Red Dog Conspiracy: A Noir Future Steampunk Crime Family Saga

At the Spadros Women's Club, white stone steps with black wrought iron banisters led up to a black door with silver knobs. A man in black and silver Spadros livery opened the door for me.

Inside, the Women's Club was paneled in piano black and trimmed in silver, with silver-gray carpeting. At the black podium, a man in Spadros livery stood, glancing up when I approached. "Welcome, Mrs. Spadros, your family awaits."

My family? The invitation was for Molly.

Perhaps she brought Tony's little sister Katherine with her. While I liked Katie, what I wanted to discuss wasn't really suitable for a thirteen year old girl to hear. Perhaps I could find a way to distract her.

Or bore her. Even better. That'd be sure to make her want to leave the table, if not to go outside and see the gardens.

I smiled to myself as I followed the man to one of the private areas, curtained in diaphanous white.

Molly, Katherine, and Roy Spadros sat around the table, rising when I entered.

Fear, outrage, and confusion struck me, all at once: How did Roy get in here? The Club was only for women!

Then I realized: Who would dare to tell Roy Spadros he couldn't come in?

As ever, Tony's father Roy stared out at me through dead eyes of blue ice. The light shone on the snow-white strands in his black hair. "Good to see you, Jacq."

Molly smiled warmly and held out her hand, which I touched briefly. Why didn't she warn me he would be here?

Katherine said, "Jacqui!" She hugged me around my waist, her face in the top of my corset. "I'm so happy to see you!" Katherine Spadros had auburn hair and bright blue eyes. Her hair was pulled away from her face, a fresh rose caught up in it.

The attendant held my chair, and I sat, quite mindful that my back was to the curtain. "What an unexpected surprise."

Maids entered, pouring tea, bringing sandwiches. The private areas were as large as my private dressing room at Madame Biltcliffe's shop, with plenty of room for the servants to move about. But today, their movements were jerky, hesitant.

Once the maids were done, Roy waved them off and peered at me. "What do you want to know?"

He did tend to get to the point, but even so his abruptness startled me. "I beg your pardon?"

"You've never asked my wife to tea before. That you would do so now, after your argument with my son about 'teaching you to shoot' —"

Alarm spiked through me. One of our servants, listening at the door, reported our private conversation to Roy?

Roy let out a mocking laugh. "It suggests to me you might have something you want to know."

Katherine had filled her plate with cucumber sandwiches, and was happily removing the cucumber from each of them.

"I suppose it does bring up a few questions."

Molly smiled. "We mean you no harm, my dear."

So she was in on this? Roy didn't force her to keep his visit here a secret? But they meant me no harm. "Why can't Tony know about my lessons? He's so concerned for my safety."

Molly sighed. "He's always been anxious, the poor dear. And I suppose for good reason." She glanced at Roy, who didn't meet her eye. "It just seemed for the best."

They coddled Tony. They didn't believe in him. They didn't believe he could handle the truth.

When he learned of it he would be furious. It would make him feel so disrespected. And it would hurt, especially coming from his mother. And by extension, from me. I shook my head. "This ... you can't keep this secret forever."

Roy smirked. "Certainly we can. Who would dare tell him. You?" He paused. "Now that you know we wish you not to? Why in the world would you do that? With the cathedral so close at hand. It's just a short drive away." A sly grin crossed his face. "I bet you'd like to see your mother, wouldn't you?"

I stared at him in horror. "No."

Molly frowned. "Roy, dear —"

Roy ignored her. "Surely after all these years, you want to see her? Just for a few days, perhaps? I could invite her over for some entertainment — I'd even let you watch."

Katie had made a pile of the cucumbers. She held a slice of cucumber in one hand and the salt shaker in the other. She ate the slices one at a a time, salting each slice before she ate it.

She had no idea what her father meant. I forced myself to smile, to keep my voice light. "That won't be necessary."

Roy waved to someone behind me, and a maid came in. He gestured to her to come close, and she stood beside him as if he made her skin crawl. Katie watched her.

"My dear," Roy spoke as if we were discussing the weather, "Let's get one thing very clear. This Family is mine. This quadrant and every person in it is mine. The dress you're wearing. Even that desk you love so much. All mine, to do with as I wish." He reached up to the maid, who stood trembling, head down, face pale, and patted her cheek. "Right?"

"Yes, sir," she mumbled, eyes filled with terror.

He smiled, a real smile this time. "Very nice." He dropped his hand to his side. "You may go now."

"Yes, sir," the girl said, and rushed out.

Katie's face was pale, "Mama, may I go out to the garden?"

"Yes, dear," Molly said. "Don't pick any of the flowers."

"Jacqui," Katie said warily, not looking at her father, "do you want to go with me?"

Roy said, "We're not done talking yet."

Katie looked between us; I nodded at her, giving her a small smile. "Okay, Daddy." She hurried out.

Once she was gone, Roy said, "And you are not to interfere with the boy."

For a second, I felt confused. What boy?

Molly's cheeks flushed, and she glanced away.

Suddenly, it all made sense. What happened to Amelia, what no one wanted to tell me: Pip Dewey was Roy's son. "You unspeakable bastard." He knew Amelia abused Pip yet he wanted it to continue. It wasn't enough to violate and terrorize Amelia. He tried to torture his own child! "You push the boy too far. If he takes his own life, he'll be no fun to you."

Roy stared at me, unmoving, practicality trumping whim. "Damn you," he muttered. "Fine." He sounded annoyed, but seemed secretly pleased with me.

Oh, gods. Poor Amelia.

Roy let out a short ironic laugh. "I suppose we're done with lessons. Unless there's something else you'd like to know."

I might as well ask. "I'd like to learn to hit moving targets."

The surprise which flashed through his eyes made me almost think Roy Spadros was human. "Hmm. The Gentleman's Club has moving targets, but I can't bring you there. So you must move. I'll instruct the men to allow you to use your target range."

"I suppose I should feel grateful for that."

He studied me for a long moment, and I felt afraid of what my request might have told him.

Roy must have threatened Amelia into carrying the child. This was what Peter meant when he said they thought they might be safer at Spadros Manor. They must feel trapped.

I might not get another chance to ask, Roy in a good mood and all. And another question might distract him. "How did you learn of the ambush on my husband and his men?"

Roy hesitated.

"Please, sir, I must know. My husband believes there are more spies in our household." Besides yours. Did Tony know his men's first loyalty was to Roy?

He sat still for a moment. "After we visited, I received a letter. An anonymous letter, mind you, so I questioned the boy —"

I gasped.

Roy let out a short laugh. "I have better things to do than play with messengers. I merely asked whence came the letter. A black-haired young woman with pale skin is all the child knew."

A black-haired woman? Molly had black hair, but a boy would hardly call her young.

He shrugged. "When I sent men to the address the boy said he received the letter from, they found the building abandoned."

I nodded. "A taunt from our enemy." I rubbed my forehead. "How many do these scoundrels command?"

He snorted.

"Do you have the letter? I want to compare it to others we have received."

Roy gave a short laugh. "Do you now? Perhaps I should just take the ones you have."

I shrugged. I would burn them before I let him have them. "I can be of help to you. You don't have to do the investigation on your own."

He peered at me. "Very well. You may pick them up at Spadros Castle. Don't bother sending anyone; if you want them, you'll have to come get them yourself."

I sighed. "Agreed." So he'd force me to come to him after all. Roy would do anything to cause others distress. To him it was like food. And I had a thought: Perhaps my greatest weapon is for him to believe I'm unafraid, no matter what his next ambush might be.