Iron Cast(86)

“That’s the first I’m hearing of those odds,” Madeline interjected.

“—and Ada is going to murder me when she finds out I dragged you into this,” Corinne continued. “But I can’t think of any other way, and there’s no one else I can ask. Please—”

“Corinne,” Charlie started.

“Just listen to me,” Corinne insisted. “I know you haven’t even known her a year, but she’s my best friend in the entire world, and it’s her own fault she’s there alone right now, but I have to get her out. I’ll do anything.”

“Corinne—”

“Dammit, Charlie. Can’t you at least consider it for a few seconds before you say no?”

Charlie raised his eyes heavenward and rubbed his finger across the bridge of his nose. “As soon as you’re done yammering, maybe we can leave,” he said.

Corinne blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“If Ada’s in trouble, of course I’m going to help her. I’ll meet you out back in five minutes,” he said. “Don’t be seen.”

Eva Carson was waiting for Madeline and Corinne outside the stage door. Beneath her fur-lined coat she wore a green silk dress and black gloves. Her golden hair was twisted atop her head, with an impeccable curl falling on either side of her face. Her arms were crossed.

“Damn,” Madeline said. “I didn’t do you justice, did I?”

Corinne elbowed her. Eva smirked at them. In the shadows of the alley, without her thick-necked husband beside her, she looked sharper. More dangerous.

“I never smoke after midnight,” she said. “I also don’t hire idiots.”

“Good to know,” Corinne said. “We were just leaving.”

“Charlie Lewis is a good boy,” Eva said, as if Corinne hadn’t spoken. “He’s been with us a long time.”

Corinne waited for a threat, but it never came.

“He’s got a shiner from one of the HPA agents your husband is in bed with,” Corinne said.

Eva tossed her head and snorted. Somehow, she made it look like an elegant gesture. “Luke is no choirboy, but he would never work with the agency.”

“I saw him take the bribe,” Corinne said. “Last night when I was here.”

Madeline had grabbed her wrist, but Corinne refused to back down. Someone had to answer for Luke Carson’s crimes. It might as well be Eva. She was probably behind them all anyway.

“What you saw was my husband trying to pay them to leave our boys alone,” Eva said. “But the HPA wouldn’t take the money. If I had to guess, I’d say they have a better arrangement with someone else.”

“The bulls?”

“Johnny Dervish.”

Eva said it like a challenge. She was facing Corinne head-on. No more pouting smiles or tinkling laughs. Eva Carson was all business.

“Why would Johnny have anything to do with the HPA?” Corinne asked.

Eva shrugged without uncrossing her arms. “Maybe he was bargaining to keep the HPA away from the Cast Iron. Or maybe he knew that when enough of our crew disappeared, it would be Luke’s head on the chopping block. Or maybe he just needed the money.”

“I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” Corinne said. “If you help me, then Luke will be able to come home.”

For a moment she thought Eva was going to laugh. Instead, she let out a long sigh.

“Luke was a good husband,” Eva said. “But he’s done all he can for me, and he knows it. The Red Cat is my club.”

“Cold,” Madeline said.

Eva shrugged again. “He knew the deal when we got married,” she said. “He’s got enough money for a new life. Maybe one day he’ll make his way back here. Until then, I’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

She pushed between Corinne and Madeline to open the stage door.

“That’s it?” Corinne asked. “No burly men with guns to take us for a ride?”

Eva did laugh this time. It was different than Corinne remembered—rich and full instead of twittering.

“I meant it when I said I liked you, Corinne. Stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours. And you’d better take care of Charlie.”

The door clicked shut behind her, and Corinne exchanged a glance with Madeline.

“I changed my mind about being an actress,” Madeline said. “I want to be her when I grow up.”





CHAPTER SEVENTEEN



Ada wasn’t sure if hours or minutes had passed since Dr. Knox left. Her headache had faded—or rather, it had melted into her bloodstream so that her body held nothing but pain. The nausea came in waves, and she only barely managed to keep the contents of her stomach where they belonged.

She wondered if the agents had arrived at the Cast Iron yet, and if Corinne had made it in time. She wondered how badly it would hurt to die, and if her mother would ever know what had happened to her.

She wondered who at the Cast Iron had betrayed them.

She couldn’t do anything but wonder, and that was worse than the steel on her skin.

When the latch on the door slid open, Ada struggled to sit up straight, to effect some semblance of fortitude, but in the end she was too exhausted. She slouched back down as the door opened to admit Agent Wilkey, who looked much more composed than when she’d last seen him. He smiled at her and picked up the metal gag from the table.