you could have my heart (and i would break it for you)

-or-

be gay do crime

By: Aviantei

The Adventure of the Missing Young Woman, Act One:

"you surrender to the heat you know (i can put on a show)"

Jameson and Louis had come to a recent arrangement of allowing the other a morning each week to let the other sleep in. It had been an uphill battle of course, as Louis prided himself on keeping the house in order, but Jameson had recruited the help of William and Albert, and thus Louis had assented, reasoning that his resting would allow for him to better help his brothers—with the occasional exception for when things were busy enough to require his constant attention.

Rest was not to last for too long, however, as by the early afternoon hunger roused Jameson into crawling out of bed. His head was still heavy, and it took several blinks to convince his eyes to see the world in a clear state, rather than blurs of colours. While part of him was tempted to burrow back into the blankets and sleep until evening, he supposed that eating would be part of caring for himself as well, so with the imagining of William encouraging him, Jameson fixed his clothes and went to eat.

Considering that everyone's schedules were out of balance, there were no set meals happening, so Louis hadn't woken Jameson up for lunch. Nor, it seemed by looking over the kitchen, had he cooked anything for himself. While it seemed obtrusive to do so, Jameson decided to cook for them both. After all, if William was so concerned about Jameson's wellbeing, then of course he'd be even more concerned about the wellbeing of his younger brother…

The midday meal may not have been cooked yet, but that did not mean Louis had been unprepared. No, there was already some beef lined out with the potatoes that would be on the side, along with enough greens to make a salad for them both. Having prepared the lot of it before, Jameson had no issues getting to work, and soon he'd finished plating the meal and loading it up onto the cart to take to the dining room. With the dishes set out, it was a matter of locating Louis to invite him to the table, but before Jameson could get too far into the task, there was a knock at the front door.

Such knocks were rare at Moriarty Manor; in fact, Jameson could not recall a single time where they'd had guests arrive by front. The most company they received were deliveries of supplies and groceries, and those were always dropped off at the servants' entrance to the side of the manor. In most noble households, it was the work of the servants to greet guests, but the Moriartys had no such hired help, instead entrusting such things to Louis. Did Jameson even have permission to let anyone inside? Even with all the progress he'd made, to think he could do such a thing was presumptuous, wasn't it?

But at this rate you won't be able to find Louis before whoever's at the door loses their patience, and that won't be good in the slightest. Deciding it was far better to ask forgiveness than permission, Jameson at last shook off his paralysis and rushed to the door, taking a moment to compose himself before swinging open the entryway. "Apologies. We weren't expecting anyone, so I—"

All words died in his throat. Jameson hadn't been certain what he had anticipated—perhaps one of the dozens upon dozens of nobles that Albert had in his social circle—but it hadn't been the pairing of a young man and somewhat older young woman, the both of them dressed in a way that no one of high status would ever present themselves in. That would have been stunning enough, but the matter was complicated by the fact that Jameson recognised them both; one the girl who had been working the front desk both times he'd gone to visit Miss Penny and Jameson had seen in passing the couple of other times he'd visited Whitechapel; the other Fred, whom Jameson hadn't seen the night he and the Moriartys had tracked down and eliminated the human traffickers. That the two of them were together added more to the surreal effect.

Upon seeing him, Fred's impassive face seemed to grow the slightest bit softer in relief. "Thank goodness," they said, their voice still soft and light enough to blow away in the wind as would a feather. "I remembered right."

"Remembered?" Jameson echoed, feeling clueless and rather foolish for being so to boot.

"Your name. I was able to find out that this is where you were staying." An answer those words may have been, they did nothing to settle the confusion swirling in Jameson's mind, so he just continued to stare at the child, as if that would solve anything. "You said…if I needed anything to let you know."

It wasn't as if Jameson was about to take those words back, so he nodded. "Yes, that's right." His eyes wandered over to the brunette woman, who appeared nothing but agitated but was holding it back behind an impassive mask. Having employed them himself, Jameson was more than familiar with such expressions. "Did something come up?" He wished to apologise for having scared Fred off before, but that didn't seem to be the most pressing issue. "Whatever you need, I'm happy to help with." Perhaps, by doing so in the present, he could make up for the way their group had startled Fred enough to make him flee without a second word.

"Outside is…" Fred said, trailing off, his grey eyes wavering with a sense of uncertainty. It must've been a sensitive topic, then.

It appeared that if Jameson wished to have answers, then he would need to invite the unusual duo inside. This can't be overstepping my boundaries all that far. Deciding that his curiosity was worth whatever reprimand Louis or his brothers could muster, Jameson stepped aside and gestured towards the parlour. "By all means, then, come inside. I don't have any tea ready, but if you don't mind waiting a moment…"

"There's no time for stupid things like tea!" the young woman snarled, reaching out and grabbing Jameson by the lapel. While his combat training insisted he push her back to gain some distance, he stilled that instinct, though he kept a watchful eye for any signs of her attempting to cause further harm. "I came here because this kid said you could help, but of course all you can think about is your damn fancy luxuries—"

"Then we can skip the tea," Jameson said, keeping his voice soft but firm. He was not about to dismiss her obvious distress, but that didn't mean he needed to pick a fight. "However, I can't help you if I don't know the situation. I won't waste time on refreshments, but I will ask that you come inside and sit so I can get the full story."

