No, they wouldn’t. It was why they hadn’t even threatened it. No marks on the body; they need a clean autopsy.
“Well?” demanded Gentry.
“Why don’t you just go and fuck yourself.”
“Rude,” sniffed Gentry. She looked at someone behind Aurelian. “He’s of no use to us,” she snapped. “Dispose of him as instructed.”
Kait, thought Aurelian, as the fog descended once more.Kait, my love, please be safe.
***
Slowly, Aurelian came down from the clouds where his mind had dwelled for what seemed like days. His dreams had been haunted by images of Kait in jeopardy. His own mind had tormented him by mixing scenes of his own experiences with Kait, but instead of being under his loving control, she was cruelly used by unseen thugs and bullies. Even as the drugs surrendered their hold on his mind, Aurelian thrashed and called out her name repeatedly.
“Easy,mon ami,” he heard, as if from a great distance. “You are safe, Aurelian.” The voice sounded closer.
He opened his eyes. “Marc?” he mumbled.
“Yes, my friend.” A hand laid on his shoulder. “It is I.” Marc’s voice was filled with concern.
As Aurelian came back to himself, he noticed he was in a wheelchair. “Am…am I all right?”
Marc was sitting opposite him, wincing as one of his men tightened a bandage on the investigator’s left arm.
“Yes,mon ami,” Marc replied. “The wheelchair is so you do not take a tumble as you come out of whatever state thatdemoneput you in.”
“Good lord, areyouall right?” asked Aurelian.
The older man chuckled. “I am fine. It is a mere scratch. The men who were carrying you out of the car were most impolite. I and my team were forced to be very impolite as well.”
Aurelian sat bolt upright in the wheelchair. “Kait!”
Marc’s face was sorrowful. “Alas, we do not yet know where Kait is,” he said gently. “We were too late. My dear friend, I am so sorry. I have failed you.”
“Dammit!” Aurelian slammed his hand against the armrest then swayed as the drugs made him dizzy. He shook his head to clear it. “Marc, we have to find her. We have to!”
“We will, Aurelian, I promise.” Marc pulled a cigarette from a wrinkled pack and lit it. “My associates are already working on it. I have called in the, ah…heavy artillery.”
“How d’you mean?”
Marc took a drag from his cigarette, filling the air with the heavy odor of Gauloise. Aurelian found it familiar and oddly comforting.
“What I mean is…well. I told you I have always represented the interests of certain people within the House. They are alarmed and angered by what I have told them about the actions of people like Rachel Gentry and Harold Dawes. The murder of Colin Taylor, coupled with the abductions of Kait and yourself, have spurred them into action.”
“Good!” Aurelian levered himself out of the wheelchair. “So, let’s go get Kait!”
Marc stood as well. “Easy,mon ami. We are still trying to determine where she is.”
Aurelian ignored the dizziness clouding him. “There’s only one place they’re going to hide her, Marc. They’re going to put her on theStella Maris.”
Marc slapped his forehead. “Bien sur, Aurelian! I cannot imagine why I did not think of it.”
He barked out a series of orders to the men behind him and pulled his coat on, wincing as it went over his arm. “The cutter for theStella Marisis still docked. We have to stop it!”
“I’m coming with you, Marc.”
Marc eyed his friend dubiously for a moment then nodded. “Of course you are. Let’s go, my friend.Allons-y!” he called to his men.
***
