Chapter Nine #2
Slowly, Jack looked down at the front of the envelope again. “It’s addressed to The Jack of Hearts.”
It took a second before recognition dawned in Sera’s eyes. “The nickname your father called you.”
Jack nodded. She turned over the envelope and was unsurprised to see no return sender details on the back, though there was a black wax seal, with a skull as its insignia.
With trepidation, she pressed her thumb against the seal, cracking of the brittle, black wax, the sharp snap of it reverberating around the room.
She slid her finger underneath the flap and opened the envelope. Her heart began to thud as she caught sight of the red heart on the top corner of the card inside. Pulling out the playing card, she saw it had a message written upon it.
She pressed her lips together and had to work so hard to make sure the terror creeping up her throat didn’t overwhelm her.
The Jack of Hearts playing card was shining up at her, almost mockingly.
A vivid reminder from her past that meant only one thing: someone else out there knew her real identity and wanted her to know that. Also, that someone wanted her dead.
She held up the card to her friends, who both gasped.
Sera strode over and plucked the card from Jack’s hand, peering down at the words written on the front of it. “‘Death will come to you too, my Burning Lady. The last of six.’” She glanced up at Jack. “What does this mean?”
“I think it means the Coffin Conjurer is not done yet.”
“I knew it was too good to be true to think this whole murder business wasn’t related to you, Jack,” Cordy said, rushing over too. “What’s the Burning Lady?”
“It’s a cremation illusion,” Jack replied, images of fire clouding her thoughts.
“That doesn’t sound good…” Cordy’s voice finished in a whisper.
Jack pressed her lips together before taking in a deep breath. “A woman stands on a table and is covered with a cloth, which is then set on fire, the woman then magically disappears and, in her place, sitting on the table is a pile of ash.”
“I really don’t like this one.” Cordy’s voice was trembling lightly.
“The magician then scoops up the ash, places it into an empty coffin, and shuts the lid,” Jack continued. “When he opens up the lid again, the lady is miraculously there, transformed from ash back into a living, breathing woman.”
“And you think this Coffin Conjurer intends for you to be his Burning Lady?” Sera asked, her eyes fierce in defiance. “We will not allow that.”
“Miss Hart?” Mrs. Thompson’s voice from the doorway startled them all, the three of them jumping in reply. “What’s going on with the three of you? Your faces are all as pale as death, almost as if you’d crossed paths with the Devil.”
“An apt description, Mrs. Thompson.” Jack waved the envelope in the air. “Who delivered this?
“Our usual errand boy from the post office,” Mrs. Thompson said. “Why? Is there a problem?”
“Yes, I think there might be,” Jack replied, and instantly, the housekeeper came to attention. “Mrs. Thompson, place the house on high alert and ensure all security protocols are in place and adhered to.”
Mrs. Thompson hadn’t been a housekeeper before she’d come to work for Jack.
She’d been an ex-government spy for the British, but when she’d hit a certain age, the government had felt she’d become a liability, so she’d had to disappear and reinvented herself as a housekeeper, given her only skill, apart from spying, was organizing things.
When Jack had been interviewing for a housekeeper, she’d immediately recognized the forged references from Mrs. Thompson, not because they hadn’t been any good, but because they’d been excellent. She’d questioned her, and after the lady had admitted her past, Jack had hired her on the spot.
So even though Mrs. Thompson’s primary job was that of the housekeeper, more importantly, she knew how to protect the house and those inside from intruders and threats, even though she was well into her late fifties.
“Let all of our agents know to be extremely careful coming and going from the house, and to ensure all security measures are strictly enforced.”
“What sort of threat are we dealing with, Miss Hart?” Mrs. Thompson’s hand reached up to take a hold of the small gold cross on the chain around her neck. A gesture she often did when thinking and worrying about something.
“The murderous kind,” Jack replied, to which Mrs. Thompson narrowed her eyes and nodded. “We must be on the highest of alerts.”
“Understood,” Mrs. Thompson said, her hand letting go of the grip on her chain and dropping to her side. “I will see to everything.” Then, with a sharp nod of her head, she spun around and strode from the room to ensure Jack’s orders were carried out to the letter.
Jack then turned to Cordy and Sera, her fear of the situation now replaced with raw fury.
That someone would dare try to intimidate her, and in her own house, was unacceptable.
She’d worked her life for this house and her agency, and she refused to feel scared or threatened inside her sanctuary.
Whoever this killer was, he was going to be disappointed.
“Sera, I need you to go speak with the errand boy at the post office,” Jack began.
“Find out if he remembers who gave him the letter and get a description if he does. Then post one of our agents to watch the post office for the next few days. If the fiend shows up again, we need to know about it, but make sure whoever you have watching knows not to follow him. I won’t have one of our ladies placed in any jeopardy with this monster. And that includes you too, Sera.”
Jack knew she’d been on the money when Sera narrowed her eyes.
“You know I have the skills to follow him undetected,” Sera replied.
“If he has magic training, which he probably does if he’s from my past, then he will be able to detect you.
” She reached over and grabbed her friend’s hand in her own.
“Please, Sera, you and Cordy are the only true family I have left in the world. I will not risk any of you for this demon.” She reached out and took Cordy’s hand too.
“You both must promise me you will take no risks with this monster. You must not put yourselves in harm’s way. Please promise me that.”
Cordy nodded solemnly. “Of course we shall promise you that.”
“And you, Sera?” Jack looked at Sera, who was staring at her with a rather mutinous expression.
“What about your promise to us, Jack?” Sera asked, raising her brow. “We’re not the targets of a madman, you are. Are you going to promise us the same, that you won’t put yourself in harm’s way?”
“He’s using my father’s illusions to kill, and he’s sent me a card all but announcing he’s targeting me, Sera. How can I simply let that go and do nothing to stop it?”
“You have to,” Sera said, tightening her fingers around Jack’s hand.
“We chase blackmailers and thieves. Art forgers and smugglers. Swindlers and fraudsters. Not murderers, Jack. You must let the police do their job and catch him. You cannot place yourself at risk. You’re the only family Cordy and I have left too. ”
Slowly, Jack took in a deep breath and then exhaled it heavily. Sera was right. “Very well, if you give me your word too, I will give you mine. Providing he doesn’t hurt anyone I care about. All right?”
Sera nodded. “I promise.”
“I do too, then.”
The three of them stood there, looking at each other and holding hands for a minute. The weight of the situation pressing heavily upon them. They’d been through so much together over the years and had faced many threats, but none like this. Not even close.
But Jack meant it. If this monster threatened anyone she cared about, then the monster had not seen the fury of what Jack would rain down upon the fiend. He would feel her wrath even if she had to follow him to the fires of hell. That was also her silent promise.
She’d been helpless to do anything to protect her mother or father, and she was never going to let that happen again. She’d give her life if she had to in order to make sure of that. And if it came to that, she’d also make damn certain that if she went down, so would whoever this bastard was too.