"Fine." She didn't quite shove Jameson away as she released him, but she wasn't gentle about it, either. Still, that anger was good in some ways; whatever had happened hadn't broken her down to the point of despair, which Jameson hoped was a good sign. The woman stalked further into the foyer, her face twisting at the space that could almost fit Miss Penny's entire boarding house into it with some rearrangement. Fred slipped in behind her, their footsteps silent. "Which way are we going, then, rich boy?"

Jameson didn't take the insult (as the words had no doubt been intended) to heart, instead focusing on securing the door shut behind them. "Towards the west wing. Do follow me." He then took the lead, beginning to walk for the sake of not wanting to waste any time. "Now, Fred, we've been introduced, but though I've come to visit Miss Penny several times, I don't believe we've ever exchanged names. I'm—"

"Jameson," the young woman said. Jameson wasn't all that surprised she knew that, given that Miss Penny must've mentioned it once or twice, but it did seem that being interrupted was going to be the norm for the foreseeable future. "I suppose it would help if you knew mine. It's Carol." Whether she had no surname or was just omitting it was inconsequential.

"Miss Carol, then." Having reached their destination, Jameson gestured his guests into the parlour. "Do take a seat." Since wasting time had been one of Carol's concerns, Jameson didn't even finish settling down on the same couch he and William often shared before he was asking, "Now what is it that you want help with?" And why, he hoped would be answered, had she thought that he would be the best one to help with it?

"Alice—my friend—has gone missing." Jameson narrowed his eyes at the information, but he didn't dare cut Carol off. "We've known each other since we were lasses, but we ended up working at different boarding houses. We still meet up, but when we were supposed to see each other two days ago, she didn't show up. And when I went to her place, her matron said they hadn't seen her in three before that." Jameson's mind at once landed upon the human traffickers they'd stopped in February; just because one operation had been crushed didn't mean another wouldn't spring up. "In the slums, everyone's so desperate to take care of themselves they can't worry about some missing girl, and you know the Yard don't give a damn about us even on a good day. No one cares about a whore disappearing!"

"And you wish for me to help you find her?" It wasn't that Jameson was opposed to the idea—in fact, he had already been planning to assist before Carol had even made it halfway through her explanation—but he still wasn't sure how the pieces connected to get them to the present moment.

Carol nodded, none of the worry able to hide the determination blazing in her dark eyes. "I started asking around, hoping I could at least find something, and I ran into this kid." She gestured to Fred, who had been still as a statue in their seat the whole time, aside from their eyes sucking in every detail of the room. Given how their last encounter had gone, Jameson wouldn't have been surprised if they were cataloguing escape routes in the event of an emergency. "He said that they knew someone who'd helped with the kidnappings we dealt with this winter and that they'd be willing to help. I just didn't expect the person he knew to be you."

If Fate existed, it had a sense of humour indeed.

"I did some digging around of my own before we came here," Fred said, also getting right to the point. "The last time anyone saw Miss Alice was five nights ago, whenever she stayed overnight at her usual lodging house. She had a customer, too. He put down a name in the ledger, but it was a pseudonym. Based on the way he was dressed, he looked to be of at least upper middle class." Jameson would have been surprised at how much Fred had been able to discover were it not for his own firsthand experience with how people were willing to ignore children's presence. Add Fred's quiet demeanour to it, and Jameson doubted most people would know he was even there. "I was able to find the pseudonym he used at other places, but not the person it was connected to."

"Well whoever he is, I won't forgive him if he's done anything to Alice!" Carol punched the cushion beside her. "She's sweet and kind and she always just smiles at the smallest things…" Catching herself in reminiscence, Carol shook her head, sending the stray hairs that had escaped her bun fluttering through the air. "Well, rich boy? Was the kid right and you're going to help me, or am I going to have to handle this by myself?"

The question was serious, as was the implication that she would go on a crusade to help her friend with or without Jameson's assistance. "I have no intentions of turning you away," Jameson said, "but this is going to be dangerous work." Carol's glare could give Louis's a run for his money, and Jameson held up his hands in surrender. "I am not saying this to dissuade you. If I were to try such a thing, I'd be nothing but a hypocrite. If we're lucky, this has just been the result of miscommunication and Alice is fine. But that you nor her boarding house haven't heard from her in so much time is concerning, so there's a chance something could have happened. I won't stop you from helping—" again, because it would make him a hypocrite of the highest degree "—and I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe, but I cannot guarantee such a thing."

"I don't care. I need to know what's going on no matter what." If that was how Carol felt, then things were settled. Now Jameson just had to help her channel her anger into a productive tool, just like how he'd forged his own into a weapon that could strike down his enemies. "I don't know how you were able to stop the kidnappers before, but if you can do anything to help me find Alice and save her, then do it."

