Enjoy!

Christine

Chapter 73

The Signature

"I suppose I am the tragic one now, yes?"

Erik stared blankly at Raoul, clearly not understanding his words.

Raoul gave a sad little smile in return. "When I met you for the second time at the tavern. I...called you tragic."

"Ah." Erik smirked. "Yes. I remember."

"I think the tables have turned."

I watched Ibrahim, sitting next to Raoul, watching him. He had a protective look in his eye, like he'd fight the world for the person to his left. He turned to Erik. "Did Vincenzo say what he wanted to discuss?"

"No. Just that it was urgent."

It was only last night that Raoul had arrived at Ibrahim's apartment. This afternoon, Vincenzo came to us and told us that he'd be meeting with everyone right here at eight in the evening. He needed Ibrahim and Raoul present; he wanted Erik present too, just because he liked involving him in his plans, even if Erik didn't participate. I would come because Erik liked to involve me, for which I was grateful.

Speaking of the devil, a knock sounded at the door. Ibrahim immediately stood to open it, and there was Vincenzo. He let himself in the moment the door was ajar.

"I knew it, Erik." He was grinning, staring at my husband. There was a paper in his hand. "I knew that assassin would come in handy."

"What are you talking about?" Erik rose to his feet.

"Emil Thibaut." He addressed all of us now. "Emil is an assassin who has been hired as one of my spies - as well as a contracted killer if need be, of course. He came to me this afternoon with some...interesting news." He looked at Raoul. "My friend, I am sorry to hear that your brother continues his cruelty. But-" He glanced at Ibrahim. "I am...happy...to hear that I have played matchmaker so well, I suppose... I had no idea your inclinations were...well..."

"What is important about this assassin?" asked Ibrahim, frowning.

"Yes. Apparently, M. Thibaut has clients in very high places. Comtes, for example."

The color drained from Raoul's face. "What do you mean?"

The joy was wiped from Vincenzo's face, like he realized how inappropriate that joy was. "Your brother hired Thibaut to go after you."

Every face in the room was the picture of shock. I thought I'd misheard him.

"My brother...my brother is certainly unkind...cruel-" Raoul swallowed. "But...I can't picture him...going to this length after just one day."

"The way Thibaut describes it, he has been in contact with him for quite some time. Asking for prices, how discreet he could be, how young of a person he is willing to kill." He held up the paper. "It sounds like he's been...displeased with your choice in lover for quite some time, and thinks it will create a stain on the de Chagny name, whether he disowns you or not. I'd guess he's been waiting for something to actually happen before he felt validated in hiring the assassin."

"My brother hired...a killer..." Raoul breathed heavily as Ibrahim gripped his forearm. "I..."

"But Thibaut is not planning on doing it. Comte de Chagny wrote him an anonymous letter with several thousand francs attached. And I think the papers would have an absolute field day with this information. The knowledge that Comte de Chagny attempted to kill his own brother."

"The paper!" Ibrahim exclaimed. "Is Raoul listed by name in this letter?"

"He is."

"Am I?"

"No. De Chagny apparently finds you insignificant enough to not bother with a murder."

Ibrahim had the audacity to look offended.

"Vincenzo," said Erik, "how do you expect Raoul to survive another day in Paris with the entire city - entire country, potentially - finding out his...preference?"

"I expect Raoul to play dead."

"E-excuse me?" sputtered Raoul. "What do you mean?"

"Part of Comte de Chagny's request was to not only ensure you were dead, but make your body disappear as well. So you will simply have to...hide for a while. Perhaps travel to cities where no one knows you."

"Vincenzo," I said, and everyone looked at me. I realized I'd not yet spoken. "This is so much to ask of Raoul - this is..."

"No, wait."

We all looked to Raoul, whose mind churned behind his eyes.

"No," he continued, "it could be...it could be perfect. I could disappear - start over as someone no one knows." He turned to Ibrahim and blushed. "You could...hide me. Or come with me if I travel somewhere far away. Would you want to do that?"

Ibrahim's eyes were wide. "I-" He stumbled a bit over his words, then. "Yes."

"Perfect." Vincenzo's grin returned. "This letter will be given to Leroux, for him to publish. Thibaut's name is not in the note, but if you read the letter, it is clear he is writing to a contracted killer. The only thing we are missing, unfortunately, is the signature. This is important. Philippe never writes his own name anywhere on the paper."

"How does Thibaut know it is him, then?" asked Raoul.

"Because, again, Philippe has been in contact with him for years, hinting at the concept of murdering someone. Call it a hunch that the person asking to kill you over "a sexual desire that could decimate the de Chagny name" would be your brother."

Raoul cringed.

Ibrahim spoke. "Without a signature, how will the public believe it is truly de Chagny who wrote it?"

"That is a problem, isn't it? Philippe has written articles before, always leaving his signature at the bottom. Seeing that same signature on a letter to an assassin would certainly cause a stir. If only someone here thought they could replicate the signature - perhaps someone who's seen it a thousand times or more."

At the four pairs of eyes that landed on Raoul, he slouched at bit in his seat. "I-" He licked his lips. "Yes. I...I can...do it. I know how to copy his signature."