Free Blood Tribute (The Lucas Gedge Thrillers Book 1) by Andy Emery

I’ve spoiled the illusion.’
    ‘Hmmm, just a bit, but thank you so much for taking me.’
    ‘It’s my pleasure. Right, we’d better start walking. No hansom cab for us, I’m afraid.’
    It wasn’t much more than a mile to Spitalfields. About halfway there, Hannah was feeling increasingly tired, and was having to lean on Sean more and more.
    ‘You’ll soon be tucked up in bed,’ Sean said.

    T hey walked along a narrow , dimly lit passage. Hannah could make out the occasional sign for a shop or rooming house. The streets had emptied some time ago, and only the shrieks of a brief cat-fight in some unseen alleyway disturbed the silence.
    Hannah sensed, rather than saw, a sharp movement from the shadows to her left, and suddenly she was jolted and the world was transformed from the gloomy street to total darkness. She could feel coarse material against her face and around her throat.
    Despite the terror that clawed at her heart, a thought came to her, clearly and directly, like a lighthouse beam in a tempest: Someone’s kidnapping you. Leave something. Something that somebody can find .
    She thrashed about with her hands. A small, hard object passed between the fingers of her right hand. She pulled, and the object came loose and she heard it hit the ground.
    Her arms were forced to her sides.
    ‘Sean!’
    She lurched about in an effort to break free. A rough voice from behind grunted, ‘Shut it, or it’ll be the worse for you!’
    Now, hands were at her mouth and throat. She was silenced.
    What was Sean doing? She could hear nothing from him. Was he lying dead in the gutter, or was the noise of blood pounding in her ears muffling all sound?
    At last, she heard him.
    ‘For god’s sake, please don’t hurt her! Who—’
    But his voice was cut off by a dull thud, and a moment later Hannah’s world was enveloped by a fog that seemed to enter her head, her body, her limbs. She toppled forward and felt herself grabbed and held by those unseen hands, before the world slipped away.

    * * *
    M aggie had invited Gedge to tea at Barnet Grove, and he had somehow found himself staying all evening. She had brought out a bottle of brandy, and they had lapsed into tales of the good times they had enjoyed together, ignoring the more frequent not-so-good ones. As he sat in front of the roaring fire, Gedge bathed in a warm feeling of contentment, the like of which he had not felt for years.
    He was just beginning to think that Hannah and the boy were staying out rather late, when they were startled by a frenzied rapping on the front door.
    On the step was Sean, his clothes liberally coated in dirt and his hair dishevelled. Drying blood marked one side of his face.
    ‘Mr Gedge! Oh, I thought… Is Mrs Gedge there?’
    ‘Yes, she is. Maggie! What the hell has happened? Where is Hannah?’
    Sean’s mouth worked soundlessly for a moment, as though he couldn’t find any words. Maggie came to the door beside Gedge, and the boy seemed to find some resolve.
    ‘Oh, god. Someone’s taken her! She’s gone! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! I should never have taken her to that place. I should—’
    A dagger of ice entered Gedge’s heart. ‘Stop there. Were you with her when she was taken?’
    ‘Yes, I was, but I couldn’t do anything. There were several of them…’
    ‘Save that for a moment. Where did this happen?’
    ‘A small street, about halfway between here and the Palace of Varieties. It was a shortcut. I never thought… What a stupid fool! I didn’t check the name of the street. But I could take you back there.’
    ‘Good. Now, tell us what happened.’
    Maggie interrupted. ‘Lucas, just a moment. You’re hurt, Sean. Do you need a doctor?’
    ‘No, Mrs Gedge, I don’t think so. They bashed me on the head and I was knocked out. I suppose I hit my head on the pavement. But I’ll be alright... The programme ended at about 9 o’clock and we started walking back. Hannah had enjoyed it more than me, actually. I always