"That is my intention. But what if…" Jameson didn't want to speak the words, but it was irresponsible to promise anything, not with how much time had already passed. "But if there's the possibility of Alice not being safe, what do you want to do then?"

"Hah?" It wasn't a question of confusion, but rather an expression of how she couldn't quite believe that Jameson would even ask something in the first place. "If anything's happened to her, I'll kill the person who did it myself. Isn't that much obvious?"

In her eyes, there was no other option.

Jameson could relate.

"Understood," he said, and, for a moment, he felt like William, though he could never hope to match his brilliance. "I know this is an important matter, but it still might take some time to find where she's gone. Fred, you said you did some investigating, right? I need you to please tell me every last detail you came across so we can decide on our next moves." In a perfect world, William would be home and able to conduct an operation in an instant, but he wasn't, and Jameson didn't wish to waste the couple of hours it would take for him to return from his engagement. Jameson alone would have to do.

Fred nodded. "The alias he used was Abrahams. Asking around, he was seen at some other boarding houses, pubs, and brothels a few weeks beforehand, but no one matching his name has been seen in or around similar places in Whitechapel since Miss Alice has gone missing. As for his rough description, people have agreed that he had a short-kept beard, his hair was dark, and a couple of people even reported a distinctive mole above his left eyebrow. Anything else I wasn't able to confirm from more than one person…" Fred glanced up to Jameson. "Was that helpful?"

"Yes." In fact, it was way more than Jameson had expected, but still. Having a name—alias as it might have been—would be crucial in connecting the dots, and even some physical details were good to have. Short of a picture or a sketch of the man, it was the best Jameson could have to work with. That Fred had recited it all with a factual clip showed the child had an excellent memory. "That was very helpful." Not that Jameson knew where to go from there. "Miss Carol, did you happen to hear anything about him from Alice before she disappeared?"

"Nothin' more than the usual type of gossip. She mentioned he tried to hide his Queen's English, but he was bollocks at it." So someone above the underclass then, which meant the pseudonym made sense. "He came twice before she went missing, and he didn't do anything suspicious then. Of course he was trying to get her to let her guard down…!"

There was no way to stop the awful twist in Jameson's stomach at the concept, which just stoked the fire of his determination even further. "Miss Carol, I understand your frustration. I… I cannot guarantee anything, since I am incapable of controlling the world." Not even William, with all his brilliance, could do such a thing, and Jameson wasn't anywhere near his level of intellect or skill. "However, I can promise you that I'll do everything in my power to help you find your friend as well as the person responsible—and if he's done anything, I won't let him escape."

Jameson had had enough of failing to protect the people in front of him for a lifetime.

Carol stared at him for a moment, pure disbelief on her features, and the effect was even more pronounced due to Fred's own blank look right beside her. "You're serious, aren't you?" she asked, to which Jameson nodded. "Miss Penny did say you grew up under her care, so I guess you know what it's like… Alright, I'll trust you with this. But if you don't give it everything you've got, God help me—"

"I have no intention of letting this go without an investigation." Nor did he intend for it to go without a punishment, but such words could still be too much; Jameson hoped it was too much, that the situation was just a misunderstanding, but it was looking unlikely. All the more reason to look into events to confirm what happened, though he was a bit lost at where to start. Admitting that wouldn't help Carol's mood, though, so he kept silent once again. "Fred's already done a great amount of work to help; I'm certain if we can dig into this pseudonym, we'll be able to find Miss Alice—"

"And just what is going on here?"

There were numerous things in life that Jameson disliked, the intensity of such emotion depending on severity of the matter, but at the current moment all he was reminded of was just how unpleasant it was to be a grown man and yet still be capable of feeling as if he was a child who'd just gotten caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do. All the worse, it wasn't even that Louis was giving him a look of disappointment (though it wasn't as if he looked proud of Jameson, either), but instead the feeling had welled up due to nothing but Jameson's guilty conscience alone. Louis's eyes had landed upon the two on the couch, of which Carol was staring right back (the possibility there that she might have recognised Louis from his previous visit to the boarding house) and Fred was tense and on alert again, though they didn't run.

Jameson wasn't sure if the last point was because Louis was in the doorway, Fred didn't sense enough danger to consider breaking out the window worth it, or both, but it was a start. Jameson didn't even want to think about Louis's displeasure should another chore be added to the constant house maintenance he already had on his plate.

"It was about time for lunch, so I was already thinking of heading down, but that you didn't come and get me yet started to seem suspicious," Louis said, the lenses of his glasses catching the light just right so as to make him seem a touch more intimidating than before. "On top of that, you weren't in the dining room, and I saw a complete meal in the kitchen but no sign of you. And upon investigating I find this…do explain, Jameson."

Oh, he might be rather cross with me. There was no time to concern himself over such things, though, not when there was every chance someone was in danger, and Jameson forced himself to focus. "This is Fred, the child we helped during the human trafficking incident, and Miss Carol, who works for Miss Penny. One of her friends, Miss Alice, has gone missing, so they came to ask me for help in the matter. They knocked on the door just as I was coming to get you for lunch, so I became rather sidetracked." He hoped, at the very least, Louis would consider such a reason permissible; for all they'd grown closer, Jameson still found Louis rather difficult to read at times, the youngest Moriarty keeping most of his cards tight to his chest.

