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Chelsea Handler Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (epub
Brit Brinson [Dia of the Dead Dia of the Dead (epub)
Cody Goodfellow [Radiant Dawn Radiant Dawn (epub)
Cate Tiernan [Immortal Belove Immortal Beloved (epub)
C J Busby [Deep Amber 01] Deep Amber (retail) (epub)
Carl Ashmore [Time Hunters 01 The Time Hunters (epub)
Drew Hayes [Super Powereds 02 Super Powereds Year 2 (epub) i
Beth Harbison [Shoe Addict 02 Secrets of a Shoe Addict (epub)
Cara Lynn Shultz [Dark World The Dark World (retail) (epub)
[heft] Perry Rhodan 1648 Die Spiegelgeborenen

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.She might become a nuisance if she decides to go after gaming clubs or taverns, but as long as she sticks to raiding brothels, she’s Luttrell’s problem.”“Unfortunately,” Griffin said, “if she keeps on with her hobby, she’s going to get herself killed.”Delbert shot him a searching look.“You’re worried about a social reformer? They’re nothing but pests, same as squirrels and pigeons, except that you can’t roast them or make a decent stew out of them.”“I think this particular reformer might come in very handy if I can get to her before she ends up floating in the river.”Delbert was starting to become alarmed.“Bloody hell.She’s caught your fancy, hasn’t she, Boss? Why her?”“It’s difficult to explain.”Griffin looked at the portrait on the wall.It was akin to gazing into a dark mirror.Nicholas Winters was dressed in the style of the late seventeenth century, but his black velvet coat and elaborately tied cravat did nothing to obscure the startling similarity between the two of them.From the dark hair and brilliant green eyes to the fiercely etched planes and angles of their faces, the resemblance was uncanny.The portrait had been completed shortly after Nicholas had come into his second talent.The nightmares and hallucinations had already begun.Every time Griffin examined the painting he found himself searching for some indication of the madness that would soon follow.The image in the painting suddenly wavered and shimmered.Nicholas stirred to life.He fixed Griffin with his alchemist’s eyes.“You are my true heir,” Nicholas said.“The three talents will be yours.It’s in the blood.Find the lamp.Find the woman.”Griffin suppressed the vision with an effort of will.The disturbing daytime hallucinations had begun a few weeks earlier at about the same time that his new talent had appeared.The nightmares were so bad now that he dreaded sleep.There was no longer any way to deny the truth.He had been struck with the Winters Curse.Delbert, blissfully unaware of the hallucination, contemplated Griffin with the knowing look of a longtime friend and confidant.“You’re bored,” Delbert announced.“That’s the real problem here.You haven’t had a woman since you parted company with that pretty blond widow you were seeing a few months back.You’re a healthy man in your prime.You need regular exercise.There’s no shortage of willing females who would be more than pleased to scratch that particular itch for you.No need to pursue one who will surely cause you no end of trouble.”“Trust me, I’m not interested in bedding a social reformer,” Griffin said.But even as he spoke the words, he realized with a frisson of awareness that he was lying.He was very good when it came to lying.The skill had helped him rise to the top of his profession.But he conducted his life by a few, inflexible rules, one of which was that he never lied to himself.Although he had no intention of explaining the situation to Delbert, the reality was that he was obsessed with the woman who was conducting the brothel raids.He had been fascinated by her since the first rumors from the street had reached him.Initially he had found the fixation inexplicable.Delbert was right, social reformers were just another form of urban pest.“No offense, Boss, but I know that look,” Delbert said grimly.“It’s the same one you get whenever you decide to go after something you want.But use your head, man.For all you know this female, assuming she is a female, might be a little old gray- haired grandmother or a crazed religious zealot.Hell, she might prove to be one of those women who has no interest in men.”“I’m aware of that,” Griffin said.Yet some part of him was convinced otherwise.It was, no doubt, the part that would soon be standing on an invisible edge looking down into the hell of insanity.Find the lamp.Find the woman.Delbert, glumly resigned, exhaled a deep sigh.“You’re going to track her down, aren’t you?”“I don’t have any choice.” Griffin contemplated the circles he had drawn on the map.“But I need to do it quickly.”“Before Luttrell gets to her, do you mean?”“Yes.She’s found a strategy that works and she’s sticking to it.Predictability is always a weakness.”“Once we locate her, Jed and I’ll grab her for you.”“No, that approach won’t work.I need the lady’s full and willing cooperation.This situation calls for a proper social introduction.”Delbert snorted.“A respectable social reformer agrees to be introduced to a crime lord? Now that’s a sight I’d pay good money to see.How do you plan to arrange that?”“I believe the lady and I have a mutual acquaintance who can be persuaded to set up a meeting on neutral territory,” Griffin said.2THE WIDOW SWEPT INTO THE CHARITY HOUSE KITCHEN JUST as Irene and the others were digging into mountains of scrambled eggs and sausages.Forks frozen in midair, the girls stared at the new arrival, astonished.Elegant ladies, even those devoted to good works, never, ever allowed themselves to be tainted by the presence of fallen women.And The Widow was clearly a very elegant person.She was fashionably dressed from head to toe in striking shades of black, silver and gray.The black lace veil of her fine velvet hat concealed her features.The skirts of her gown were draped into intricate folds and trimmed with a street-sweeper ruffle at the hem to protect the expensive fabric from the dirt and grime of the pavement.The pointed toes of a pair of dainty gray leather high-button boots peeked out from beneath the ruffle.Black gloves sheathed the lady’s hands.“Good morning,” The Widow said.“I’m delighted to see that you all have hearty appetites.That is a very good sign.”Belatedly, Irene Brinks got her mouth closed.She jumped up from the end of the bench and managed a small curtsy.There was a great deal of scraping of wood on floorboards as her four companions pushed back the bench and stood.“Please sit down and return to your breakfasts,” The Widow said.“I just wanted to have a word with Mrs.Mallory.”The small, stout, cheerful-looking woman at the stove wiped her hands on her apron and gave The Widow a radiant smile.“Good morning, ma’am,” Mrs.Mallory said.“You’re here early today.”“I wanted to see how you were getting on after the excitement last night,” The Widow said briskly.“All is well?”“Yes, indeed.” Mrs.Mallory glowed with satisfaction.“The young women are eating good breakfasts, as you noticed.I suspect it’s the first decent meal most of them have had in a while.”“Just like last time,” The Widow said.But she said it very softly.“The girls are half starved.”“I’m afraid so,” Mrs.Mallory said.“But we’ll soon fix that.”Irene did not move.Neither did the other girls.They stood rigidly at attention, unable to determine the correct course of action.They had some experience with social reformers like Mrs.Mallory but nothing in their lives had prepared them for The Widow.The Widow looked at them.“Do sit down and finish your breakfast, ladies.”There was a moment of confusion while Irene and the others looked around to see if there were some actual ladies present in the kitchen [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]