Chapter 65

For Karen, it was a wave of impotent rage.

Patricia had first caught the flicker of flames as she got up to go to the bathroom. Her cry had awakened the household, and then, once outside, Patricia had seen Melvin go in the front door. She'd gone around to the left, and seen his, Dayna's, and Jason's flaming exit into the pool.

Despite Karen's attempts, she couldn't get around the house, the heat was too intense.

Karen didn't remember calling Eddie, didn't remember falling to her knees in the middle of the cul-de-sac in tears, didn't remember shrugging off Patricia as she tried to get Karen up, and further away from the heat, out of the road so she wouldn't be in the way of emergency personnel.

It was Eddie, arriving a full twelve minutes before any firemen or EMT's, that picked her up and carried her back on to the grass of her own yard.

For Eddie, it was the other shoe dropping.

He walked a fine line in advising his extended family. Eddie knew how bad it could easily get, but he didn't want them living in terror, so he forced issues as far as he could, without making it all too real for them. Eddie may have poo-poo-ed all the security people foisted upon his loved ones, but inside he was thankful. As hoses were unrolled, and great gouts of water began to bathe the doomed house, as well as the near walls of the adjoining houses, Eddie was pretty sure anyone who'd been in the house was alive thanks to Melvin's efforts.

He wasn't at all sure Melvin had survived, not from what Patricia told him about the exit from upstairs into the pool – she described it as a 'ball of fire', but Eddie was sure Melvin had done his job to the best of his ability.

The fire trucks and EMTs arrived. Eddie watched the great gouts of water streaming into the inferno. And then, after a timeless span of perhaps ten minutes, Eddie went into the neighbor's yard, scaled the wall, and dropped into the steamy back yard. He found Dayna and Jason, pulling her off of Melvin, who was clearly not going to be revived.

The attic and most of the top floor collapsed into the bottom floor as he called Margo.

For Margo, it was busy. Word that the house was gone was secondary to the news Dayna and Jason were on their way to the hospital and Melvin was dead.

And while the staff knew better, with her friends at Sisters of Charity running interference, Margo was able to be involved right from the beginning. Her first call was to the club, so Gloria Tanner would know the news, as well as House Sandalwood. Her second call was to Harry.

Upon seeing Dayna and Jason, suffering from smoke inhalation and some second degree burns, she called Dr. Lowenstein, because both of their heads were in bad places.

Understandably so. Someone wanted to hurt the family badly, badly enough to commit arson, and to kill. It was an escalation that terrified her.

It was a terror that she wasn't going to let stop her, not then. Later ... who knew?

For Harry, it was a thunderbolt.

The phone slipped out of his hand, falling to the floor, Margo talking to no one until Carol picked it up and handed it to Kelly.

"Sir, Harry, come with me."

The evening's entertainments, the dance, everyone present, was forgotten,

"I'm going to throw up," he murmured.

"So I expected," Carol said, opening the lobby restroom's door with her butt and leading him in. She got him down, head over a toilet, before he did. She didn't know what had happened, what the phone call meant, she only knew her husband needed her.

Once he was through, and cleaned up, she got him up to their room, and had him lying on the bed, with a cool washrag on his forehead.

He was lying there still when the rest of their retinue came back to the rooms.

For Kelly, it was a kick in the ass.

Hand pressed against her other ear, she asked Margo to repeat her message. When she still couldn't hear her, she got out of the dance, into the lobby, and finally understood. Kelly told Margo they'd be home before morning, one way or the other, and hung up.

Kelly ran into the dance, insisted the DJ's kill the music, and made an announcement.

"Our home has been destroyed by arson, one of our security personnel is dead, two of our family are in the hospital, and that's all I know at this time. We are leaving for home as soon as we can find the next flight back. I'm sorry for interrupting, but it's the quickest way to get our folks moving back to the room and packing."

She hadn't put the mike back on its stand yet when Mistress Hoffman ran across the floor and grabbed her by the arm.

"My jet is at your disposal, I'll call the pilot. She can file a flight plan while they're fueling. We'll get you all home as soon as humanly possible."