"I see," Louis said, and that wasn't enough to go off of at all. His eyes slid across Carol and Fred, no doubt assessing them, though Jameson had no idea what the parameters were or whether or not the two had passed. "I'm assuming that you wish to help them, then?" Jameson nodded, since that much was obvious. "In any other case I'd say go to the police for a missing persons' case, but I understand such a thing wouldn't be helpful for you. And Brother will no doubt say that we should help them as well… Alright, recap the situation for me so I can send William and Albert telegrams. Once they get home we can—"

"What, you just want me to sit here and wait more?!"

Oh dear; all the effort Jameson had put into attempting to keep Carol calm was not holding up. Making matters worse, Louis didn't look pleased at being interrupted, either, and Jameson rushed to assist with, "Miss Carol has a point, Louis. Her friend's been missing long enough that I'm not sure we'll be able to find her in time to help her."

"Be that as it may, our chances of success without a proper strategy are low," Louis said, not budging an inch. Carol's hands had clutched into her skirt, and her expression was one of a fury so intense that she seemed as if she might lunge at Louis any moment—a fact she didn't bother to hide. He continued on, unperturbed: "I'm not saying that we shouldn't help, just that running around as if we are blind and expecting everything to work out in our favour is foolish."

"That doesn't mean I'm incapable of investigating." They had a name, alias it may have been, and Fred had put an exceptional amount of work into determining a rough physical description of him. Finding one man in all of London was tricky, yes, but not impossible, and that became all the more true whenever one accounted for the amount of money Jameson had at his disposal. "I'm not saying I'll be able to rescue her today, but I at least want boots on the ground rather than sitting still for a handful of hours." William was brilliant, yes, but even he needed information to work off of, and if Jameson was capable of finding even the slightest detail that could help William craft a stronger plan, then by God he would do it.

"And if you do find something? Do you intend to face it on your own without backup?" It wasn't to say that Jameson had been planning to do such a thing, but it also was a fair assessment that that was just what he'd do. "No matter if you consider it worth it to put yourself at risk, you'll make the situation much worse if you're also taken hostage. And as much as you've improved in combat, you won't be able to handle yourself against more than one person in battle should it come to that. So what, pray tell, were you planning to do in such a situation?"

Jameson didn't have a ready answer, and his agitation at that fact meant that he was having a difficult time finding a solution, either. Making matters worse was his inability to find a solution meant that the time he didn't wish to waste was slipping away all the same.

"So it should be alright if he doesn't go alone, then?"

Louis and Jameson—both likewise caught off guard—turned to Fred, who'd asked the question. It did, upon a short reflection, seem as if that was the core issue; after all, with someone nearby, Jameson wouldn't be outnumbered, nor would he be without a way to send for help should it be necessary. There was, however, one trick to the situation:

"You wish to be the one to go with me?" Jameson asked, and Fred nodded. One the one hand, Jameson was glad for having such a simple solution, but he also couldn't help but worry. "I'm in no way claiming that it's a poor plan, but if push comes to shove and you end up in danger because of this…" Fred was just a child, after all.

A child who pulled a knife on you back in the carriage, Jameson reasoned with himself. Fred may have been young, but he was from the streets, no parents to look out for him, and that meant he at the very least was capable of fending for himself.

That didn't make it okay, but it made it better.

"Are we just gonna sit around and talk all day, or are you sods going to do something about it?" Carol asked, her patience having run out at last. She stood up, marching up to Louis without an ounce of fear and jabbing him in the chest. "Must be nice to get to choose whenever you're in danger. Must be nice to get to sit around and talk about things whenever someone's at risk. How awful for you."

Louis, though caught off guard, was never one to be intimidated. "If we rush in without any consideration, there's every chance we could get ourselves taken out before we can help your friend, and then where would we be?" Carol growled, and Louis still didn't flinch. "However, I can concede that Brother would also think that acting first is the correct choice, so I won't stop you from going, Jameson. Don't take any unnecessary risks."

Jameson got the feeling that he and Louis had rather different definitions of unnecessary, but it was far better to keep that thought to himself. "I'll send word to you at the first sign of trouble. Fred, if you don't mind, come along, please. And Miss Carol…"

She sighed. "You want me to stay put, right?"

"If you'd please." It was doubtful that she wanted to, but she at least recognised the point of it, and so didn't argue. Meanwhile, Fred had already gotten to his feet and was waiting by the parlour door, which meant Jameson was the one holding everything up. "I promise I'll do everything I can to find Miss Alice. And if anything's happened to her, I won't let the ones responsible escape."

And hoping that would be enough reassurance, Jameson waved Fred along and rushed out the door.

"Jameson's gone off to do what?" Albert asked, which was the rational reaction. Still, Louis knew the question had been much more in surprise than it had been in genuine confusion over the matter, so he didn't bother to restate the facts: Jameson had received a request for help and, once he'd dictated some requests for help—that Louis had all but had to pull out of him!—he'd dashed off, taking Fred with him and leaving Carol in Louis's care.

