Read Online Ashes To Ashes: A Ministry of Curiosities Novella (The Ministry of Curiosities Book 5) by C.J. Archer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: C.J. Archer
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mother."
Seth's face fell. "Do I have to?" he whined.
"Yes."
"You want her to interrogate the committee members too?" Gus asked.
"I thought she could use the event as a way of announcing her return to London. She can reacquaint herself with her old friends."
Seth's face fell even more. "Has she been invited?"
"Tell her she has been. Julia won't mind. She and scandal like to flirt with one another, after all."
That almost earned a smile from Seth. Gus chuckled. "Wish I could go to watch."
"You will drive us, then keep warm in the mews. The servants know you and might offer some gossip. If you speak to the inside servants, ask them who has accessed the attic archives in recent times."
"Right, sir."
They both looked enthused by the prospect of being involved in the investigation. Good. Perhaps this was a turning point. Perhaps they'd given up on Charlie ever coming home.
"You're both dismissed." Lincoln turned away.
Even though he couldn't see them, he knew they were gesturing to one another and urging the other to speak. In the end, it was Seth who cleared his throat. Lincoln braced himself. He didn't need to have a seer's powers to know what the conversation would be about.
"Her birthday is only days away," Seth said.
Charlie's nineteenth birthday had been on his mind too lately, among other things. "And?"
"And we wish to send her a gift. We can't do so without knowing where she is."
"I won't be giving you her location."
"You have to!" Gus snapped. "She's our friend."
"She's like a sister," Seth added in a rough voice. He sounded like he was barely holding in his temper.
Lincoln leaned his knuckles on the desk and bowed his head. "I cannot risk anyone finding her."
Silence. He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder to see if they were looking at him or gesturing to each other again.
"So you do still care for her wellbeing," Seth finally said in quiet tones.
"I knew it." Gus sounded pleased.
Lincoln straightened and turned to face them. "Sending her a gift would only give her false hope that she will return."
Gus gave him a blank look. He shrugged. "But she will return. After you've caught the killer, you'll fetch her and bring her home."
Lincoln gripped the desk behind him and shook his head. "She's a distraction to me. I cannot afford distractions."
Seth's fist shot out, but Lincoln deflected it. He grabbed Seth's arm, twisted it, and forced him to the ground. The maneuver would have caused pain, but to Seth's credit, he merely winced. He didn't try to resist.
Gus, however, decided to fight on his friend's behalf. He wrapped one muscular arm around Lincoln's throat and squeezed. With his knee still in Seth's back, Lincoln let go and grasped onto Gus's hair. Lincoln could break his neck, but he chose to pull out a fistful of hair instead.
Gus let go and clutched his scalp. He reeled backward, out of reach. "I'm bleeding!"
Lincoln stood and held out his hand to Seth. Seth ignored it and got to his feet on his own. He stepped up to Lincoln, his fists at his sides, a murderous scowl on his face.
"You are the most selfish, cold-hearted prick I've ever met," he snarled through his teeth. "When the killer is caught, I'm leaving Lichfield. I no longer want to work for someone who can banish the only person who cares about him without batting an eye."
Lincoln was too far away from the desk to use it as support, so he had to stand there and concentrate very hard on being still, on not blinking or showing these men that he felt sick to his core every time he thought about Charlie being far away.
Fortunately he didn't need to order them to get out. They left of their own accord, although Gus couldn't resist a parting shot. "I hope your shriveled heart keeps you warm at night."
"Close the door," Lincoln told him.
Gus's top lip curled up, but he did as ordered.
Alone again, Lincoln sank onto the chair at his desk and dragged both hands through his hair and down his face. With shaking fingers, he
Seth's face fell. "Do I have to?" he whined.
"Yes."
"You want her to interrogate the committee members too?" Gus asked.
"I thought she could use the event as a way of announcing her return to London. She can reacquaint herself with her old friends."
Seth's face fell even more. "Has she been invited?"
"Tell her she has been. Julia won't mind. She and scandal like to flirt with one another, after all."
That almost earned a smile from Seth. Gus chuckled. "Wish I could go to watch."
"You will drive us, then keep warm in the mews. The servants know you and might offer some gossip. If you speak to the inside servants, ask them who has accessed the attic archives in recent times."
"Right, sir."
They both looked enthused by the prospect of being involved in the investigation. Good. Perhaps this was a turning point. Perhaps they'd given up on Charlie ever coming home.
"You're both dismissed." Lincoln turned away.
Even though he couldn't see them, he knew they were gesturing to one another and urging the other to speak. In the end, it was Seth who cleared his throat. Lincoln braced himself. He didn't need to have a seer's powers to know what the conversation would be about.
"Her birthday is only days away," Seth said.
Charlie's nineteenth birthday had been on his mind too lately, among other things. "And?"
"And we wish to send her a gift. We can't do so without knowing where she is."
"I won't be giving you her location."
"You have to!" Gus snapped. "She's our friend."
"She's like a sister," Seth added in a rough voice. He sounded like he was barely holding in his temper.
Lincoln leaned his knuckles on the desk and bowed his head. "I cannot risk anyone finding her."
Silence. He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder to see if they were looking at him or gesturing to each other again.
"So you do still care for her wellbeing," Seth finally said in quiet tones.
"I knew it." Gus sounded pleased.
Lincoln straightened and turned to face them. "Sending her a gift would only give her false hope that she will return."
Gus gave him a blank look. He shrugged. "But she will return. After you've caught the killer, you'll fetch her and bring her home."
Lincoln gripped the desk behind him and shook his head. "She's a distraction to me. I cannot afford distractions."
Seth's fist shot out, but Lincoln deflected it. He grabbed Seth's arm, twisted it, and forced him to the ground. The maneuver would have caused pain, but to Seth's credit, he merely winced. He didn't try to resist.
Gus, however, decided to fight on his friend's behalf. He wrapped one muscular arm around Lincoln's throat and squeezed. With his knee still in Seth's back, Lincoln let go and grasped onto Gus's hair. Lincoln could break his neck, but he chose to pull out a fistful of hair instead.
Gus let go and clutched his scalp. He reeled backward, out of reach. "I'm bleeding!"
Lincoln stood and held out his hand to Seth. Seth ignored it and got to his feet on his own. He stepped up to Lincoln, his fists at his sides, a murderous scowl on his face.
"You are the most selfish, cold-hearted prick I've ever met," he snarled through his teeth. "When the killer is caught, I'm leaving Lichfield. I no longer want to work for someone who can banish the only person who cares about him without batting an eye."
Lincoln was too far away from the desk to use it as support, so he had to stand there and concentrate very hard on being still, on not blinking or showing these men that he felt sick to his core every time he thought about Charlie being far away.
Fortunately he didn't need to order them to get out. They left of their own accord, although Gus couldn't resist a parting shot. "I hope your shriveled heart keeps you warm at night."
"Close the door," Lincoln told him.
Gus's top lip curled up, but he did as ordered.
Alone again, Lincoln sank onto the chair at his desk and dragged both hands through his hair and down his face. With shaking fingers, he
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