Ultimate Nyssa Glass by H. Burke (ebook reader browser txt) 📗

about appearances. The detective stood and straightened her hair.

“We know where she is, so I go get her.” Ellis angled away from her, slipping his hand into the space between the arm of his chair and the seat. His heart pounded. His fingers found what they were looking for, and he whipped it out, aiming straight at O’Hara.

At the sight of the revolver, O’Hara stumbled backwards, falling onto the mattress.

“Hands where I can see them!” Ellis snapped.

She gaped. “Ellis, what … why?”

“Because when I got to New Taured, Rivera had no idea that I was even alive. He does now. The fact that he tried to have me killed already had me sure of that, but I was uncertain when and how he found out. If he discovered it just this morning, then there are only two people he could’ve learned it from, you or Clarence. Of the two, guess who I suspect?”

Her mouth opened and closed like a beached fish. “Yes, but he tried to kill me, too. I was in the car with you. Remember?”

“And you were just as surprised by it as I was.” Ellis allowed himself a sardonic smile. “Didn’t realize you were disposable to your employer ’til just then, I imagine.”

Her expression hardened. “You don’t understand.”

“Oh, I think I do. Rivera has deep pockets. It’s easier to believe he funded your little one-woman-man-hunt than that you paid for zeppelin tickets and lodging on a junior detective’s salary. So much for justice, huh?” He snorted. “Hope whatever he paid was worth it.”

“It’s not like that, exactly.” Her cheeks flared red. “Do you know how hard it is to get ahead with everything working against you in life? Of course not. You’re a spoiled rich kid who’s probably never had to lift a finger to get what he wants.”

“Yeah, that’s me. No idea what it’s like to face hardship. In fact, I’m in this chair because I prefer having my servants wheeling me around to actually walking.” Ellis snorted.

Her flush deepened. “All my life, I’ve only wanted to be a police officer, like my dad. And what do I get for struggling through the catcalls during training and taking the entry exam three times because my instructor thought my scores were ‘too high for a woman so I must be cheating?’ An unsolvable case for my first assignment and no help from my fellow officers.”

“You’re breaking my heart.” Ellis tightened his grip on the weapon. He rolled backwards until his chair blocked the doorway.What do I do with her now? Am I really willing to shoot her?

“I wasn’t going to throw up my hands and cry.” Her face contorted into a fierce grimace, and in spite of her claim to the contrary, something glimmered at the corner of her eye. “Finally, I got a lead from a vagrant who’d sighted her breaking into an abandoned mansion the day of the murder.”

“Dalhart Manor?” Ellis eased his finger off the trigger but still held the revolver at ready.

“Yeah. Checking into who owned the mansion led me to the Dalhart disappearances.” She dabbed at her face with her sleeve. “It bewildered me how no one was looking into it.”

Ellis nodded. He needed to get moving, but to do what? Without O’Hara’s help getting the police to cooperate, he had no plan. “What then? How did Rivera get to you?”

“Rivera approached me with what he called an opportunity. Drop the Dalhart disappearances and help him flush Nyssa out of her hiding place.” She cleared her throat. “He promised me a closed case and a guaranteed promotion if I could. Reporting to him wasn’t explicitly stated, but it was strongly implied. He’s desperate for whatever your father left in that house.”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t make sense. Sure my father’s research is valuable, but it is also highly illegal. Rivera should be distancing himself from it, not entrenching himself like he has. It’s not as if the ability to replace human body parts with robotic elements is in high demand. Why all the conspiracy?”

“Maybe because he’s ill.”

Ellis started. “What do you mean ‘ill’?”

“He hides it well, but he has a tremor in his hand and relies far too much on his cane for a man his age. Something’s eating away at him, bite by bite.”

Of course … and the original purpose of my dad’s research was to strengthen my body. This isn’t good. Rivera’s already a determined enough force when not powered by self-preservation.

Ellis hesitated then lowered the gun. It wouldn’t be pleasant, but he knew what he needed to do.

O’Hara raised her eyebrows. “You’re not going to shoot me?”

“Don’t want to get my aristocratic hands soiled cleaning up a crime scene.” He let out a long breath. “Besides, I need you to take a message to your boss. Nyss doesn’t have what he wants, but I do. Tell Rivera I’ll trade what I know about my father’s research, which is pretty much everything, for Nyssa’s safety.”

She rubbed her forehead. “Just like that?”

“Nyss is my world. It’s not a hard choice.” Ellis drew a deep breath.

O’Hara shifted from foot to foot, her eyes downcast.

“What is it?” Ellis asked.

“When Rivera approached me, he made it clear that I might be able to close Nyssa’s case, but not because she’d go to trial. He’s never intended to let her get out of this alive, and he won’t let you live either once he’s gotten what he wants out of you. When I was convinced the young lady was a murderer, it seemed a fair trade. Another form of justice even, but … drat it all, I like you, Ellis. You’re a good fellow.” Her face darkened. “And besides, Rivera knew I was in that steam car, and he still ordered it run off the road. I’m not going to be able to rest if he gets away with this now.”

Ellis drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Okay, so do you have a better plan?”

A grin crept over O’Hara’s face.