The two had eaten the lunch Jameson had prepared beforehand, and Louis had been playing host since. With the boy—Fred—out with Jameson, Carol no longer had an escort, and sending her home alone whenever one of her friends had gone missing seemed foolish. Louis would have taken her back to Whitechapel himself were it not the fact that he was remaining at Moriarty Manor to serve as the central pillar of communication, so he added a telegram to the pile he was already sending off to his brothers, informing Miss Penny that Carol was secure for the time being and would be brought back as soon as they were able, though Louis had no idea of when that would be.

And after all that, Louis had had nothing else to do but hold down the fort, so he left Carol with some afternoon tea and focused on the chores. Jameson had done well that morning, yes, but there were still tasks leftover, and Louis had entered such a state of concentration that he almost hadn't recognised that the clock was chiming late afternoon and his brothers had arrived home.

"This is a rather complex situation," William said, which was far more generous of an assessment than Louis was willing to give it. "Well, when it comes down to it, I believe that scolding Jameson for his choices will have nothing but the opposite of the desired effect, so let's focus on what we can do from here. Louis, have you heard any word from Jameson since he left?"

"Nothing as of yet."

"We'll consider no news to be good news in this case. Instead, I believe I'm due for a chat with Miss Carol about her circumstances, then. From how you made it sound, she's interested in saving her friend, but that could mean any number of things, as we well know. I'd like to ensure there aren't any misunderstandings about what we're willing to do and what she wants in the first place." At the very least, having William involved meant there would be far less risks about the situation to contend with—

—assuming Jameson didn't make a plethora of risky choices that night while there was no guidance of William to stop him.

"I feel we've wandered into a scenario with far too many variables to contend with…" Louis muttered. While he was sharp enough to handle issues in the spur of the moment, most of the time William's plans meant there was very little unaccounted for in execution. The complaint earned him twin looks from his brothers. "It's not to say that I don't have faith in you, Brother; it's just—"

"You're worried for Jameson, aren't you?" Albert asked, and Louis opened his mouth but could not bring himself to deny it. To act as if Jameson were as important to Louis as William and Albert were was an absurd concept—and yet Louis couldn't put Jameson at the same distance as he did everyone else. Albert beamed. "Good for you, Louis. You haven't had a friend in quite some time." Louis pulled a face despite himself, but Albert just laughed in pure joy, patting his youngest brother's shoulder. "Putting that aside, I agree with Will. A conversation with our guest would help us put things together so we can make the best moves whenever Jameson returns to us. Shall we?"

William and Albert started in the direction of the parlour, and Louis checked his pocket watch. "I'll need to get started on dinner. I assume we'll need four places at the table?" Not to mention additional servings just in case Jameson and the young man with him came back…

It was a good thing Louis had rested in the morning, because the evening was looking to take up his energy and then some.

While Jameson had become a man with a mission the moment he'd heard Carol's request, even he had to admit there were still some things one needed to consider before diving into the fray, one of which was that while investigating in a covert manner, one did not wish to draw attention to themselves. And though Jameson may have been dressed the part of a noble young gentleman, Fred was an altogether different matter.

It wasn't as if he wasn't following proper dress. He'd managed to scrounge up most of the pieces, from a button up to even a belt (though he'd needed to make the notches for it to fit himself). It was the quality of such clothes that gave them away, not just from their rougher materials but also from the way that each and every piece was threadbare. His jacket in particular looked so thin that it seemed too little even for the summer they were in the midst of now, let alone autumn and winter that would come after it.

(Jameson knew from experience that it wasn't impossible to survive such conditions, but he also knew that one poor stroke of luck could leave you suffering from frostbite on the streets, feeling like you were burning even as your body turned ever colder.

Fred didn't even have some form of consistent shelter to return to. What would happen to him then? Would he even make it all the way to winter in the first place?)

In any event, if he and Jameson were to go places where their potential target could frequent, then Fred would need to look the part. And so they'd ended up at a nearby tailor shop. It wouldn't be efficient to order something from scratch, so instead Jameson put together an outfit, got a bewildered nod of approval from Fred, and sent him off to have adjustments made so they'd fit proper. Thanks to the generous sum Jameson paid, they were done within an hour, and so they were free to investigate as need be.

Though it had been but a few months since his proper debut, Jameson had continued to work hard at maintaining his social connections, and such a choice was bearing fruit. While he couldn't impose for meals or afternoon tea, he could make several short inquiries with promises to have a longer meeting later or to make introductions to so-and-so. Several of the requested introductions were to let many noble ladies meet up with Albert, which Jameson was grateful he knew the Earl wouldn't mind.

Despite all his bargaining, though, there was neither hide nor hair of Abrahams among anyone, at least not by that name. There were a couple of similar suspects in terms of appearance, but no perfect matches.

