Agatha. You’re right. All we have left is hope, and I’ll try to keep that thought alive. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Agatha? Are you all right?” Zayne asked as he strode into the room and stopped by Theodore’s side. Agatha let out a sniff and stepped out of Theodore’s embrace and directly into Zayne’s arms.

“I’m afraid I upset her,” Theodore said.

“Perfectly understandable,” Zayne said, his eyes blinking rather rapidly, obviously in an attempt to keep his tears in check.

“Theodore thinks it’s his fault she’s disappeared,” Agatha said.

“It’s not his fault. It’s mine.”

Theodore spun around, his hand immediately reaching for his pistol. He pulled it out and leveled it on Sheriff Dawson, who was standing in the doorway.

“Where is she?” Theodore growled.

Sheriff Dawson took one step into the room, but paused
when Theodore cocked the pistol. “As to that, I’m not certain, but I do know
who
has her.” He gestured to the gun. “Would it be possible for you to point that in the other direction?”

“Not until you explain everything to my satisfaction.”

Ethel moved up to stand by Theodore’s side. “Dear, this is the man I told you had come to call. Am I to understand he’s somehow involved in all this?”

Theodore arched a brow. “Well, are you involved in this, Sheriff Dawson?”

“Isn’t Sheriff Dawson that shifty law officer who disappeared from Gilman?” George asked as he stepped into the room, his own pistol clutched in his hand.

“Indeed he is, Grandfather,” Theodore answered. “Which should make the story he’s about to tell us regarding what he’s doing in New York particularly fascinating.”

Sheriff Dawson shook his head. “We don’t have much time.”

Theodore didn’t lower his gun. “Who killed Arabella?”

“I don’t think she’s dead, not yet at least.”

A thread of hope spread through his veins. “Where is she?”

“I told you, I don’t know, but Jud Hansen and another one of my deputies, Peter Cunningham, are behind her disappearance.”

“You don’t know where they are?” George pressed.

“I wasn’t even sure Peter was involved until I saw him on the street just a short time ago. I tried to trail him, but Peter’s one of the best trackers I’ve ever known, and he lost me.”

Theodore’s arm slowly lowered. He gestured to a chair. “I understand that time is of the essence, but we need to understand what we’re going up against before we leave this house.”

Sheriff Dawson looked as if he wanted to argue, but hurried to the chair and sat down. He took a moment, as if he needed to collect his thoughts, and then nodded. “I knew something was wrong months ago. Women kept showing up
in Gilman, and then they’d just disappear, never to be seen in town again. I started investigating Wallace and Carter, and it took me a while to understand they were selling the women. I was going to move in for an arrest the day you showed up, Mr. Wilder, but everything fell apart after that. Wallace and Carter disappeared, and I readily admit I had doubts regarding my own men. I thought at least one of them was in on it, but I couldn’t prove anything, and I didn’t trust anyone.”

“You should have come to me the moment you stepped foot into New York,” Theodore said.

“They are
my
men. I thought it was
my
problem. I realize that was foolish, but again, I didn’t know whom to trust. When Jud and Peter disappeared from town, followed by Deputy Black, I hoped they were simply pursuing Wallace and Carter. After I found that shed, well, I knew something beyond selling women was in play. I followed my men to New York, and I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to find Jud, but he’s gone to ground. He’s highly trained, has a fortune at his disposal, and I fear, from what I found in back of his house, he’s insane.”

“What did you find?”

“He found garments and trinkets belonging to ladies, all of them giving testimony to the fact Jud Hansen has been a busy man.” Theodore glanced over his shoulder and settled his sights on the door, where a large gentleman who looked slightly familiar stood. “He also found silk ties, some of them sporting a bit of blood, which we’ve come to believe were used to keep those women tied up in Jud’s house.”

“Who are you?” George demanded.

The man moved into the room. “I’m William Black, the only trustworthy deputy Sheriff Dawson has at his disposal. I felt it prudent to join your meeting.”

“Did you find any bodies with those trinkets?” Theodore asked as he strode over to stand beside William.

“Fortunately no, but that doesn’t mean bodies aren’t buried somewhere in the woods,” William said. “My concern at the moment is the date.”

Theodore frowned. “The date?”

“Jud Hansen was unnaturally attached to his mother. She died on Christmas Eve a few years back, and I don’t know why—call it intuition, if you will—but I have a feeling he’s planning something to commemorate her passing.”

“Do you really think there’s a chance the women are still alive?” Theodore asked.

William glanced at the clock before he nodded. “I would have to say yes, at least for now. I’ve hunted with Jud before, and he enjoys the hunt. If Jud has targeted this date as a warped way of honoring his mother, he’ll want to draw the women’s fear out. I think he’ll wait until right around midnight to make his move.”

“That means we don’t have much time, and we don’t know where he is. Every warehouse and deserted building has been searched and searched again. We don’t even know if he’s in the city,” Theodore said.

“He’s in the city,” Sheriff Dawson said. “I told you, I saw Peter Cunningham out on the streets. They’ll be together. Peter always idolized Jud.”

“Would he kill for him?” Ethel asked, suddenly speaking up.

“I imagine he would,” William replied.

What sounded like a nervous cough caught Theodore’s attention, and he turned and discovered Violet standing in the doorway. He gestured her into the room.

“I do beg everyone’s pardon for eavesdropping,” Violet said, “but me and the girls couldn’t seem to help ourselves.”

Theodore glanced up and saw Hannah, Lottie, and Sarah peering through the side of the door. He waved them in and watched as they inched over beside Violet.

“You said that Jud fellow had money,” Sarah said, looking at Sheriff Dawson.

Sheriff Dawson nodded. “He does.”

“Then he’ll be in one of the big houses, won’t he?” Lottie asked. “He’s planning this out like a celebration. He won’t want it to be done in the stews.”

Theodore’s breath caught in his throat as Lottie’s words settled in his mind. He strode over to her, bent down and kissed her soundly on the cheek, then straightened. “You, my dear ladies, are geniuses. That’s exactly where Jud will be, and I’m ever so thankful all of you insisted on returning to town to keep a vigil for Arabella. You might have just saved her life. All we have to do now is figure out which house he’s rented.”