Kelly hugged her tightly, allowed herself a moment of panic, then swallowed it back, and let go of their savior.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. Now, I've got to go."

Kelly led their people back to their rooms, and got them packing.

For Carol, it was a flashback.

In his shock, Harry looked and felt a lot like the man she'd met in the Pearl that night, not so long before. He was lost, and it was her soul's job to be a life preserver, in all senses of the word. Once she knew what had happened, she wrapped herself around Harry like a blanket, whispering comfort into his ear, unaware if he was understanding her or not. It didn't matter. She could feel him relax, feel his trembling ease.

She was his emotional support system, and no one asked her to do anything else, except briefly stand, so she could be undressed and redressed for the trip home, and even then, she kept one hand on him at all times, watching him intently.

Carol walked him out to the limo, waving off everyone else but Kelly's support of him.

There was driving, a quick walk and climb up into the jet.

There was flying, and a quick walk down onto the tarmac, and a walk to another car.

There was driving, a walk through the Omni's lobby, an elevator ride, another short walk, and then she put him to bed, curling up around him, feeling the shock give way to sorrow, and anger, and rage, all locked behind his closed eyes.

Later, with everyone settled into their suite at the Omni, couches opened up and roll-a-way beds brought in, and members of the household back from Dominique's, requiring two more rooms be acquired, Kelly had everything to her satisfaction. She headed for the bedroom door, only to see Camille, Twilla, Radhika, and Candy seated on the floor outside.

Kelly raised an eyebrow, and Candy responded.

"You ever heard your little wife growl, Mistress?"

Kelly smiled for the first time since El Paso.

"Yeah, I have, and you're wise to all be out here. When Madam arrives, tell her it's by Carol's orders, and I've seconded those orders."

"Gladly," Candy sighed. "I'm glad you understand. I'd have gone in there on your orders, but I'm really happy I don't have to."

Kelly's smile faded as she quietly slipped into the room, carefully made her way onto the bed and lay down on Harry's other side.

"You okay?" she whispered, not sure to whom.

"No," Carol replied. "I'm not, and he's gone. I don't know where he is, but when he's awake he's not there, and when he's asleep, he grunts, moans, cries..."

"So we hold on to him."

"Yes we do ... and we hold on to ourselves."

Ahbilasha sat in a cheap plastic chair in the hallway, as close as she could get to the room where Jason and Dayna were sleeping.

Gloria came and sat down beside her with a collection of junk food from the vending machines and two sodas.

They both looked at the snacks and made their choices, putting the others aside for the moment.

"You could go home until he's released."

"Could you?"

"No."

"Neither can I."

' *

Margo made sure Dayna and Jason were taken care of, spoke with Abby and Gloria, then returned to Minerva's room.

"They're coming for us, Minerva," she said, her hands trembling as she fumbled at the medicine bottle her anxiety meds were in. "Don't know who, don't know from where. Maybe more than several whos and wheres." Finally getting a pill out, she dry-swallowed it, got the bottle closed and back in her bag.

"They burned our home, Minerva. I'd like to think they believed everyone was gone to Dominique's for the evening, but I don't believe that's true. They knew someone was there."

Margo curled up on the cot and shook until the meds did their job.

Jan Bruno was directed to Minerva's room, knocked gently, and was admitted by Hans.

She carefully and gently woke Margo up, kissed her, and motioned to her to follow.

Out in the hallway they found a quiet alcove.

"Our friend stands ready to help in any way he can."

Margo gave a tired half-smile.

"But he'd prefer to keep it on the down low."

"Yes, that is why he sent me. But you have only to ask..."

"I know, and I thank both of you." Margo rubbed her eyes. "That moment may come, but let's keep our distance for now, for everyone's sake. Give the cops first shot at this one." Margo chuckled, a humorless sound. "See if we can get through all this without being outed as kinky perverts."

"I think you're safe," Jan replied. "You still have friends in high places, and friends of friends who will protect you without being told to. That's best for everyone." She pushed a heavy lock of raven-black hair out of her face. "He and I would give anything to be able to help more openly, Margo, I hope you know that."

"I do, honey, I do." She gave Jan a hug, and then another. "That second one's for our friend."

