A Lily Among Thorns(51)
He let them into a low unpainted room off the house’s yard and latched the door behind them. A table covered in equipment stood in the center of the room. She’d seen it plenty of times before, but now it made her think of Solomon. In the corner was a large safe. As well as running one of London’s less reputable molly houses, Decker was one of London’s more discreet fences. “Now how can I help you?”
“I’m here to get those earrings. These are the same pair you bought off a highwayman last week, are they not?” She drew Solomon’s sketch of the earrings from her pocket and handed it to Decker.
The look he gave her was really troubled. “These were the last things I ever expected you to ask about.”
She frowned. “Why?”
He pursed his lips. “I’ll tell you this much. I did have those earrings. They were here for almost five days. Then someone comes in yesterday morning, asking about them. I’m sorry, Thorn. They’re gone. Were gone hours before I got your note.”
“And who purchased them?”
His round mouth flattened out severely. “You know I won’t tell you. My business relies on discretion.”
“I’m discreet. And I would make it worth your while.”
He looked affronted. “I wasn’t asking for a bribe. I don’t betray my customers. In either of my professions.”
She leaned against the door frame, gave a long-suffering sigh, and fixed him with her blankest, mildest expression. “I need to know where those earrings went, Fritz. I should hate to have to resort to foolish violence.” He quailed. Serena felt a shock of pure malicious satisfaction. That would teach him to tell her she put up a brave front.
“I can’t, and I can’t,” he said pleadingly. “You’ve been accused of black things, Thorn, but violence to an undeserving man for pursuing his profession isn’t one of them.”
She grinned wolfishly. “You clearly haven’t heard my latest orders.”
He had. She saw it in his eyes. He took a hasty step backward. But he stuck obstinately to his guns. “Cutthroat ain’t a profession, and your father deserves what he gets. This is different. But even if it wasn’t, I’m between the devil and the deep sea. My life won’t be worth a copper penny if one of my transactions becomes a source of unpleasantness because of me, and that’s a fact.”
Damn it, he was right. Serena just wanted this over with so she could go back out there and deal with Elijah. It filled her with angry frustration that the information she needed was so damn close and yet she wasn’t going to get it.
On the other hand, she thought, if I can’t get the earrings, Solomon can’t leave yet. No, that was a bad thing. She glared at Decker.
“I owe you a debt, Thorn,” Decker said unexpectedly, stepping forward again. “You didn’t have to warn me about that police raid, and you did. And I like you, for all you could frighten our Lord himself. So let me warn you to be careful. I’m troubled in my mind that you should be asking about those earrings.”
“Oh la,” she drawled. “I’m ever so touched. I can make such practical use of that information. At least tell me one thing: were the earrings whole when you sold them?”
He nodded. His relieved smile that she was relenting just made her angrier. People weren’t supposed to look at her like that. They weren’t supposed to like her. Being liked didn’t keep you safe. You couldn’t predict it or rely on it. It was just something you had to keep earning, over and over.
“Thank you,” she said. “But bear in mind that the next time I come across information that you need, I just may keep it to myself.” But she didn’t find Decker’s hurt expression any more pleasant than his smile. It was an empty threat anyway, and he probably knew it.
Solomon was throwing her off her game, and now that the earrings were missing again, who knew when she could be rid of him?
To her surprise, Elijah was waiting patiently when she returned to the taproom. She motioned him to stay while she had a few words with Ravi Bhattacharya, who was still sitting at the bar with his head high and an empty glass of gin in his hand.
That business concluded, Serena jerked her head toward the door, and Elijah stood and followed her. They were waiting for a hackney on the pavement when Serena asked abruptly, “Is your brother—does he—” She gestured toward the pub behind them, frustrated that she couldn’t seem to just come out and ask. But what would she say? Does your brother like men? Because that would explain why he hasn’t slept with me.