Page 36 of Molly Boys

“Everett,” he greeted in the most subdued tone Ev had ever heard from Louie’s mouth. The sound alarmed him even more than the dull suit he wore. He cast a worried glance in Francis’ direction only to find his concern reflected back.

“What is it?” Ev turned his attention back to Louie. “What are you doing here?”

“I knew you’d both be here, and this couldn’t wait.” His eyes were filled with worry as he wrung his thin hands.

“Tell him,” Francis said, his jaw tightening.

“Another body has just been discovered.”

“I know,” Ev replied. “The inspector was just called away.”

“Yes, well.” Francis frowned. “We’ll get to that in a moment. I almost died when I saw you brazenly having a conversation with the good detective inspector.”

“Believe me, it wasn’t intentional,” Ev placated him. “But I was able to ascertain that they don’t know where Charlie was abducted from, which means they probably don’t know about the Islington property.”

“We’ve bigger problems than that.” Louie waved his hand, brushing aside Ev’s statement. “They’ve identified the latest victim.”

“That was quick.” Ev swallowed, sensing he wasn’t going to like the information that followed. “Who was it?”

Louie’s lips thinned. “David Perkins.”

“David?” Ev repeated faintly as a dreadful suspicion began to grow in his mind.

“Yes, the very same man who had his lips wrapped around your cock while you were busy hallucinating pixies and goblins no more than a few nights ago.” Francis frowned.

“How was I supposed to know Louie had laced his absinthe?” Ev snapped as he turned his gaze to Louie. “What was in it anyway?”

“A bit of this, a bit of that.” Louie shrugged. “Some cocaine, some opium. I didn’t know David would share it with you. It’s quite strong, very few can tolerate it other than myself and David.”

“David.” Ev slumped down into the nearest chair and looked up at the other two worriedly. “What happened to him? Was it like what happened–”

“To Charlie and the others?” Louie interjected. “I’m afraid so.”

“The others?” Ev swallowed slowly.

“It seems you were both right. Charles Wakefield wasn’t the first victim. He was just the first to be discovered outside the boundaries of The Nichol. It cost me a pretty penny, but my little birds were able to discover there’s been at least ten other victims, all of them Simon Blackwell’s mollies.”

“TEN?” Horrified, Ev could barely breathe out the word.

“Charlie was victim number eleven which made David number twelve. For whatever reason, the killer no longer seems to keep his crimes to The Nichol. No one’s safe.” Louie shook his head, his expression grave. “And I wish I could tell you that’s the worst of it.”

“It gets worse?” Ev sighed deeply.

“David was the only son of Chief Commissioner Albert Perkins.”

“My god.” Ev rubbed at a phantom pain in his forehead.

“David was well-liked and held in very high regard,” Louie continued. “He had many friends in very high places, not to mention former lovers. A lot of people are going to be demanding answers. Heads will roll for this, and we have to make damn sure they aren’t ours. If they discover the rest of the victims, the gossip and speculation will tear through London like the Great Fire. This could very quickly become a witch hunt, especially once the papers get involved.”

“What do we do?” Francis chewed his lip as they both looked to Ev.

“Honestly?” Ev whispered. “I don’t know.”

10

Archie pulled his collar closer against the freezing air and squeezed himself through the close press of bodies converging on the mouth of the alleyway and being held back by two of his constables.

The snow crunched beneath his boots as he made his way along the narrow pathway despite the heavy layer of snow. The rancid scent of discarded waste permeated the air. He reached the dead end and looked up to find gawking spectators hanging out of dirty, cracked windows to watch the spectacle unfold below.