He nodded to her hands, where she still gripped the box with the jewels. “Thank you for retrieving my stones for me. We’ll need those where we’re going. Carry them gently.” He met her gaze, and the complete absence of kindness caused her to shiver. “Drop or damage them, and I’ll kill the boy. Understand?”
Graeme would never forgive her if she allowed anything to happen to his brother. She nodded. Briefly she met Dougal’s gaze and offered him a smile.
“Now move.” The Raven pointed the gun at her and jerked it forward.
She followed his instructions and stepped out of the closet with the box. Together, she and Dougal walked down to the front door. Before she stepped outside, though, she pretended to stumble. She didn’t want to appear to have damaged the stones, but she needed a brief reprieve.
“Clumsy fool,” The Raven muttered. “Best be careful or the boy dies. Don’t test me on this. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve seen where my talents lie. Fitch and Sam put up excellent fights, but in the end, they were no match for me. Do you honestly think a puny female like you would even have a chance?”
While bending over, Vanessa removed the fossil from her bag and strategically placed it where Graeme would not miss it. If he came here to find The Raven, he’d know the man had her. Hopefully it would be enough to save her and Dougal from whatever horrible death awaited them.
“Hurry,” The Raven barked. “I don’t have much time.”
“Why the rush? Where are we going?” Vanessa asked as she climbed into the waiting carriage.
“Westminster,” The Raven said.
“Whatever for?” Vanessa asked.
“There is a funeral today. A highly ranked military leader,” The Raven said. He kept the pistol aimed at both of them.
Vanessa wondered momentarily if she and Dougal together could overtake the man. He wasn’t extraordinarily large, although she could certainly tell he was athletic. But then she remembered what he’d said about Mr. Fitch. Mr. Fitch had been a very large and strong man, yet he’d been taken down by The Raven’s deadly skills. And hadn’t Graeme warned her of him?
“And you wish to pay your respects?” Dougal asked, finally speaking up. His brow furrowed in his confusion.
“High-ranking military officer,” Vanessa repeated, then she brought her gaze up to The Raven’s. “Her Majesty will be in attendance,” she said.
“Fancy that,” The Raven said.
“You intend to kill the queen?” Dougal asked.
“If I must.” Then The Raven smiled. “And I truly must.”
CHAPTER 23
Vanessa stepped down from the carriage, The Raven’s pistol pressed firmly into her back. Dougal already stood on the street. They were a block away from Big Ben.
“Are we to walk all the way to Westminster from here?” she asked. “Why not take the carriage directly there?”
“You see, if you would have killed her when you had the chance, she wouldn’t be here now to annoy me,” The Raven said to Dougal. “Walk straight to that alleyway.” He motioned to their left.
Dougal followed the man’s instructions.
Vanessa scanned the street for anyone who might be of assistance, but found no one within earshot. There were a handful of people down the street, but they were too far away. With The Raven’s gun firmly lodged between her shoulder blades, she followed Dougal down the alley.
They were heading away from the Thames, but walking alongside Big Ben. Perhaps The Raven expected the funeral to be so heavily populated that he wanted to sneak them in a back door. They kept moving until suddenly The Raven stopped.
“This is it,” he said. There was, in fact, a door directly to their left, but instead of opening it, The Raven nudged one of the large stones that made up the street. “Dougal, get down here and move this,” he demanded. He eyed both ends of the alley, then stood with his great coat open to block any view of Dougal’s activity.
The boy had gotten to his knees and dug his fingers beneath the edge of the stone. It shifted slightly.
“You’re going to need to use more force than that,” The Raven said. “Prove yourself useful, boy. A strapping young lad like you should be able to do something useful. God knows your cunning intellect isn’t going to win you any accolades.”
Dougal eyed The Raven, and for a moment Vanessa expected the boy would charge, but he evidently thought better of it. It was a smart choice, Vanessa knew. The Raven might have no qualms about shooting them both here on the street.
With renewed effort, Dougal lifted the stone. Below was an opening that went deep beneath the street. Vanessa could make out the faint outline of stairs.
“Down,” The Raven said.