Then Margo went back to lie down on the cot.

Vida Newton and Nancy Velacourt flew back with the family, got their luggage, and were picked up by a car from the Karghold.

"No Thad, I don't know anything more than I knew before," Vida said as they rode out of town. "But they're going to have to take security seriously now. I propose, for the time being, they take up residence out at the Wexler place. It's theirs, and we can wrap 'em in cotton out there, make sure they're okay." A few moments later, "Yeah, gimme two squads, one for motivating the current staff, and the other security. I'll need more security later. We'll head out there as soon as we get to you, then we can all go together."

She hung up and looked at Nancy.

"You wanted to come along, now why?"

"Because I'm not stupid, and it's my daughter they're marrying. The Wexler style won't go over well, so my girls and I are going to do some redecorating over the next couple of days."

"Without asking their opinion?"

"Prerogative of the mother-of-the-bride. You should try it."

"I've seen my daughter's eyes when she talks about Jason. Pretty sure it's on the schedule, at a slight remove."

"Kids," Nancy said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, we, too, were once that young and, well, not stupid, but headstrong."

"You ain't lyin'," Nancy replied. "You sure as shit ain't lying."

Dayna and Jason were released early Sunday afternoon. Dayna went to the Omni with Margo, as did Gloria. Abby drove Jason home and put him to bed.

"Abby, I just got out of the hospital where they kept me in bed. I don't want to be in bed."
"I know, sir."

"And I'm not really in the mood..."

"I know that too, sir. But as I am acting as your guardian, I want you to stay in bed for the rest of the day. I will sit with you, and read to you as you enjoy, cook for you, talk with you, but until tomorrow morning, I would appreciate it if you would humor me, and stay in bed."

"All right..." the tears came from behind his eyes, and Abby was holding him in a heartbeat. "Just don't let me go, Abby. Just hold me..."

"Always, sir, always."

"Shit's gotten real," Dayna rasped, more roughly than usual.

"You shouldn't be talking," Margo said. "But you're right. Too real."

"What are you gonna do about it?"

"I honestly have no idea. Tomorrow we'll be dealing with the police, seeing it, the house I mean. What's left of it. I figure I'm going to watch pieces of my husband crack and fall off." She turned to Dayna. "I've heard from Kelly. He's not doing well, and Carol's gone full Mama Bear. Kelly said she's growling more than speaking."

"Something that's gonna come out when we talk to the cops ... they definitely knew someone was at home," Dayna said. "Melvin had the feeling he was being watched, so they knew we were there. That's gonna make the cop thing a lot more invasive, 'cause it ain't arson, it's arson and attempted murder."

"Invasive ... just what we don't need."

"Yeah. Get your lawyer for tomorrow."

In the back seat, Gloria sat silent, listening to her owners – her family – discuss the future calmly, while inside she cringed away from what had happened, and worried what that future truly held.

Margo walked into their suite, smiled wanly at everyone, and gathered their personal servants.

"Uh, Milady Carol made it plain we weren't welcome, and Mistress Kelly confirmed it..." Candy said.

"And now I'm saying differently," Margo replied. "The four of you are to start moving us through showers and back to bed, starting with myself. Then you're to make sure we are not disturbed until 9:00 AM. I've arranged through our lawyer to meet the police at ... at the house ... at 10:30.

"Candy," Margo continued, "I'm going to want Devon driving, and two more of our security people with us. Tell them to be casual. The cops will recognize what they are, but let's not call any additional attention to them."

With that, they all went into the bedroom for the evening.

The next morning, standing in front of the ruins of his parents' house, Harry didn't realize tears were seeping down his cheeks.

One of the police, Harry couldn't be bothered to know his name, made noises about delaying the whole procedure.

Attorney Daggett and Margo were about to agree, when Harry said his first words since announcing he was going to vomit back in El Paso.

"No, we do it now."

Harry allowed himself to be driven downtown, to have his statement taken. Everyone was in separate rooms, and given his location Saturday night, he was through very quickly.

Leaving the room, knowing their own security was out front waiting, he asked an officer, "Is there a side exit? I kinda need to crawl in a hole, pull it in after me for a while."

