Two blocks away from the warehouse they exited the vehicle. Simon and Payne carried two pistols each, the cold hard steel weighing heavily in Simon’s pockets. Robbi was comfortable with a knife on her hip and one in her boot. Simon also had a blade but hoped he didn’t have to rely on it. He promised their hackney driver an extra two quid if he was there when they came out, and the man seemed eager to earn such a pretty sum. If they came out to find him gone, they would be on their own.
Moving into the shadows of the buildings, they avoided two taverns and the whorehouse directly across the street. A workhouse was visible at the other end of the block and several young boys could be seen unloading crates from a wagon out front.
Robbi moved quickly and appeared like an ink blotch in the night, blending in so completely he lost sight of her. His nerves jangled for the entire length of one building until he was finally able to make out her figure at the opposite corner of the building near the entrance to an alley. It was only then he observed the boarded doors on the front of the wooden, four-story structure next to him.
This was it.
Payne made a low whistle and Robbi waited for them to catch up. “Remember,” Payne said barely loud enough to hear. “Ask tospeak to the man in charge. You got a message for his eyes only. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When he opens the door, I go first. Then Astley, then you. Understood?”
Robbi’s head bobbed with nervous energy. He would have felt better to extract a promise from her, but knew he had to act on blind faith in her ability to follow the directions from a professional.
They rounded the corner and immediately, from the other end of the alley, a drunk began stumbling in their direction. Robbi hesitated, but continued at a slower pace, allowing the drunk to pass the doorway before their approach. It was a smart strategy, and he grudgingly admired her quick thinking. If there were a problem, the drunk would encounter it first. If the man was pretending to be drunk, and actually worked for Crookes, they would know before they arrived at the door.
The vagrant passed the door without a hitch and as he approached them, his appearance came into focus. He still stumbled and swayed in clothes that were hanging off a gangly body frame. Shaggy unkempt hair framed his angular jaw as he sang to an imaginary companion in a tone even his mother couldn’t appreciate. As they passed the drunk, the man’s stench brought back memories of Mont Saint Michel and how badly Simon had reeked over his months of captivity. This man wasn’t even aware of their presence.
Robbi stopped next to the door to the warehouse and they all watched the drunk turn the corner and disappear. Simon silently slipped beyond her position and then nodded in her direction. Robbi took a deep breath and released it. Payne reached forward and squeezed her shoulder to ease her nerves. She lifted her chin and stepped in front of the door, pounding on it soundly with the side of her fist.
“Open up, Guv,” she called with the authority of someone who knew how things worked.
When no one appeared, she pounded on the door louder and yelled, “Come on, me got some tea n’ cakes fer Guv.”
The little pass-through window opened and a large, ruddy face appeared in the opening. The man looked down at Robbi and then stole a glance to each side, unable to see him or Payne from his limited vantage point.
“Deliver the message and git,” the guard sneered.
“This message be fer Guv, only. His direction, not mine.” Robbi shrugged as if it didn’t matter to her if the boss hung and quartered the man for not letting her inside.
“The boss won’t be back for some time. Come back later.”
“I’m supposed to wait. Anythin' could ‘appen to a bloke me size ‘angin’ around out ‘ere.” ?The man eyed Robbi up and down, his corpulent jowls shaking as he lifted one corner of his mouth and sucked saliva through blackened teeth. A deep, low grunt followed just before he slammed the miniature door closed. Simon exchanged a look with Robbi, then Payne before three heavy locks clanged open from the inside of the door.
Simon yanked Robbi behind him and Payne pulled a short tipstaff club from his waistband, the brass tip glinting in the light as the door began to open. Payne shouldered the door with all his strength and sent the weighty guard stumbling backward as he rushed inside. The guard raised a pistol just as Payne cracked the brass end of the tipstaff across his wrist. A howl filled the air, and the man’s pistol clambered across the floor.
Simon rushed through the opening just behind Payne and crouched low; prepared for the next line of defense against their intrusion. Robbi slammed the door closed behind them and rushed to grab the pistol from the floor.
The guard tripped and fell as he retreated. “You broke my wrist!”
“I’m going to break more than that. Where are the rest of your men?” Payne demanded as they eyed the interior for more guards.
“It’s just me. They’re all out rounding up—” He clamped his mouth shut, refusing to continue.
“More girls?” Robbi growled. The man eyed Robbi as she continued. “Use your gobber and talk, unless you want me to shoot off your bits.” Robbi pointed the guard’s pistol between the man’s legs.
“The two other bludgers went with the boss. He received word of some girls he’s been looking fer.”
“What girls?” Payne demanded.
“Some piece who caught an earl, supposed to ‘ave a bunch of sisters. Says he’s been looking fer ‘em since he off’ed their dad. Then he saw her image in a gossip rag and nearly went stark raving mad. He insisted they nab her tonight.”
Robbi’s face turned white. “Caillen.”
“Fuck!” He breathed. “We have to go.”
Robbi grasped his arm as he started to storm out. “But we can’t leave without Edeen,” she said, her eyes rounding with fear for both her sisters.
