Chapter Three

Erik slid off of the bar stool. Pulling his fedora down over his eyes, he walked over to where the man was sitting, deeply immersed in conversation. Erik took a seat at the booth beside Raoul's. His back was facing him so the man wouldn't see him. Straining his ears, Erik listened closely to the Vicomte's conversations.

"It's not going to be shipped on time, Raoul!" exclaimed the man sitting on the opposite of Raoul.

"But it has to. My wife needs me. I haven't been home because of this!" Raoul pouted.

"Raoul, isn't it something else besides the fact that they won't ship?" Erik's brows furrowed at the man's statement.

The Vicomte laughed heartily. "You are right my good man. Well, I think that I'll retire for the evening. Is the stock covered?" Raoul asked shadily.

"Yes. Don't worry about it." His companion whispered.

Raoul stood up and started to walk down to the stairs that led to the sleeping quarters. Erik began to get up to follow him when a waitress came over. "Can I take your order, sir?"

Erik rolled his eyes. "No. But I need a room. And be fast."

- - - - -

Creeping up the steps, Erik looked at the card in his hand. '10954' it read. That was his room number. But while the woman had been checking him in, he'd stolen a glance at the guest sheet and found out that the Vicomte was staying in room '10953'. Just his luck. Raoul was right beside him. Now he could maybe find out what was going on.

Walking into his room, Erik took off his hat and hung it on a pole of the four poster bed. He slid out of his cape and hung it on a hanger in the closet. Then he walked over to his bed and sat down with a sigh.

Laying back he concentrated to see if he could hear anything. The bed was right by the wall, so Erik rolled over and put his ear against the cool wallpaper. Muffled talking was heard, and then footsteps. Erik couldn't understand a thing!!

Giving up, Erik pulled back the covers and settled in. Sighing, he settled into a deep sleep. He awoke the next morning as the sun came up. Pulling back the covers, Erik jumped out of bed and headed over to the small bathroom where he washed his face and the small basin of water that the inn had provided.

Stepping out into the hall, with his cape and fedora on, Erik began to walk down the hall. He heard two voices in the Vicomte's room, and back stepped a bit. Getting down onto all fours, Erik tried to peer under the door. He strained his ears. Nothing. There was silence.

Suddenly, the door opened. A woman in a very slinky dress opened the door. She raised a perfect eyebrow and looked down at Erik. "Is this one of your hobbies, to spy under people's door?" she asked.

Erik's eyes widened and he lowered his fedora farther over his face. Women like these always freaked out if they saw the mask. "Uh…" Erik cleared his throat. "No, no. I dropped something. It rolled under one of these three doors, but I didn't catch which one. Guess it wasn't this one."

Why was this woman in the Vicomte's room? Maybe he'd read the sheet wrong. Yes. That had to be it. He'd read the sheet wrong. Erik glanced nervously around the hallway, and the woman tapped her foot. "OH! There it is!" Erik walked over to the door on the other side of the hall where a small copper coin lay. "Sorry for interrupting. Did I interrupt something?"

"No. My husband and I were just waking up." She rolled her eyes.

Before the door closed, Erik was positive that he heard Raoul's voice –and another man's as well.

Erik shook his head and headed down the hall.

- - - - -

Erik ate a quick breakfast down in the dining area and then paid for his expenses. The waitress smiled at the mysterious man. He tipped his fedora and then headed out the door to the stables where Ange was waiting. During breakfast he'd had someone saddle her up.

But when he was on the horse, Erik didn't go anywhere. He backed the horse behind the stable where it was out of sight. Then he waited for Raoul. The best way for him to discover what the Vicomte was up to, he needed to follow the man.

Raoul walked out of the inn after Erik had been waiting for an entire hour. The man walked out and Erik grinned as he climbed into a carriage with open windows. Raoul settled down and immediately was sleeping. Erik frowned. Hadn't he just woken up?

Urging Ange forward, Erik followed the carriage. He was sure to keep off of the road and in the shadows of the trees. Raoul never thought something out of place. With a smile, Erik followed the Vicomte at least twenty miles that day.

Ange was extremely tired by the time Raoul's carriage stopped. Well, it stopped, but there were no inns so Raoul had to stay in his carriage. The problem was that the Vicomte had already slept the whole day.

Raoul bounded out of the carriage. He walked over to the driver and told him something. The driver nodded and handed the Vicomte a gun. The man ran into the forest. With Erik's luck, he'd kill himself…

The Phantom followed the Vicomte until he saw him walk over to a swamp. Erik groaned. Raoul stepped into the mud, then his eyes widened. He tried to get out, but was stuck! He was sinking.

Erik rolled his eyes. This came as no surprise to Erik. Now was he going to save him… or not?

Sorry it's not too long. I don't have time. I have to leave in two minutes. Besides, I like stopping there!

Kara