"Sure, down that hallway, hang to the right; it's at the far end."

"Thank you."

"I don't think you understand, Officer Jackson, my husband has had a severe shock and I really don't want him wandering around on his own right now. I'm a doctor, speaking as such, it's not a good idea for him to be out there alone."

"I'm sorry, ma'am. He said something about crawling in a hole and pulling it in after him. Sounded like he wants to be alone now."

"He's wandered off, Minerva. I'm about a hair away from asking for help from someone I shouldn't, just to make sure he's safe. He's not thinking clearly, the last vestiges of his childhood and his parents are a pile of ashes ... Dr. Lowenstein couldn't offer me anything except 'he needs his isolation right now'. Minerva, I wanted to rip her throat out. If something happens to him ... I don't know how many more hits this family can take right now. Between you, and the house, it feels like we're all hanging on to the very last threads of our ropes, praying there's no breeze."

"Madam," Li Kuan said. "If you wish, I will go find him."

"No, no my dear, your place is here," Margo motioned to the unconscious Minerva Cornelius. "With her."

"I don't disagree, Madam, but my sitting here does her no good. I might be of service to you, and I know what she would say I should do."

"True enough ... still, no." Margo stood up, wiped her eyes. "I've got to go see to some things about the Samhain Fetish Ball ... probably the absolute last thing any of us are in the mood for."

"Yes, Madam. Only five nights away. The event of the year," Li Kuan said, while Margo pretended she couldn't hear the tears her friend was fighting to keep from her voice. "But first ... Madam, if you would stay a moment. Hans, Ophelia, Andre..."

Li Kuan knelt by her beloved Madame's bed.

"Madame, my love, we're all here, everyone who truly matters. If you can, wake for a few moments, say anything you need to, and let go. Even if you can't wake, you're free. Move on to whatever lies ahead of you, and ... and wait for me. You are ready. You have been for days. It is time, Minerva, and there is work to be done."

Minerva Cornelius's eyes fluttered a bit, her hand motioned Li Kuan closer, speaking a few words into her ear.

She gave a shuddering sigh, and the monitors began their siren calls.

No longer bothering to even try hiding her tears, Li Kuan stood.

"We should be about our work."

Li Kuan handed Margo an envelope.
"What do you require of me, Madam?"

Margo wasn't sure whether to hold her, or hit her.

"Find my husband. Get Eddie's help ... he knows Harry better than most of us."

"Agreed."

As Li Kuan headed for the door, Margo stopped her, putting her hand gently on Li Kuan's arm.

"What did she say?"

Li Kuan looked at her new Madam as if she were a strange and alien creature.

"She said, Madam, 'Moses never reaches the Promised Land'."

Carol had to wait until the arson inspectors had finished before she could walk into the ruins.

The notes were safe, and soon to be published as part of her and Nicki's book, the money was safely invested ... but the albums. Tony's collection of vinyl ... it was gone. From the street she could see the twisted remains of the security door Harry and Eddie had installed on the room where the records were stored, as well as Harry's safe, passed down from his father.

She didn't think it was a fire safe, and even if it was, it was a very old one, and she wondered if anything inside had survived.

Who could hate them so much? She wished the list was short, but it had quite a few possible names on it, and Carol wouldn't at all be surprised to find out there were names on that list none of them suspected.

It had all started so beautifully, and then they'd gotten what they wanted. It tasted like ashes. She thought of what they had gone through together, how they could survive anything ... but they weren't together.

Harry was gone, who knew where. Margo was wrapped up in Madame Cornelius's passing; Kelly was trying to keep everything going with the entire household packed into hotel rooms, with no clothes but what was on their backs, no possessions other than what was in their pockets and bags.

And Carol was looking at the ashes of the first true home she'd known since Tony's.

Patricia padded out of the house in a bathrobe and slippers.

"How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm lost, Patricia. I think I'm lost."

Dayna bit back her frustration with every rough breath she drew. There were rules, there always had been rules. Some of them you could ignore and suffer no more than disapproval, some were more serious, and then there were rules beyond that. Rules that never needed be said in Society, because civilized people didn't burn and murder. Other than Daniella Fruehauf's mad sister, Dayna could think of no one in their Society who would contemplate action on this scale ... well, maybe Daniella's mother, before she became a dribbling idiot, but people disappearing was more her style.