"Though I suppose we should have expected as much, given that Abrahams is an alias," Jameson said whilst sitting at a streetside table later that evening. After much running around, the need for food had become more than apparent, so he'd taken them to a nearby restaurant he remembered Cecil recommending. It was a much more casual affair, but that was fine, considering Fred looked content with the stew and bread before him, though he'd been a bit awkward about ordering anything in the first place. "Still, I'd hoped that we'd at least find some sort of clue…"

Fred didn't say anything right away, but throughout the day Jameson had learned that was the boy's norm, so he didn't take much offense. Fred was the sort to think things through before speaking, though in the current instance that might have just been a side effect of his mouth being full. At last, he swallowed. "I might be wrong, but doesn't the fact that his alias isn't well-known in high society give us some information to work with? Instead of looking there, perhaps we should be looking at places where he'd use the name in the first place?"

"That's a good way to think about it." If their target was cautious enough to be using an alias even when interacting with denizens of Whitechapel, they might have already been in the habit of doing so. "I wonder if there's any chance he's visited other brothels as well…"

"Even if he hasn't, brothels tend to be places where a lot of information gathers." It wasn't as if Jameson hadn't been thinking it, but there was something that threw him off about someone much younger talking about it with a straight face. Then again, Jameson himself had grown up in a brothel, so perhaps he was just assessing the situation wrong. "I just checked the ones around Whitechapel, so I didn't consider looking elsewhere, though."

"It's well worth investigating further." Now that it had been mentioned, Jameson was already considering going to talk with Maryanne and Lucy, if they were working that night. "I know some ladies we can go and talk with, but that will need to wait a bit longer until they're open." Fred nodded, taking the information in stride—which wasn't all too surprising since he'd seen that Jameson and Carol were familiar terms, so it must not have seemed like too much of a shock that Jameson had a place in mind. "Until then, we should finish our meal and pass some time… I will say, though, Fred, I noticed that you speak much closer to the Queen's English than I would've expected."

"Is that bad?"

"No, it's just an observation. It took me quite a while to get used to speaking that way, so I was a little surprised at how crisp your language is." It had helped him not stand out too much throughout their earlier investigations, so it wasn't as if it was a hindrance at any rate. Fred had paused in moving his spoon to his mouth, his head tilting at the slightest angle. "What is it?"

"You had to learn the Queen's English?"

Jameson offered a slight smile. Fred's curiosity was rather charming. "I suppose we haven't shared much about ourselves, have we? I know I seem like I'm higher class, but I'm from Whitechapel. The boarding house that Carol is from is where I grew up. I put on a good show, wouldn't you say?" Fred nodded, and Jameson wasn't sure what else was going through the boy's mind, but he continued to munch upon his supper, so it couldn't have been too bad. "In any event, I learned once I was adopted. But the same can't be said for you, now can it?"

Fred shook his head, indicating their circumstances were different, though he didn't elaborate much further. He was a quiet boy, one that kept to himself, and Jameson would have been fine dropping the topic altogether; his curiosity wasn't worth more than Fred's comfort. Jameson was sipping at his glass of water, thinking over plans for the evening whenever Fred at last said, "I go searching for lost items for people a lot. Sometimes that has me looking around other neighbourhoods or listening in on people, so I picked it up there." He then ducked his head, cheeks dusting pink, though Jameson hadn't expected the embarrassment.

"No wonder you were able to find out so much about Abrahams," Jameson said, the pieces coming together. "That's rather impressive, both your speech and the ability to find out so much." Fred was back to that wide-eyed look, and his face was turning redder by the second. "Miss Carol and Miss Alice are very fortunate to have someone like you helping us out. I'm grateful for it as well. If you don't mind, Fred, I'd like to ask for your continued support with this case, so long as you're willing." There was no doubt in Jameson's mind that Fred would serve as an excellent ally in the days to come.

Fidgeting a bit in his seat, it took Fred a while to make eye contact again. "If…if you think I'll be helpful, then I'll do my best to help, Lord Verity."

"Oh, goodness, you don't have to call me something so formal. Please, Jameson's fine."

"Lord…Jameson?"

"That's not quite what I meant, either…"

In any event, we have a course of action to follow once we're done eating. Though bringing Fred along with me to the brothel seems like an issue…but if I send him back without me, that will just make Louis much more upset with me, I'm sure…

Hm. He'd need a solution for that before they moved on. Perhaps having a full stomach would help.

Having a full stomach did not provide a ready answer, but sending Fred back to Moriarty Manor while Jameson wandered into a brothel did not a good picture make, no matter how the situation was explained. On top of that, Jameson's earlier compliments seemed to have made Fred more invested in the affair, and he was too determined for Jameson to turn him down. He would draw a line at exposing Fred to any business, but in the event that they did receive a critical piece of information, it would be best to have Fred nearby to run messenger, so it would work out.

I hope.

Stepping into the place, though, it was just as luxurious as Jameson remembered. Fred, for all that he'd wandered out of Whitechapel, didn't seem to have any previous exposure to such splendour, and was thus looking everywhere, his grey eyes flicking about to take in the scenery, though part of that still seemed to be the instinct to search for an escape route wherever he went.

