Cat and Mouse (7 page)

“Be extremely quiet for a few moments.” She barely got the words out when she saw the man run in and out of her view of the street.

Katrina heaved in a breath and let it out in utter relief. “Thank heavens.” He hadn’t seen them duck into the yard.

“What was so urgent that we had to flee?” the girl whispered to Katrina.

“I—” Katrina thought to appeal to her new friend’s feminine sensibilities. “I’m avoiding an unwanted encounter with a certain gentleman.”

“Oh my. From whom do you run?”

Katrina felt her cheeks heat in her embarrassment. “To be quite honest with you, I don’t actually know his name.”

“Ah. One of
those
. I understand completely. Had a couple in my day.”

Katrina took a closer look at the girl at her side and nearly laughed.
A couple
? With her large, wide set eyes, sweet feminine voice and porcelain skin, there was no question as to why men would have found her attractive. However, she seemed extraordinarily youthful to have suffered too many situations. “You couldn’t be more than, what, nineteen or twenty?”

“Twenty-one this summer, but I assure you, before my brother, Maxwell, intervened and found me a suitable match, undesirable men buzzed around me like flies.” She shuddered.

“Come. Let me see if he’s gone.” Katrina inched her way towards the front of the residence, keeping close to the wall in case he retraced his steps. At the corner she backed the girl up against the house with an outstretched arm and peeked around, trying to keep the entirety of her body concealed.

“Unbelievable.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Stay hidden. He’s…lurking.”

“Oh, dear.” The girl pressed herself against the wall as if she wanted to sink into the brick façade.

In actuality, her pursuer had found Jimmy as he waited for her on the corner. It looked like the stranger had engaged her partner in conversation. In order for Jimmy not to look suspicious, she was sure he was forced to accommodate the nosey bugger. Damnation, if he wasn’t in the midst of interrogating Jimmy as he had her that very morning…

“How long do you think he’ll choose to
lurk
?”

“There’s no telling.”

A few moments of silence fell between them while Katrina watched Jimmy converse with the man. Jimmy’s expertly casual stance didn’t fool her for a moment. He was a sly genius, but Katrina could distinguish his method of placation from all the time they’d spent together observing people’s public faces and tells.

The girl tapped Katrina on the shoulder and whispered. “I know this is terribly against proper decorum, but my name is Lady Susanna Kendrick. I am the wife of Lord Charles Kendrick.”

Katrina turned to the girl. “I—” the situation was getting more complicated by the moment. “You can call me Miss Katrina.”

“Oh, but—” she paused for a moment then continued. “Then please call me Susanna.”

She presented her newest acquaintance a nod in lieu of a curtsey and returned her attention to the corner across the street. Her pursuer was in the process of lighting a cigar, then held the flame for Jimmy.

A groan escaped from between Katrina’s lips.

“What is it now?”

“I believe we’ve been granted some time to get acquainted.” Katrina led Susanna down the path to where the garden chairs sat and together they lowered themselves to the seats. “Now, tell me. What was so important back there at the ball?”

“Oh, it’s just awful. My reticule has been stolen.”

“That’s what all—” Katrina subdued the snide remark and cleared her throat. “How do you know you didn’t just leave it somewhere accidentally? The cloakroom, for instance.”

“I would never do such a thing! I had personal items therein that mean the world to me.”

“We all carry items of that nature on our persons. Are you certain—?”

“Begging your pardon, Miss Katrina,” she interrupted with the utmost politeness. “You see, my husband entrusted me with an article he’s written—a very important article that will directly affect his—
our
future.” Lady Susanna let out an exasperated sigh. “And there is more.”

“Let me guess. Letters from your lover?”

Lady Susanna’s eyes went wide. “Bite your tongue, Miss Katrina! I happen to be very much in love with my Charles.”

Katrina patted Lady Susanna’s hand in contrition. “I do apologise. What else did you have in your reticule?”

“Well…” Lady Susanna seemed reluctant to answer until she all but burst out with her answer. “A small but cherished stack of Halfpenny Marvels.” Her bottom lip slipped between her teeth as if expecting a scathing reprimand from Katrina.

A grin threatened, but Katrina quelled it. “You mean those sensationalistic little serial books?”

“Good God.” She groaned. “It sounds so lurid when you say it like that!”

Katrina swallowed what would surely be looked upon as an insulting bark of laughter. “Lady Susanna—are you truly afraid that people will find out you enjoy reading?”

