Chapter Twenty-Two #2
Understanding touched the barmaid’s expression. “Coming right up.”
She turned and headed back to the bar. Once she was gone, Vesper glared at Maximilian.
“Wine?”
Maximilian shrugged. “Call it wishful thinking.”
Vesper pinched the bridge of her nose. “Well, straighten up. Now that that barmaid has seen the brooch, she’ll no doubt send someone our way.”
“Excuse me.”
Vesper and Maximilian both looked up. A dark-skinned man with thick salt-and-pepper hair had appeared before them. He was well-dressed, wearing a crisp white shirt, black pants, and a vest. Flanking him were two muscular men. He smiled, and Vesper noted that one of his canines was pure gold.
Well, she thought, that was fast.
“May I join you?” the man asked in a low, melodic voice.
Vesper only had time to exchange a look with Maximilian before the man sat down. The other two men remained standing.
“My name is Richard,” the well-dressed man said pleasantly. “I’m told you’ve come to this establishment with something interesting. But I’ve never seen you before.”
“We were lucky enough to be in the neighborhood,” Vesper replied.
Richard nodded. “Lucky indeed. My barmaid mentioned you might have something … sweet for me?”
Vesper tried to remain calm as she pulled her coat back, unclasped the brooch, then placed it on the table. Richard’s dark eyes lit up briefly, but just as quickly his expression returned to neutral. He looked up at her.
“May I?”
“Of course.”
He picked up the brooch and examined it for a few seconds before weighing it in his palm. His eyes flicked to Vesper. “Where did you get this?”
“My employer is a very rich old widow in Stonehaven,” said Vesper. “But her memory isn’t what it used to be. She’s constantly misplacing things these days.” Vesper flashed a smile. “Luckily, she has me to lend a hand.”
Richard nodded, then examined the brooch again. “What is this, four carats?”
“Five,” Maximilian cut in.
Richard frowned, then looked to Vesper. “Who’s he?”
“My business partner,” she said.
“Hmm.” Richard placed the brooch on the table again. “How much are you wanting for it?”
Straight to the point. Good. Vesper had prepared for this. “At five carats, it’s worth at least fifteen thousand gild.”
Richard laughed. It was a surprisingly musical sound. He folded his hands and leaned forward. “Maybe in a jewelry shop in Rockbriar you’d get that much, but you’re in Thally’s Pub, love.” He shook his head. “You’ll have to do better than that.”
Vesper pretended to look affronted. She steepled her fingers and looked considerate for a moment. Then:
“How about this: I’ll give you the brooch for seventy-five hundred gild, half my original asking price, if you give me some information.”
Richard tensed. “What kind of information?”
Vesper braced herself. This was what she’d been leading up to from the moment they’d entered Shalescreek. She took a deep breath before speaking. “I want to know about a man called Frankie, sometimes Francis Gladwell.”
The men standing behind Richard exchanged a look that Vesper didn’t miss. For his part, Richard frowned. “What’s Frankie to you?”
Vesper fluttered her eyelashes. “Now, Mr. Richard, you know a good girl never kisses and tells. Let’s just say he and I have … unfinished business that I’m trying to sort out.”
Richard chuckled. “I’ll bet you do.” He cocked his head. “Excuse me a moment.” He stood, then turned to talk to the men behind him in a huddle. Less than a minute passed before he sat back down again.
“Your offer is a good one,” he said, “but I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline.”
Vesper tried to keep the surprise from her voice. “Why?”
Richard tapped a finger against the table.
“A ruby this size is rare in our market. We usually deal in passable knockoffs. A piece like this one would attract serious attention, too much attention for my preference.” He slid the brooch back toward her.
“My advice? Take that back to your employer before she notices it’s missing. ”
“But—”
“Have a good night.” Without another word, Richard stood. “And, if your business with the Rousers is complete, please consider vacating the table. We’ve got people waiting.”
Vesper marched back up Pike Lane, her fists curled and her jaw clenched.
Maximilian kept in step with her, though she was further peeved to note in her periphery that he didn’t have to try very hard. They made it one block before he broke the silence.
“At least we know one thing,” he offered. “The Rousers knew Francis. That Richard guy called him Frankie.”
“They’re hiding something,” Vesper murmured. “And whatever it is, the information’s more valuable than I anticipated. You can be sure I intend to—” She looked over her shoulder, then stopped. Maximilian did too.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Vesper kept walking, albeit slightly faster. “I just thought I heard something.” They walked for another five minutes before she stopped again. Now she was certain. The skinny man several paces behind them had stayed with them for the last two blocks. She tensed.
“Maximilian,” she whispered. “Listen to me very closely.”
“What is it?”
“I think our new friends at Thally’s Pub are escorting us off their turf,” she said softly. In an even lower voice, she added, “We’re being followed. Don’t look.”
Maximilian swore. “What do we do?”
“There’s an alley up ahead,” she said. “We’re going to turn into it. If they follow us in, we’ll have the advantage.” She slipped the brooch into his hand. “Use sorcery if you have to.”
Maximilian gave a stiff nod. They were drawing closer to the alley Vesper indicated.
Behind them, she could still hear a lone set of footsteps.
They reached the narrow alley, and then abruptly Vesper veered to the left, plunging herself into darkness.
Maximilian followed suit, pivoting so that he faced the alley’s opening, poised and ready.
The seconds seemed to pass like hours as they waited.
Vesper heard her own heart thundering in her chest as the footsteps drew closer, became louder.
She braced herself as a shadow appeared in the alley, but then the skinny man just kept walking.
He didn’t even look in their direction. She exhaled.
“Thank God.” Maximilian stood again once the man was gone. He combed his hands through his dark curls, then smiled. “Despite my urban-distress attire, I was in no mood for a bout of fisticuffs tonight.”
“Let’s go.” Vesper pointed behind them. She didn’t want to risk being followed again.
They were almost at the other end of the alley when a muscular man stepped out from the shadows.
Vesper recognized one of the men from the pub at the same time she heard a low, melodic laugh.
Panic arrowed through her as she caught the glint of a golden tooth. Richard leaned against the wall.
“I think you’d better come with us.”