Not arson.

She went to her former House members, back when she'd held the leash, and talked with them. It didn't feel right. It didn't feel like one of their own had done this.

But if not one of their Society, then who?

"My God," Li Kuan said, "it's a monstrosity!"

"Yeah, been a lot of things, been added on to here and there for over a hundred years, and had rooms split and resplit into smaller spaces, and then had those spaces made into larger rooms again. Before it became a boarding house, it was a funeral home, before that, a military school – the kind where the students lived on the premises." He pointed at the barest traces of two long rectangular foundations. "Those were the dorms, over there," he pointed toward a wide open patch, "was the parade grounds, and where the hearses used to park for services."

He looked down at the street curb, and scuffed his feet like a boy.

"Once you told me what Harry said to the cop, I knew where he was. Nicki might've as well, if anybody'd told her, although she's never been here."

He walked on, assuming she'd follow, as she did.

"After his parents died, with raising Nicki and all, well, there were times when it got to be too much. So he'd come here – we bought our dope from the owner – and would take that room there," he said, pointed to a tiny window in the attic of the three-story building. "Nobody in their right mind would rent it. It's a tiny attic room up a flight of skinny, nerve-wracking stairs. Off to the left of the stairs, there's another flight of steps into a bare bones bathroom – sink and toilet and bare light bulb, he called the Black Hole of Calcutta. The actual room's barely big enough for a single bed and a little table. But that's where he'd go, to crawl in a hole and pull it in after him."

Eddie looked at Li Kuan.

"I'd let him stay in hiding as long as I could, never more than two days, though." He scratched his nose. "But you know if he says he needs to be here, I'm not letting you haul him out. Man just lost his home. I think he deserves some time."

"Normally I would agree," Li Kuan replied. "But his family needs him, whether he wants to be needed or not. There is a funeral to plan, the Fetish Ball to prepare for. Grieving needs to be delayed."

"Don't care," Eddie said. "I love 'em, all of 'em. More than I got words for. But he's my oldest friend, and if he needs the time, he gets it."

Li Kuan again noted the outline of the folding knife in his pocket, the bulges on the sides of both his boots, and then stared into Eddie Janak's eyes.

"If he doesn't want to come, this is not a fight I will fight today ... but you must explain it to his wives, and do so immediately."

"Fair enough."

Eddie stood sideways on the narrow staircase, Li Kuan behind him.

"You plannin' on smokin' all that dope yourself?" Eddie asked, as Harry blew a lungful of pot smoke out the tiny window.

"Probably."

"Minerva's dead, Harry, you got the fetish thingie in less than a week, your family's freaking out because you pulled your disappearing act.

"Yeah."

"You know I wouldn't have needed the clue. This is the second place I would've come."

"Didn't leave it for you. Left it for Nicki, just in case she's feeling like I am. I figure you'd have brought her."

"She's taking it better than you; of course, she's holed up in her apartment with Sheila."

"That's good."

The silence stretched until Li Kuan said, "Harry, your family needs you."

"Don't feel like being needed right now, darlin'. And they don't need me, they want me there. I don't want to be there. If I did, I'd be in the middle of all the madness, same as usual."

"Anything you want?"

"If Nicki wants to come, bring her here." Harry laughed, an ugly, brittle sound. "She's always been curious about this place."

"Okay. You let me know if you need anything else."

As they made their way through the labyrinth of the house to leave, Li Kuan said, "This is the second place you would have looked ... where is the first?"

"Li Kuan, don't ever expect a girl to give up all her secrets on a first date," Eddie replied, smiling.

"After all we have been through, Master Janak, I would hardly consider this our 'first date'."

But she didn't press the matter.

"Margo, it isn't a matter of not being able to rely on him. If you truly required him, you know he'd be here. But you don't. It would be comforting for all of you, and torture for him. He just needs a little time, and a lot of space."

Eddie watched Margo narrowly beat back an emotional explosion.

"Will he be at the Ball?"