The girl shook her head. “It’s not that at all. While I admit reading for a woman isn’t very fashionable at the moment, it’s
what
I read that the
ton
won’t understand. If they found out, I’d be ruined socially and my husband would never forgive me for it. You see, my Marvels aren’t at all the thing.” She sighed wistfully. “But I do so enjoy a juicy detective story.”

Lady Susanna launched into a detailed version of one of her Marvels, while Katrina’s mind wandered. She imagined Jimmy would likely give up waiting for her at some point—and that would mean she’d have to make it back to the Den alone. Again.

Chapter Seven

“Pardon the unsolicited enquiry, sir, but didn’t I see you at the Frosts’ ball not a quarter-hour ago?”

Jimmy’s first impression of the man’s question raised significant suspicions, but the sincerity in the friendly manner with which it was delivered sent another message all together. He saw no harm in answering so he blew out a lungful of smoke. “I was.”

“Tell me, how well do you know the woman with whom you last danced?” Then he pressed his lips together and drew on his cigar.

“You mean my sister?” Jimmy smiled inwardly. So, this chap had been observing him, eh? Probably some runner from Bow Street. Well, he’d get no information this night.

The man puffed out a laugh accompanied by cigar smoke. “Do you always hold your siblings so closely?”

“I’ll give you that.” He shrugged and lifted the cigar to his mouth. “She’s a beautiful woman.”

“I won’t argue with you in that regard. I’m just curious about her—where she comes from, why she left so abruptly.”

He turned to fully face the stranger and tossed the half-finished cigar into the street. The glowing orange end exploded and smouldered out. “I wonder, though, what is it
you
want of her?”

“Nothing untoward, I assure you.”

“Mmm,” Jimmy answered, his disbelief ringing in the wordless retort.

“Like you said, she’s a beautiful woman.”

Jimmy didn’t answer. And whoever this fellow was didn’t matter. Jimmy wasn’t in the habit of spilling narrative about anyone involved with the Den.

“Well, the night is young. I’ll be on my way, then.”

Jimmy watched the man depart in the same direction from which he’d come. He lifted his hand to his chin and scratched. If Katrina ever got a look at such a fellow, he’d lose her for sure. At once he froze. His free hand went to his empty wrist.

“Well, bugger me. The bloke lifted me dance card!”

“Jimmy!” Katrina called out as she hurried across the street. She’d seen
Mister Nosey
pass by and waited a good two minutes before venturing forth from her hiding place.

He looked up. “Where’ve you been? And who the hell is that?” He indicated belatedly to Susanna.

Katrina heard the intake of breath from behind her. She stepped up to Jimmy and spoke before he could issue any more expletives. “This is Lady Kendrick. She’s a new friend of mine.” Susanna caught up to and stood next to Katrina. “Lady Kendrick, this is Mr Lock.”

Susanna made to take a step forward. “How do you—”

“For chrissake, Katrina! A
lady
?”

“That will be enough, Mr Lock. Lady Kendrick needed some assistance. It seems her reticule has gone missing. I was wondering if perchance you picked it up
by mistake
.”

Jimmy looked as if he was going to throttle her. Instead he threw his hands in the air. “Unbelievable. No, I don’t have the bloody thing.”

Susanna groaned from next to Katrina.

“Well, did you see anyone else there tonight? Perhaps someone with whom we are
acquainted
?” She tilted her head towards Jimmy to make him understand her meaning.

“No,” he spouted with more force than necessary. “It was only you and I. Which is how it should be
right now
. Get rid of her ladyship and let’s be off.”

Brave little Susanna spoke up then. “Oh, please, Miss Katrina. Please don’t send me home without my reticule! Mr Lock,” she turned to him. “I will make sure you receive a fine reward if you’ll help me locate it.”

Jimmy sighed and dragged his hands down his face. “All right, all right. Far be it from me to turn down free money. A friend of mine and Miss Katrina’s
did
show his face in the crowd, however brief.” He shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe it. “Brenner. Heh, it seemed he’d got there even before we did. Checkin’ up on us, I’d imagine.” Jimmy said mostly to himself.

Susanna’s eyes widened. “Oh, thank heavens. Perhaps we can—”

“There’s no way in hell you’re takin’ this one to meet Brenner,” Jimmy commanded.

