Tremble in the Dark: A Gwen Farris Novel by P. S. Power Page A

get
something to eat. She'd been right the day before, she hadn't given a moment's
thought to hunger all night long, but now she could use something, if it was
available. It was pretty early still, but the house was already awake, and
there was the scent of coffee coming from the kitchen. She was on her way to
grab some, her nose leading her, when Charles found her, and looked at her with
more concern than a butler should ever really have to.
    His
job should be worrying about the silver being pilfered perhaps, or maybe
that they would come up short on food, if unexpected guests arrived. Not
wondering if the daughter of the house was in danger due to a serial killer. He
was a good man that way though, and didn't try to blame her for going, which
she'd half been afraid of, without knowing it. No, his concerns were more
immediate, and blessedly, more helpful.
    "People
are setting up in the small side dining room, Miss Farris. Coffee is already on
the table." There was no mention of her gear, but he looked at it and let
his head come up in a fashion that would have been weird, if you didn't know
he'd once been some kind of highly elite commando. It wasn't fear for her, but
understanding that duty called. Dangerous stuff, but you went where ordered.
    "Special
Service business?" This was said as if he didn't already know. Not a lot
that happened in and around Park Street went unnoticed by the man.
    "Yeah.
Those train murders? We've finally been asked in, since everyone else has
decided that they can't do anything, even though their stupid foot dragging
cost at least one girl her life. Possibly at least. Maybe we can't stop
whoever is doing this either, but we should have been throwing everything at it
to start with. Like I wouldn't work with the locals or Con-sev?" She
sounded angry about it, which was part nerves but mainly the residual from the
night before on top of no sleep for over a day now. "Not that my world was
any better that way. Do you think people on all worlds are that dumb?"
    The
man, who wasn't as far as she knew, a sci-fi reader, still seemed to take her
meaning well enough. After a moment he nodded.
    "Very
likely, if it's that way in two worlds. It might just be part of how we do
things?" Then surprisingly, he changed the subject, by both turning to
lead her to the small side dining room, which she was familiar enough with to
find on her own, and by saying something that she hadn't really thought of
before. Not exactly.
    "Are
you taking Darren Westmorland with you? I heard that there are rumors of
strange failures in radiatives. He's from your world isn't he? It seems a
natural fit." Politely he didn't mention the part where her brother was a
social imbecile, which was nice of him.
    Maybe
that ran in the family too? She was no grand prize that way either, was she?
    "I
hadn't really thought about it. We should get a line in, in case we need
backup. I'll ask after him, and let him know that you recommended him for the
job. He'll get a kick out of it, if nothing else."
    "Very
good Miss." Then he moved to the side and stopped, so she could go right
in to find Manly, Beth and to her surprise, Robert Vernor, all sipping at tiny
cups of coffee. Black. There was cream on the table, but even Beth, who was a
softy that way, took it straight today, trying to get as much caffeine into
herself as possible. It was a good idea.
    Putting
her bags down next to the ones that were already there, she noticed that Beth
had managed to find a pack that was really very close to identical to her own.
Clearly made by the same people at least. She had a strange feeling that they
were military gear that had come from the household staff directly. Several of
them were ex-military after all. She nodded at it.
    "Good,
I'd like to do a gear and weapons check before we leave. How long do we
have?"
    Beth
smothered a yawn and then waved at her, with twinkling but tired eyes.
    "A
bit under an hour. Good thinking though, since we should each know what