“Do you know where they’re staying?”
“I do. But I don’t know if’n I should tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Because you just told me how dangerous it is. Mr. Knopf is dead and now you’re gonna go and get yourself killed, too. Maybe I should just go to da police.”
Violet felt touched by this but she wasn’t about to let Toby do something like that. “Toby, what if I promised that I wouldn’t do anything without going to the police first?”
Toby looked up at her and grinned. “You wouldn’t be lying to me now would you, Miss Violet?”
“Please.”
Toby looked down, the droop in his shoulders showing that he was relenting to her pressure. “Dey stay in the blue-and-white house at the corner of McIntosh. The one with the widda’s walk on the top. You know that one?”
“Yes. It was bought by someone a year or so ago, wasn’t it?”
“Uh-huh. Dose boys. They’re the ones.”
Violet pulled her foot back and stood up. “Thanks, Toby. You’re a lifesaver.”
“I hope so. I hope I ain’t sending you to die.”
Violet bent down and kissed the top of the old man’s head, not caring if anyone saw them. “Take care of yourself.”
“SHE’S NOT IN her apartment.”
Burkard was soaking in the tub, his well-toned body covered by scented bubbles. Without opening his eyes, he addressed Bane, who was standing nervously in the doorway. He was sure that Bane was drinking in the bits of flesh he could see. “How do you know?”
“I went by to ask her to join us here for breakfast, as per your instructions… but when I arrived, I found the authorities already there. They were taking Miss Whitehead into custody and the police chief was very upset that Miss Cambridge was missing. He threatened to take me into the station for questioning but I convinced him that I knew nothing about it.”
“And did he have a man follow you back here?”
“I don’t think so.”
Burkard sighed and sat up. He gestured for Bane to turn around and the man did so, his slicked-down hair glistening in the harsh bathroom light. Burkard stepped from the tub and toweled off before pulling on his underwear and pants. “Where do you think she’s gone, Lazlo?”
“Ah… I would think to find The Followers of the Eclipse. She seemed very concerned that they might have escaped with The Damned Thing.”
Burkard stepped past him, entering his room and beginning to pull on the shirt and tie he’d left on the bedspread. “Then I think it would be wise to make sure she hasn’t gone and gotten herself killed. We might still have need of her… and I certainly do not want her finding The Damned Thing before we do.”
Bane stared at his employer. “Should I go now?”
Burkard continued getting dressed. “I will come with you. Go and fetch my gun, won’t you?”
VIOLET STOOD ACROSS the street from the house that old Toby Washington had told her about. The sun was shining brightly in the sky and it was doing its job in keeping the chill out of the air. When the wind blew hard, it was enough to rattle her bones, but for the most part it was a very pleasant day.
Violet waited for a car to pass and then she set off across the street, having decided to avoid subterfuge. Given that she had no idea what sort of security was in the house or how many agents of the Followers were present, she had decided to not sneak inside. She was afraid of ending up in a situation where she couldn’t escape… by going to the front door, she could get a gauge on the situation and, if it looked too dangerous, she could turn tail and run. Not the best of plans, she had to admit, but she was always one for taking the direct approach.
Violet stood outside the door, noticing how quiet it seemed. She rapped her knuckles across the surface and waited. Slow, shuffling footsteps preceded the door swinging inward a few inches. Bloodshot eyes stared out at her and a voice that sounded like it belonged in a Boris Karloff picture asked, “Can I help you?”
“My name is Violet Cambridge. One of your boys tried to kill me yesterday.”
The door shut abruptly and for a moment Violet thought she was going to burst out laughing. Did they really think she was going to turn around and leave now? It wasn’t like she was going door-to-door handing out religious literature. She wasn’t going to take “no” for an answer.
The door opened again, revealing a tall man with dark hair, tinged with white at the edges. He wore a black suit and tie, which gave him the impression of being an undertaker. This was accentuated by his grim visage. “Miss Cambridge. This is a surprise.”
“I imagine it is. You were probably expecting to see me next in a pine box.”
A twitch of the man’s lips suggested that he had almost — but not quite — smiled. “Please. Would you like to come in? My name is Jameson.”
Violet considered her options and then stepped across the threshold. “If you’re going to try and kill me, just let me know now and we can settle this like grownups.”
Jameson gave a brief shrug of his shoulders. “I do not wish for any violence. In fact, I would think that we would have far more in common than you might think.”
Violet found that hard to believe but she didn’t voice her concerns… her breath was momentarily taken away by the fact that some dozen of the Followers of the Eclipse were lining the foyer and central hallway, each of them standing erect with arms at their sides. Their faces were emotionless masks and none of them moved so much as an inch, not even to blink. She recognized the one who had opened the door for her initially.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“These are my brothers. We all exist to serve the Master.”
Violet followed him down the hall and into a sitting room. She gazed into the faces of the men she passed but none reacted to her presence. It was as if they were automatons that had been shut off for the time being. She wasn’t even sure if they were breathing.
“I hope you don’t think I’m being rude but… are you human?” she asked Jameson. A quick glance around the sitting room showed that it was not very well kept up. A thick covering of dust lay across everything and a scent of mildew filled the air.
He gestured towards a rather comfortable looking couch and waited until Violet was seated before he responded. He didn’t appear at all surprised by her question. “Actually, I am not. Neither are my brethren.”
“That’s why the one I killed yesterday turned into… spiders?”
“Yes. We are actually a conglomeration of various powders, insects and alchemical potions. Artificial people sometimes referred to as homunculi.”
Violet said nothing. She wasn’t familiar with the term but didn’t care to share that fact. Instead, she continued with the strange conversation by asking, “Do you mind telling me who your master is?”
“I was created by The Great Beast in 1934. Some of my brothers date back as far as 1927. We were tasked with maintaining his interests here in the United States, specifically the location of The Damned Thing. We have sent word that we have it in our possession and he shall be returning to lead the ceremony soon.”