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not want to see Trevor Bellingham.
    â€œDon’t be shy,” Denton clucked as he shoved his soft, pudgy hand into the small of my back, propelling me forward. But when we got within reach of the table he lurched past me and yanked the drape free, allowing the shattered, naked husk of Captain Bellingham to suffer one last humiliation.
    Had I not gasped at the sight I would like to believe I would have turned on Denton Ross and pummeled him for his lack of propriety. But I did sink back, unable to say anything or even pull my eyes away from the travesty that lay before me.
    Denton had split the body vertically at the center of the chest from the base of the neck to the midpoint of the groin so that Captain Bellingham’s organs could be inspected. He had sewn the captain back together hastily, however, leaving him to look rather like a garment that has been buttoned incorrectly. Yet it was not this savage wound of enquiry nor its careless attempt at resuturing that was most horrifying, but rather the blight that covered the central section of this young man’s body. He was spotted with an unfathomable amount of black dots and his sex was blistered beyond recognition.
    â€œI apologize for the slipshod work,” Denton muttered blithely, “but I really wasn’t expecting gawkers.” He snickered and I felt his breath strike the back of my neck.
    I suppressed the urge to shiver and forced myself to concentrate on a spot at the far side of the table as I attempted to steady myself. I would not let this revolting man see me crumble. With a great deal of fortitude I made myself ask, “Are there any burn marks on his back?”
    â€œOh!” Again I was struck by the proximity of Denton’s stale breath and sensed him leaning ever closer to me. “You are a randy one, aren’t you?” he cooed. And then I felt one of his arms slither around my waist as he tugged me back against him.
    Without a second thought, I reared back and shoved my right elbow deep into his sagging gut. He staggered backwards with a choked exhalation of wheezing breath before dropping to the floor.
    â€œYou will never touch me again!” I screeched as I stared down at his crimson face, watching him struggle to breathe. “And if you do, I shall split you open just as you’ve done to this poor man.” He could only sputter and cough in reply. “And because you are such an offensive ruddy bastard,” I railed on, “I am taking Captain Bellingham’s autopsy report and if anyone asks any questions you will say it was your idea. Do you understand?! ” There was more than a note of shrillness seeping into my voice and I knew I had best collect what I’d come for and get out.
    I hurried to the tiny office and snatched up the captain’s file, quickly tucking it beneath my arm. As I raced back through the examination room I saw Denton push himself up to his hands and knees, hacking so hard that I thought him on the verge of spitting blood. He deserved it, I told myself with a measure of pride. Yet that pride would prove to be very short-lived.

CHAPTER 6
    B y the time I got back home our flat was thick with the aroma of roasting lamb and potatoes. I was surprised to find myself tempted by food given what I had just seen, but my stomach was not to be deterred.
    â€œ ’Bout time,” Mrs. Behmoth grunted from the kitchen doorway as I stepped inside. “Ya better be ’ungry. I been slavin’ in ’ere ’alf the day.”
    I wanted to point out that was one of the reasons we paid her but decided to let it pass, as I was much more excited to show Colin what I’d accomplished. “Colin back?”
    â€œUpstairs.”
    I hurried up to find him standing by the fireplace, his attention seemingly mesmerized by the flames even as his hands worked absently cleaning the barrel of a revolver he had taken apart and scattered across the nearest end table. “I