Iron Cast(58)

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Corinne said, but it was a useless protest as Ada was already pushing open the panel.

Charlie didn’t seem surprised by the secret door, which meant that Ada had already told him about it at some point. Something Corinne intended to berate her about later. She glanced at Gabriel, who seemed uninterested in helping her dissuade Ada.

“I’m going to circle the club,” he said. “Just in case.”

It was a prudent precaution, but Corinne suspected he just didn’t want to be involved. He went up the half-flight of stairs to exit through the club. Corinne locked the back door and followed Ada and Charlie into the basement.

Downstairs, once Charlie had convinced Ada he didn’t need a cold compress, Corinne was finally able to cut in. “Charlie, what happened last night after we left?”

“I don’t— I’m not sure,” he said.

He was sitting on the sofa, his shoulders hunched over. Ada sat near him, her eyebrows drawn together as she studied his face. Her hands were tight fists in her lap.

“Was it Stuart Delaney?” Ada asked.

Charlie nodded.

“Friend of yours?” Corinne asked.

He nodded again. “I was there when they took him,” he said. “We were leaving for the night, out the stage door, and they were there, waiting.”

“Ironmongers?” Corinne pressed.

“I don’t think so. It was two men in suits. No masks. One of them had iron knuckles.”

His hand floated halfway toward his shiner in reflex, then fell limp.

“I blacked out,” he said. “I don’t know how long. When I woke up, Stuart was gone. He’s not—”

Charlie cut himself off and looked between them, his expression torn.

“He’s not the first,” he said at last. “Carson’s kept it quiet, but there have been others in the past couple of months.”

Corinne met Ada’s eye. She had to be thinking the same thing.

“It had to be the two agents we saw last night,” Corinne said.

Ada nodded, her fists tightening.

“You saw agents at the Red Cat?” Charlie asked, lifting his face. “Luke doesn’t let the agency anywhere near his club.”

“Has anyone told Carson that?” Corinne asked. “Because he seemed pretty chummy with them when he was taking their money.”

“You saw him take money from them?” Confusion and disbelief swirled in Charlie’s expression.

“Yes.”

“I have to go.” Charlie stood up and reached for his hat.

“You can’t go by yourself,” Ada said, standing with him. “Not if they’re just grabbing people off the street.”

Charlie was poised to argue, and Corinne was prepared to agree with him, because he certainly wasn’t going to camp out in the Cast Iron indefinitely. Gabriel interrupted from the stairs.

“I’ll go with you. It’s on my way home.” He looked at Corinne. “I’ll stop by Maury’s and be back in time for the dinner.”

Ada seemed satisfied, which Corinne thought was a little hypocritical.

“Wait a minute,” she said. “So Charlie isn’t allowed to go by himself, but it’s okay if Gabriel gets himself snatched?”

“I’m not a hemopath,” Gabriel said.

Before Corinne could formulate a reply, he and Charlie were already halfway up the stairs.

“He’ll be fine,” Ada said once the door had shut behind them.

Corinne wanted to reply that she didn’t care whether Gabriel Stone lived or died, but that seemed unfairly harsh. It was also patently untrue. “Boys can’t manage anything themselves,” she said. “Least of all staying alive.”

Ada’s expression twitched, but it passed so quickly that Corinne couldn’t tell if she was appreciative or unamused.

“Speaking of which,” Corinne went on. “Where the hell is Saint? Why does he think he can run all over Boston while there are killers and kidnappers and God knows what else on the loose?”

“I told you, he’s at the Mythic. He’s helping with the set.”

“That’s hardly a priority right now, is it?” Corinne flopped onto the sofa, stretching out her legs and resting her head on the arm. “Besides, we’re mad at James and Maddy.”

“Just because you’re mad at someone doesn’t mean the rest of the world is,” Ada said. She seemed to come to a decision and jumped to her feet. She disappeared into their room and reemerged seconds later with her coat and cloche.

“Where are you going?” Corinne asked, scrambling to her feet.

“I need to check on my mother. The HPA knows where she lives.”

“Yes, because they’re trying to catch you.” Corinne was already headed to their room to grab her coat. She knew she wasn’t going to dissuade Ada, and she couldn’t let her go alone.

“We’ll be careful,” Ada said, pulling her hat onto her head. “I just have to make sure she’s all right.”

“It’s too bad Gabriel isn’t here to tell us how reckless we are,” Corinne said. She slipped into her coat and was pleased to find some kid gloves in the pocket. “I might actually agree with him this time.”