Katrina sighed and closed her eyes. There had to be an alternative to taking a member of the elite to the Den. She paced a few steps in the opposite direction. Other than chance of risking exposure, the solution to this mess had to be elementary. If she were to simplify the situation, all she had to do was go to Mr Brenner and merely ask if he had the reticule—but how to do it without Susanna trailing along? She turned to look at her unlikely companions and returned to the spot she’d vacated a moment or two before.

Katrina smiled. “Jimmy?”

“Whatever it is you wish to ask me, the answer is no. I’ve been served that sweet tone before from women and it’s always ended badly.”

“Oh, come now. I was only thinking—” she took a tremulous breath and forged ahead. “If you could stay here and watch over Lady Kendrick—”

“Just what do ya think I am, a nanny?”

“Well, I can’t think of a better way, can you?”

“Yes, we drop the subject and go home.”

Katrina took another step towards him. “Please, Jimmy, do it…for me?” She looked directly into his eyes and watched as his cold façade melted away.

“May the saints preserve me,” he murmured.

“You have my deepest gratitude.” Katrina rose up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

“Well… I hope you don’t expect me to entertain the wee kitten.”

Susanna’s intake of breath didn’t go unnoticed. “Jimmy, be nice.” She turned to Susanna. “Lady Kendrick, perhaps it would be best if you waited back across the street. You could have a seat in that garden again. I’m sure you will feel more comfortable there than standing on this street corner.”

She nodded and Katrina took her by the arm. They crossed the lane and Katrina whispered, “You’ll have to excuse Jimmy. He really is a good chap once you get to know him.”

“You must know him quite well,” Susanna said without looking at Katrina.

“Not as well as one would think,” she mumbled back. There just wasn’t time to explain her association with the infamous Jimmy Lock.

Moments later, Katrina hurried by on her way to the Den. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“You owe me a favour, Katrina,” he said loud enough for her to hear. And if he had anything to say about it, it would be a favour of an intimate nature.

He grinned to himself. He reached up and touched his cheek where she’d kissed him. It was as if he could feel her soft, warm lips still pressed to his skin. Katrina could talk him into just about anything—even playing governess to a member of the
ton
.

Jimmy glanced at the house behind which Lady Kendrick now waited for Katrina’s return and wished he’d not discarded that cigar he’d been given earlier. He scanned the street in front of him in hopes of retrieving the unused portion when a familiar voice caught his attention.

“Drop something, Mr Lock?”

It was Brenner and two of his burly bodyguards, Artie and Oliver. Jimmy wondered if they’d crossed Katrina’s path. “No. Just takin’ the air.”

“Where is Miss Katrina, then? Did you leave her at the party?”

Relief broke the keen hold anticipation had on Jimmy. Obviously, Brenner hadn’t come across Katrina. “Mmm, she was onto something big,” he shrugged, “so I broke off early.”

“I’m glad I found you alone. I’d like to finish our discussion.”

Shite, so this was the reason Brenner peeked in on us earlier in the evening.
“Which discussion is that?” Jimmy knew perfectly well—in fact, he’d expected Brenner to not let the subject lie for long.

“You. Wishing to leave the Den.”

“Funny, but I was under the impression this conversation was closed.”

“Far from it.” Brenner tilted his head towards Jimmy.

At once Brenner’s thugs took hold of each of Jimmy’s arms, making it impossible to get at the knife inside his coat sleeve. He knew it would be futile to struggle so he remained still, but ready to bolt if given the chance.

“I can’t let you leave us.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

Brenner thought for a moment. “I suppose it doesn’t matter which. Either way, you belong to me—to the East Side Den of Thieves
.
”

“As I told you before, I belong to no one.”

“That’s where you are wrong. All I have to do is turn you in.”

“And be incriminated yourself? I don’t think so. Your bluff has been called, Brenner.”

Brenner took in a deep breath through his nose. “Well, that’s that then. Oliver, Artie.”

A beefy fist buried itself deep into Jimmy’s gut, inciting a whoosh of air that rushed from his lungs. Another hit smashed into his nose right between his eyes. The pain nearly crippled him—the sound of crunching bones and feel of gushing liquid rolling down his throat and chin were enough to make him want to wretch. His legs gave out, but still Brenner’s boys held on. When they released his arms and began to batter his limbs with blunt objects it was all he could take. Jimmy sank to the ground. A knee connected with his left cheekbone and several more foot blows landed in various places on his torso. Shards of light smattered amidst the black oblivion that swirled beneath his eyelids. He accepted it with a grateful heart until his head was lifted by his hair and his battered body hoisted up. His eyes drifted open and he met Brenner’s gaze head on.