Jayne Krentz - Don’t Look Back

“I got that impression, yes.” Howard sighed heavily. “This man, Mr. Nightingale, told me that he had heard rumors to the effect that a very valuable antiquity had recently been stolen and that Celeste had been involved in the theft.”

Lavinia was dumbfounded. “Celeste stole a relic?”

“I do not believe that for a moment.” Howard waved the possibility aside with an impatient movement of one long-fingered hand. “My Celeste was no thief. Nevertheless, Nightingale claimed that word had gone out in the underworld to the effect that she was murdered for the damned thing.”

“What was the nature of this antiquity?” Tobias asked, showing the first signs of genuine interest in the proceedings.

Howard’s brows bunched together in a line above his patrician nose. “Nightingale described it as an ancient gold bracelet of Roman design. It was originally discovered here in England, a remnant of the days when this country was a province of the Roman Empire. It is set with a strange blue cameo carved with the image of Medusa.”

“What did Mr. Nightingale want from you?” Lavinia asked.

“Apparently the bloody thing is most unusual and is considered quite valuable to a certain sort of collector.”

“And Nightingale makes his living off unusual collectors who favor odd antiquities?” Tobias concluded.

“So he claimed.” Howard did not look at him. He focused his attention entirely on Lavinia. “Nightingale assumes that I know something concerning the whereabouts of the missing cameo. He made it clear that he can arrange to sell it for a fortune. He offered to pay me a fee if I will turn it over to him.”

“What did you tell him?” Tobias asked.

“What could I say?” Howard spread his hands. “I explained that I knew nothing about the Medusa. I don’t think that he believed me, but he warned me that I am in grave danger, regardless of whether or not I told him the truth.”

“Why are you in danger?” Lavinia asked.

“Nightingale said now that word has gone out that the cameo is floating around somewhere in the underworld, any number of collectors will be searching for it. Some, he says, are extremely dangerous men who will stop at nothing to obtain what they desire. He… he likened them to sharks in the water circling a sinking ship. He said that I was in the position of the sole survivor clinging to the wreckage.”

“He tried to frighten you,” Lavinia said.

“And succeeded rather well, I must tell you.” Howard seemed to fall into himself. “Nightingale claimed that the only safe course of action was to deliver the relic to him immediately. He promised to make it worth my while. But I cannot possibly do that because I do not have it.”

There was a short silence while they all contemplated that news.

Tobias shifted position a little, propping one shoulder against the windowsill and folding his arms. “What else do you know about this antiquity?”

Howard did not look at him. He continued to focus his gaze on Lavinia. She did her best to appear encouraging and sympathetic.

“I’ve never seen the damned thing,” Howard said. “I can only tell you what Nightingale told me. He referred to it as the Blue Medusa. The name is no doubt due to the peculiar color of the stone.”

“Medusa,” Tobias repeated thoughtfully. “A once beautiful woman with glorious hair who managed to offend Athena and got herself turned into a hideous monster for her efforts. She became one of the three Gorgons.”

“The one whose gaze turned men to stone,” Lavinia said.

“No man could slay her because to look at her was to die. She was eventually killed by Perseus, who-rather cleverly, I always thought-backed toward her while she slept, using his shield as a mirror to reflect her image. That way he did not have to look directly at her while he hacked off her head.”

“Not what one would consider a particularly charming image for an item of fashionable jewelry,” Howard muttered.

“Actually, Medusa was a very common theme for ancient jewelers,” Lavinia said. “I saw any number of old rings and pendants set with Medusa-head cameos while I was in Italy. Her image was believed to be able to ward off evil.”

“Turn your enemy or the source of a threat to stone, hmm?” Tobias shrugged. “There is a certain logic to that thinking.”

Howard cleared his throat. “Mr. Nightingale told me that the cameo in this particular bracelet is a unique version of Medusa. It is believed to be the emblem of some ancient, obscure cult that flourished in secret for a time here in England. In addition to the familiar figure of a woman’s head with staring eyes and snakes twisting in her hair, there is a small rod or wand carved into the stone beneath the severed throat.”

“Did Mr. Nightingale tell you anything else about the relic?” Lavinia asked.