Jameson didn't like that Fred had that instinct, but he also couldn't fault him for it, so it seemed they'd arrived at an impasse of sorts. Regardless, there wasn't any time to debate the matter, as their arrival meant potential customers, and soon a sandy blonde woman was approaching them with an undeniable sway in her step. "Welcome in! What sort of desires are we looking to satisfy for you tonight?" Her gaze flicked over Fred, no amount of nice clothes able to hide how short and scrawny his frame was. "It's looking like one of you is a bit too young to indulge in our services, though."

"We were hoping to enjoy some fine conversation and drinks," Jameson said. Albert had mentioned it during their previous visit, though they'd not partaken, aside from some post-sex wine before leaving for the night. "If I could impose upon Maryanne or Lucy if they're available? You can let them know Jameson Liam Verity is here."

"Hm, that's your type now is it?" the woman asked, sounding far more amused than disappointed she wasn't his pick—though of course her assessment was quite wrong to an extent Jameson didn't feel like explaining. "I think neither of them have reservations tonight, so I should be able to find them…please take a seat over here, and we'll be right back with you."

The woman sauntered off, drawing the eye of many a gentleman in the process. After nudging Fred back to awareness—he still seemed to be soaking it all in—the two of them settled down into the referenced chairs. On the one hand, Jameson felt relieved things seemed to be going well, but, on the other, there was every chance they were going to end up at another dead end. If that happened, he had confidence that William would still be able to determine a way further, but to have wasted so much time whenever Alice could be in danger…

"Lord Verity, it's been far too long! Back for more practise, now are we?" Maryanne looked as gorgeous as ever, her mischievous smile upon seeing Jameson again doing nothing but adding further to her charm. Lucy was right behind her, and Jameson stood to greet them. He was glad to see they were both doing well—plus the more people he could ask about Abrahams, the higher the chance of finding him. "And here I thought you must've felt more confident after the tutorin' we gave ya, but it's alright."

"Everyone needs practise to keep their skills sharp," Lucy said, going along with it. "Not to worry. After last time, we'd be happy to help you out whenever. …Though it looks like you've brought someone else besides Lord Albert along, hm?"

Fred stiffened up upon becoming the focus of attention, and Jameson moved to divert the topic. "Fred's helping me out with an important matter. In fact, I was hoping to ask if you'd heard anything about a certain individual…" Jameson may have been on good terms with the girls, but he still couldn't help but worry he was taking it too far. "Of course, I'm happy to pay whatever service fee you need for me to take up your time, but it would help out a lot."

"My, my," Maryanne said, looking amused, "you sure do enjoy making unconventional requests, don't ya? Well, if you're paying, we can't complain how you decide to use your time. Though I will say, m'lord, if we're gonna do you a favour perhaps you should do us one in return?" In no time at all, Maryanne had sidled up to Jameson, pressing her body against his arm.

As if her intentions weren't clear enough, Lucy did the same from the opposite side. "You were so enjoyable last time, Lord Verity. We'd love to have another go with you…if it pleases you?"

Jameson knew that they would take no for an answer, so he didn't feel an intense sort of pressure. They'd still help out, he was sure—but answering their request would doubtless put them in a better mood, wouldn't it? Besides, to act like he was far and above using his body as payment would be beyond ridiculous, and, even further, it would be a good opportunity to see how far he'd come in the past few months.

If it'll get us anywhere closer to finding out what happened to Miss Alice, then I'll do whatever it takes.

With that resolve made, Jameson flicked the switch inside of him, putting on his most charming smile. "I think we can reach an agreement. Though I'd feel guilty leaving Fred to his own devices for so much time…could you arrange a table for him, please?" They'd come to the brothel since they were places where a lot of information was passed around due to people letting down their guard; as such, while Jameson took care of Lucy and Maryanne to earn their favour, Fred could be in a position to listen in and see if he heard anything else useful. Looking the boy's way, Jameson noticed Fred's focused look having returned, and he gave a small nod, which seemed to indicate he'd reached the same conclusion.

Lucy giggled. "So long as you're paying, Lord Verity, we can make almost anything happen. I'll go handle that. Maryanne, you wanna take him upstairs?"

Maryanne's seductive smile had no doubt stolen the hearts (and wallets) of many men before, and it would steal them again, long after the night was over. "Oh, you know I'd love to."

They'd gotten no further than the entryway before Maryanne was all over Jameson, and there wasn't much time to talk, not that Jameson felt cheated to any extent. What he was doing in that moment was in effect providing advance payment, and Maryanne and Lucy more than deserved compensation for what they did, and all the more so since there was every chance it could drag them into something dangerous in the long-term.

Maryanne was in the mood for a faster pace, so Jameson met her demands. Within the short span of time it took Lucy to arrive, Jameson already had Maryanne on the bed, her legs propped up and her skirt spilling to the sides. Not one to be beaten, Lucy made short work of most of Jameson's clothes, exposing his skin and giving her plenty of places to feel up as she pressed close to his backside, nipping at his ears and neck all the while, and that alone would have been unfair enough if it weren't for the way Lucy chose the next moment to ask, "So who's this person you're lookin' for, m'lord?"

