Page 57

FORTY-EIGHT

S later ignored the barely veiled stares and the sudden hush that had descended on the club room.

It was nearly two o’clock in the morning.

Most of the men lounging in the deep, leather chairs were dressed in formal black-and-white.

Bottles of claret and brandy sat on every side table. A haze of cigar smoke hung in the air.

One elderly man whom Slater recognized as a friend of his father’s snorted in amusement and winked. Slater nodded in acknowledgment and continued on his way into the card room. He had refused to surrender his greatcoat and hat to the porter so he dripped rainwater on the carpet.

Fulbrook was seated at a table with three other men.

He held a handful of cards and he was chuckling at a comment one of the other players had just made when the room went very quiet.

Like everyone else, he turned toward the door to see who or what had caused the sudden stillness.

When he saw Slater, he grunted and made a show of examining his cards.

“Evidently the management of this club is allowing just anyone in these days,” he said to his companions, “including those who are rumored to be candidates for an asylum.”

One man snickered uneasily. The rest of the players concentrated on their cards as though the stakes had suddenly become life-or-death.

Slater walked to the table. “My apologies for the interruption, Fulbrook, but I have a rather important message for you.”

“I’m busy, Roxton. Some other time.”

“If you would rather discuss the matter of a certain journal and some photographs at a future date—”

Fulbrook shot to his feet so quickly his chair tipped over backward and clattered on the floor.

“Your father may have been a gentleman but it’s clear that your manners must have come from your mother’s side,” he said.

“Your insult to my mother has been noted,” Slater said. “But I have certain priorities tonight. Shall we continue with this discussion here or outside, where we can be assured of some privacy?”

“Outside. I don’t want to subject my friends and associates to your presence any longer than is necessary.”

Slater turned and went to the door without a word. Fulbrook hesitated and then followed. In the front hall the porter handed him his coat and his hat, gloves and umbrella.

Slater led the way outside and down the steps into the rain. He stopped at the edge of the circle of light cast by the streetlamp.

“I have a cab waiting,” he said. He nodded toward the carriage sitting across the street.

Fulbrook unfurled the umbrella and glanced warily at the cab.

“You really are mad if you think I’d get into a cab with you,” he said.

“As you wish. I’ll try to make this quick. I have the photographs and the blackmail journal that you stored in the safe in your study.”

“You’re lying.” Fulbrook started to sputter. “How could you possibly... you hired someone to break into my house, you son of a bitch. How dare you?”

“I didn’t hire someone. I did the work myself. Feel free to press charges but if you do I shall, of course, have to tell a jury what I discovered inside your safe.”

“You bastard.” Fulbrook sounded as if he were choking. “You stand there and admit that you are a burglar?”

“And you are a blackmailer—also an excellent bookkeeper. Your records are very precise. I noticed that you crossed out the names of two of your victims—the ones who chose suicide rather than provide you with whatever it was you demanded of them in exchange for keeping their secrets.”

“The time you spent on that damned island addled your wits, Roxton. You apparently have no idea who you are dealing with here.”

“You are the one who fails to grasp the severity of the situation. I am aware that you have formed a partnership with an American named Damian Cobb.”

“What of it? I admit I have done some business with Cobb. He might be vulgar but he’s a successful businessman, not a crime lord.”

“In this case, there’s not much distinction between the two.

While we’re on the subject, there are two things you should know about Cobb.

The first is that he has no intention of maintaining a long-term partnership.

His goal is to set up a monopoly to control the drug and he plans to run his business from New York.

That means he no longer needs your manufacturing, production and distribution network. ”

Rage tightened Fulbrook’s face. “That’s a lie.”

“Why do you think he employed an assassin to murder Rosemont, the perfumer who prepared the drug for you, and your courier, Anne Clifton, and Mrs. Wyatt?”

“There was an explosion at Rosemont’s laboratory. The authorities believe that he was buried in the rubble.”

“You’re not keeping up with the news, Fulbrook. Rosemont’s body was discovered yesterday. Someone took a stiletto to the back of his neck. Mrs. Wyatt died as the result of a very similar accident with a stiletto.”

Fulbrook stiffened. “I heard she was murdered by one of her clients.”

“She was dealing quantities of the drug on the side. I’m not sure if Cobb got rid of her because she went into business for herself or if he simply decided that she knew too much. I suspect that’s the reason he had Anne Clifton killed.”

“The Clifton woman was a suicide or an overdose.”

“It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you are the one member of the British side of the business who is still standing.”

“That’s ridiculous. Cobb can’t get rid of me. I’m the only one who can supply him with the drug. He knows that.”

“I suggest you take up that matter with Cobb. He’s in town.”

Fulbrook snorted. “You’re wrong. His ship does not dock until tomorrow.”

“He deceived you, Fulbrook. Cobb and his pet assassin arrived a few days ago, right around the time of Anne Clifton’s death.”

“How can you possibly know that?”

“Because I found the assassin’s body last night. It was in a crate at the warehouse. You know the place, I’m sure. It’s where Rosemont delivered the ambrosia that was scheduled to be shipped to New York.”

Slater started to turn away. He stopped when Fulbrook grabbed his arm.

“Take your hand off me,” Slater said very softly.

Fulbrook flinched. He released Slater’s sleeve as though the fabric were made of hellfire.

“You said Cobb is in London,” Fulbrook hissed. “If that’s true, prove it. Where is he staying?”

“I can’t be absolutely certain,” Slater said. “But I found a card from the Stokely Hotel on the dead assassin. I sent a man to take a look. Sure enough, there is an American businessman registered there under a different name. The assassin apparently masqueraded as his valet.”

Fulbrook was dumbfounded. “You’re lying. You must be lying.”

“We’ll soon find out, won’t we? The news will be a great sensation in the press.”

“What news?”

“Your death, of course. The murder of a gentleman who is as well-known in social circles as you are is always news.”

“Are you threatening me, you bloody madman?”

“No, I’m doing you the courtesy of giving you a warning,” Slater said. “I suggest you go directly to the railway station and depart London on the first available train. It is your only hope.”

“Cobb would not dare murder me. He needs me, I tell you.”

“I suppose there is a slight possibility that he won’t kill you.”

“He would hang .”

“If he got caught,” Slater said. “But even if I’m wrong about Cobb’s intentions, that still leaves all your other enemies, doesn’t it?”

“Now what are you talking about?”

“I have made arrangements for the various pages of your journal and the photographs and negatives to be delivered to your respective victims tomorrow. Notes will be included mentioning that the materials were discovered in your safe. How long do you think you will survive once the powerful men you are blackmailing discover that you are the extortionist? Perhaps, instead of a train ticket, you should consider booking passage to Australia.”

Fulbrook stared at him, stunned. “You’re a dead man. A dead man. ”

Slater did not bother to respond. He walked across the street and climbed into the hansom. The cab set off at a brisk pace.

He glanced back just before the vehicle turned the corner. Fulbrook was still standing in front of his club looking as if he had just received a visitation by the devil.