Howard furrowed his brow. “I believe he said that the bracelet itself is fashioned of gold of a very pure and excellent quality that has been pierced in any number of places to create a distinctive pattern of intertwined snakes.”

“Pierced work,” Lavinia said softly.

Tobias glanced at her. “You have seen such antiquities?”

“Yes. I saw a pair of gold bracelets in Italy that had been worked in such a fashion. Several gemstones of various colors were set into them. They had been discovered in a tomb, together with some coins from the fourth century. Quite incredibly beautiful, I must say. The piercing created a pattern of twisting leaves that was so fine and delicate it looked like so much gold lace.”

Howard continued to watch her as though she was his only source of hope. “I can tell you nothing more about the Blue Medusa. Nightingale claims Celeste was killed because of it. But I do not believe that. At least, not entirely.”

“What do you think happened?” Tobias asked.

“I have spent hours pondering the circumstances of her death,” Howard admitted sadly. “I have come to the reluctant conclusion that, although my Celeste was, by nature, no thief, she was young and impulsive. She may have been led astray by her lover.”

Lavinia stilled. “Are you saying that you think her lover persuaded her to steal the bracelet for him and then murdered her?”

“It is the only explanation that makes any sense to me.” Howard clenched one hand into a fist and rested it on his thigh. “I believe that the bastard arranged to meet Celeste the night before last. He no doubt instructed her to bring the bracelet to the rendezvous. My sweet, innocent Celeste went to meet him in the middle of the night, and the monster strangled her with his cravat and stole the bracelet.”

Lavinia glanced at Tobias to see how he was reacting to the theory. He appeared lost in thought. Or perhaps that was boredom she saw on his hard face. With him, one could not always be certain of the distinction, she reflected.

She turned back to Howard. “I am so terribly sorry for your loss.”

“Lavinia, you must help me.” Howard reached out abruptly and took her hands in his. “I do not know where else to turn. You say that you are in the business of making private inquiries. I wish to employ you to find the man who killed my Celeste.”

“Howard-”

“Please, my dear friend. Nightingale warned me that I myself am in danger, but I care nothing for my own safety in this matter. I seek justice for my dear wife. You cannot deny me. I beg you to help me find her murderer.”

“Yes, of course, we will help you, my friend,” Lavinia said.

Tobias’s expression sharpened without warning. He dropped his arms and straightened away from the windowsill. “Lavinia, we must discuss this matter before we accept the commission.”

“Rubbish,” she said. “I have already decided to accept it. You may join me as my partner in the affair or you may decline. That is your choice, naturally.”

“Bloody hell,” Tobias said.

“Thank you, my dear.” Howard raised Lavinia’s hands and kissed them. “Words cannot express my gratitude.”

Tobias watched him in the manner of a hawk watching a mouse. “Speaking of expressing your gratitude, Hudson, there is the small matter of our fee.”

“Money is no obstacle,” Howard assured him.

“Always nice to hear that,” Tobias said.

“I don’t like this case, Lavinia.”

“Yes, I can see that you do not approve, sir. Indeed, you have already made your feelings on the subject abundantly clear. You were nothing short of rude to Howard.”

She swept into the small study, went directly behind her desk, and sat down. For some odd reason that she had yet to fathom, it was always easier to discuss unpleasant topics with Tobias when she put the large block of mahogany between them.

She refused to admit to herself that he could be intimidating, but there was no getting around the fact that he was quite capable of exhibiting a formidable strength of will and a certain forcefulness of mind that would make any prudent person cautious.

Here in her study, enthroned behind the big desk, she was in command, she told herself. Most of the time.

“I will be blunt.” He gripped the edge of the mantel and used it to lower himself down into a crouch in front of the hearth. “I don’t trust Hudson.”

She watched him light the fire, aware that he always favored his left leg, even on good days, when he undertook the small task. She opened her mouth to inquire about the old wound but managed to swallow the words before they could escape. He would not thank her for the sympathy, especially not while he was in this mood.

She folded her hands on top of the desk. “You have allowed your negative feelings concerning mesmerists in general to influence your opinion of Howard. It is really very closed-minded of you, sir.”