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Back Cardinal Black Save as PDF
Chapters (44)
  1. Title Page
  2. One: Into the Storm
  3. One
  4. Two
  5. Three
  6. Four
  7. Five
  8. Six
  9. Seven
  10. Two: London Calling
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Three: The Malignant Seven
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-One
  26. Twenty-Two
  27. Twenty-Three
  28. Four: Squirrels and Cats
  29. Twenty-Four
  30. Twenty-Five
  31. Twenty-Six
  32. Twenty-Seven
  33. Twenty-Eight
  34. Twenty-Nine
  35. Thirty
  36. Thirty-One
  37. Thirty-Two
  38. Five: Revelation
  39. Thirty-Three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. About the Author

Before Matthew could start off for the Nashes’ house on Conger Street, Hudson caught at his arm. “Matthew … listen … it may not do to see her right now. I mean to say … you should probably get some rest before you see her. Another day isn’t going to make much of a difference.”

“But it could make some difference,” said Matthew, as he pulled his arm away.

“I ask you … as a friend … to delay that visit. You coming right off the road like this … I know you want to see her as soon as possible … but she won’t recognize you, Matthew. It’s useless to try to sit in front of her and make her remember anything. It’ll just … well … it’ll just tear you up all the more. Give it the rest of the day, get a meal and some sleep. What I suppose I’m telling you is to fortify yourself. And I’m telling you that as someone who cares about both of you. All right?”

No, Matthew wanted to adamantly say, but he thought there was some wisdom in what Hudson had said. Fortify yourself. He feared for Berry, and feared for himself as well … that when he faced her and saw her diminished condition he would crack to pieces.

Fortify yourself.

A meal and some sleep, and then to visit Berry—possibly in the company of Firebaugh—first thing in the morning. That, as much as he disliked it, sounded like a good plan.

“Yes,” Matthew said. “All right.” Even as he said this, he thought that to visit the professor’s house at the end of Conger Street he would face the difficult challenge of walking past Mayor Nash’s house also on Conger Street.

“Wise choice,” said Julian.

“Button it up!” Hudson snapped. “If I didn’t think you probably had saved Matthew’s life a half-dozen times you’d be down on the deck with that little bastard.”

“This one is a loose cannon,” Julian smirked at Matthew. “His balls may be too big for his brain.”

On the ground, Stalker groaned and began to stir.

“This is all well and good,” said Guinnessey, “but the professor is waiting. Hudson, you’re not invited.”

“The hell you say. How are you going to stop me?”

“Oh, shit!” Guinnessey motioned them all onward with his pistol. “Come on, then!”

Thirty-Four

Thirty-Four

“Sit there,” said Professor Fell.

The black leather armchair he had indicated was positioned at the center of Fell’s upstairs study, before the writing desk that bore ornamental diamond shapes carved into the front. The professor, resplendent in a crimson skullcap and a crimson robe decorated with gold figures, sat behind the desk. The deep-set eyes in the mulatto face were the same smoky amber color as the liquid in the jars of marine specimens on the shelves behind him. They were fixed upon Lazarus Firebaugh, whom he had just addressed.