Who would have ever thought that all of William's teasing would come in handy in such a moment? Thanks to all of that, Jameson was able to pull himself together enough to say, "I'm trying to find out anything about a man named Abrahams."

"Oh, the Lord Abrahams?" Maryanne said, sounding rather thoughtful for someone who had Jameson's mouth pressed to her skin in a number of inappropriate places. "Yes, yes, I've heard of him, I just can't remember where… Lucy, do you recall?" She glanced to her companion, who was in the middle of drawing unfair lines across and around Jameson's spine.

"Abrahams, Abrahams… Oh, that's the guy the matron kicked out!" Maryanne nodded in agreement, though any response of hers was swallowed up by a moan as Jameson bit into the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh. "He was a right asshole, that one. Yeah, you pay for service, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want… Though I wouldn't mind letting you do whatever you like with me, Lord Verity."

It didn't matter how much Jameson was attempting to keep his mind focused; hearing a call of his title as an affirmation made Jameson's body sing in a way that threatened to prevent him from responding. He was, however, starting to put the pieces together. "What did he do after that, then? Did he cause any trouble from there?"

Lucy giggled, her hands sliding around Jameson's waist to feel down his stomach. "Don't be silly. He tried to argue, of course, but you don't mess with us around here. We have plenty of security, after all." She started to card through Jameson's pubic hair, causing him to leave deep teeth marks in Maryanne's skin, earning a loud moan of satisfaction. "Besides, you cause trouble at one place around here, you get blacklisted from all of them, and anyone who's stupid enough to try and get over that deserves it."

On the one hand, it was good to know that Maryanne and the others had some form of protection, though they were sex workers. On the other, Jameson knew for a fact that most brothels and boarding houses in the slums couldn't afford such a thing. Getting banned from the upper classes had just led to Abrahams preying upon much more vulnerable targets, which had then led to him swiping Alice away from her boarding house. If Carol hadn't chosen to search for her, if Fred hadn't noticed and didn't have the skills to hunt down information, if Jameson hadn't insisted on taking the human trafficking case, thus letting him and Fred meet in the first place…

Lucy's fingers were as soft and deft as ever as they slid over Jameson's clitoris and entrance, but he couldn't enjoy the full sensation in the moment.

"You look quite stressed, my lord," she said, with half the usual purr to her words. "We don't mind you askin' questions, but a girl does like to know she's offering a good time, too." Jameson groaned as two fingers slipped inside him, though Lucy didn't push too much further than that, offering time for him to adjust. "Since you came here wantin' to know more about him, did something happen somewhere else?"

"The unfortunate answer is yes." From Jameson's current position, he could just see Maryanne's face as she grimaced, but there was little doubt Lucy was making a similar expression. Jameson kissed Maryanne's thigh in an attempt to soothe her a bit, though that was a large ask for the situation. "I don't have all the details at the moment, but the first step is finding him so that we can confirm what's going on." No need to overshare the precise scenario, since that would doubtless just agitate the women far more than necessary. "I believe Abrahams is a pseudonym, though, so it's been difficult to find him. I was hoping one of you might have some insight…"

Maryanne and Lucy shared a hum. The latter hadn't stopped tracing circles around Jameson's stomach, though that seemed more like a subconscious action than anything. "I don't know for certain, but I'm willing to bet our matron does," Maryanne said.

Jameson could feel Lucy's nod against his neck. "Right? If she doesn't know already, she can find out. But you know, Lord Verity…"

"…a favour from the matron is a pretty big ask." Maryanne had put on that sweet but alluring smile that Jameson had yet to replicate in full, her fingers slipping into his hair to make him look nowhere but at her. Lucy had also pressed closer to Jameson's back, her mouth peppering kisses across what felt like each and every freckle on his shoulders. "We wanna put her in a good mood by bringing in good business, right? Not to mention if you show us a good time, she'll have a sweet spot for you."

It was more than obvious what they were asking for, and Jameson couldn't blame them; he, too, liked finishing what he started, riding his satisfaction all the way to the end. It was the least he could do, anyways, considering how last minute his request had been.

So he returned Maryanne's smile with one of his own, turning his head so he could press a kiss into her palm. "You ladies were kind enough to help me practise before, after all. Shall I show you how much I've improved since then?"

Lucy and Maryanne agreed with enthusiasm, and, by the time the night was done, Jameson had earned both of their seals of approval.

[Author's Notes]

And now for the most exciting part of this season: Fred is back, baby! I love writing him, so I was looking forward to this arc. We also have Carol make a return, who was in the background of the early Jamie visiting Miss Penny scene. I always love fleshing out side characters and playing with them, and this is an arc where these two returning faces are gonna have a lot going on.

Also Jamie gets to put his skills to the test for a bit. Whenever I was developing his character, I was like "Yeah, Jamie can handle honeytrap stuff," so working him up to the level he'll be at during canon times is an adventure.

Every day, I am counting down until December and part two of the manga. I hope this fic gives you something to enjoy until then!

Title of the chapter is from Halsey's "Heaven in Hiding."

Next time: The Adventure of the Missing Young Woman, Act Two. Please look forward to it!

-Avi

[5 October 2024]