"No clue."

She lost the fight with the explosion and was about to unload when Li Kuan took her arm.

"Madam, do not say things you will regret later."

Margo bit her lip so hard it bled.

"I understand."

"He has his phone, he'll call ... eventually." Eddie took her in his arms and hugged her tight.

"Margo," he said softly in her ear, "he's very close to having what I think Dr. Lowenstein would classify as a mental breakdown. Please don't push this."

She hugged him back, fiercely.

"I won't, Eddie. But none of us are in much better shape."

"Kelly," Margo said, "you're doing a fine job with our logistics. Now I have things to do as executrix of Minerva's estate, and I'm afraid you're going to end up doing even more. You up to it?"

"Big Mama, I got this. It keeps my mind off ... well, everything else. I assume you know what Minerva's wishes were concerning a funeral and such?"

"Cremation, no official memorial service. Her urn is to be walled up in her home. Really wasn't expecting that, but Li Kuan knows the where, plans to do that herself. I spoke with Nancy on the phone, she's sent out emails and made phone calls, all of Minerva's customers know of her passing, and that the business is still a going concern."

"What about Ophelia?"

"Now that Hans and Andre are gone, it's just her and Li Kuan at the house. In her will, Minerva leaves the house to Ophelia once I feel she's ready for it. Right now, she's not ready for anything. She's realizing what she's lost. She's asked Li Kuan to keep her in restraints as much as possible."

The suite phone rang.

"Mistress Kelly, it's for you," Twilla said.

"Yes?" Kelly spoke into the receiver. "All right, but warn him there are nekkid people up here."

She handed the phone back to her body slave.

"My mother and father are on their way up. Evidently they heard about the fire, and have been trying to find us."

Li Kuan motioned Margo into the bedroom.

"Madam, having found your husband – a much simpler job than we expected, courtesy of Eddie, what am I to do now?"

"What do you want to do?"

Li Kuan gave Margo a look of restrained pain.

"I want to hurt people. Very badly. I want to destroy anything and everything I can get my hands on. I want to kill myself, and follow my lover in death. I want to find the people who burned your home and slowly cook them over an open fire, and eat them." Tears erupted from her eyes. "I don't want ... to feel this. This loss. This emptiness. Have I answered your question to your satisfaction, Madam."

Margo took Li Kuan in her arms and held her tightly.

"So," she whispered, "I'd better find you something to do that's not on your list ... although that burning the people who did this to us sounds very tempting." Margo squeezed Li Kuan even more tightly. "For now, stay by my side, help me watch my temper, and keep us safe."

"I will try, Madam," Li Kuan replied, "but after this escalation, I'm not sure all of your security together is up to the challenge. Too many unknowns, too many directions from which to attack."

Margo released her, nodding. "I know, my nightmares have been telling me the same thing." She took Li Kuan's face in her hands, and kissed her deeply and fiercely, biting hard on her slave's lip, drawing blood, and swallowing it.

When she was done, and released Li Kuan, the woman's lip was bleeding down her chin.

"And I order you, as my possession, to stay alive. Are we clear, Li Kuan?"

"Yes, Madam."

"Harry, I don't know if you're checking your voicemail, you haven't responded to any of the others we've left, but I thought you should know. Minerva's gone. No funeral, no service of any kind. I'm picking up her ashes Wednesday afternoon."

Within minutes, Harry called her back.

"I'm sorry. Do you need me to come back now?"

"Need you? No. Want you back very badly ... all of us do. Camille is beside herself, and has been pestering Eddie to take her to you. Carol can't protect you, so she's in a foul mood. Kelly wants to kick your ass for disappearing, as do I.

"But Harry, we will need you at the ball. I have a plan as to how we'll express our mourning that night. You need to be there then."

"What time are you picking up the ashes?"

"3:00 PM."

"I'll be there. What time do you want me there Saturday?"

"Noon would be good."

"Fine. I love you, I love all of you ... you know how you hit some things from one angle, they're solid as steel, you hit them from another, they're tissue paper?"

"Yes, my love, I know."

"This is a tissue paper time for me. I hope you all can find it in your hearts to forgive me."