there was no hope. Everything inside him was shouting that time had at last truly run out.
He made his way down the street, heading toward the corner where Henry waited with the carriage. The soft thud of his cane and the echo of the hitch in his stride were the loudest sounds in the night.
He was so intent on formulating a new plan that he did not sense the presence of the killer until the skull-faced man lunged toward him from the alley.
It should have been a killing blow—it would have been a killing blow—but at the last instant he heard the assassin’s sharp intake of breath.
Old habits and long training took over. Instinctively, Joshua whirled to confront the attacker. The action sent him spinning off balance. His bad leg gave way beneath him and he tumbled to the ground—and accidentally saved his own life in the process.
The sudden change in the position of his intended victim threw the assassin off his mark. Carried forward by his own momentum, he stumbled a few steps past Joshua, caught himself and swung around to make another attempt.
Joshua struggled to get to his knees. He realized he was still gripping the hilt of his cane. He swung the stick in a slashing arc to fend off the killer.
The Bone Man was ready for the move. He lashed out with one booted foot and connected with the cane.
The bone-jarring blow sent the steel-and-ebony stick flying from Joshua’s hand. It clattered on the pavement.
The killer glided forward in a low rush. His eyes were pools of empty night. The blade in his hand glittered darkly in the light of the nearby gas lamp.
He did not notice the small throwing knife that Joshua had drawn from the cane until the blade sank straight into his throat.
He grunted and stumbled to a halt. Blood boiled in his mouth. He looked at Joshua in disbelief.
He sank to his knees, toppled onto his side and collapsed faceup.
An acute silence filled the street. Joshua gathered himself and got to his feet. He limped to where the cane lay on the paving stones. Stooping low, he picked up the stick.
He made his way to the body and used the cane to send the Bone Man’s blade skidding away from the limp hand. There was no such thing as too many precautions.
Bracing himself with the cane, he leaned down and pulled the small throwing knife from the dead man’s throat. He wiped the blade clean on the Bone Man’s clothes and slid the weapon back into the top of the cane.
He went toward the small, fast carriage on the corner, thinking about one of the maxims he had learned from Victor. Everyone has a blind spot.
“You were mine, Victor.”
Forty-Six
Nelson was in his small study, a glass of brandy on the table beside him. He had long ago lost interest in the book he had been reading and had moved on to his favorite subject: the contemplation of his boring future. The small taste of the investigation business that he had gotten recently had whetted his appetite. It was as if he had found a calling. But he was not fool enough to believe that Josh would ask him to assist in that sort of thing in the future. His uncle had retired, after all.
He was considering a visit to the American West, where, according to the press, adventure awaited, when the clang of the door knocker shattered the late-night silence of the house.
He debated whether to answer the summons. The visitor would be one of his friends who would be thoroughly drunk by now and wanting companionship for a trip into the more dangerous neighborhoods. For the first time in months the prospect of an evening of heavy drinking and gaming hells did not seem to be the answer.
The knock sounded again, louder this time. He groaned and got to his feet. He went down the hall and opened the front door.
“You’re on your own tonight,” he said. “I’m not in the mood—” He broke off when he saw Joshua on the step.
The sight of his uncle rendered him speechless for a few seconds. There was a terrible light in Joshua’s eyes. Nelson wondered if he was burning with fever. But that did not explain the dark energy that seemed to emanate from him. It was as if Joshua had just returned from a trip to hell and expected to make a return visit quite soon.
“Uncle Josh.” Nelson swallowed hard. “Are you