The Curious Case of the Werewolf Read Free Page A

for Leticia's peace of mind – not a vampire in sight – but all these snakes and camels and jackals are playing hell with my finer feelings." Baronet Phinkerlington turned away, snorting.
    Alessandro frowned. The howl came again. "Werewolf."
    The baronet tossed the butt-end of his cigar petulantly to the sandy ground. "That moon may be full, but don't be ridiculous, you just said, remember? There are no supernatural creatures in Egypt."

    Floote was waiting for Mr. Tarabotti in their rooms.
    "Message, sir." He held out a little wooden tray with two crisp pieces of papyrus on top. Scribbled on the top one was a message in Italian, the tiny, messy script bleeding in places along the lines of the fibrous paper. Alessandro deciphered it while Floote divested him of his coat and hat.
    "I'm to go there tonight. He apologizes for the skittish messenger this morning. Apparently, the boy was supposed to deliver this, but was spooked by our cat. Imagine being raised amongst mummies and fearing modern scientific preservation techniques." He switched to the second sheet of papyrus. "And a map. How very thoughtful. I wonder if that's what those bully-boys were after this afternoon? This map."
    Lowering his hand, he raised an eyebrow at his manservant. "Speaking of the cat."
    Floote pointed to a wobbly reed dresser upon which lay a smallish cat mummy.
    "Is that...?"
    "Not your Aunt's feline, sir. The reports were perfectly correct; no one remembers how to mummify anymore. I found a willing apothecary, but the results were, regrettably..." a delicate pause, "...squishy. I managed to acquire that artifact, there, at a reasonable price and in excellent condition as a substitute."
    Mr. Tarabotti peered at the specimen through his monocle. "It'll have to do. We'll tell Aunt Archangelica they made it look emaciated and ancient for the sake of fashion."
    Floote went to hang up his master's outerwear.
    "Don't bother, Floote. I'll need it again directly."
    "Sir?"
    "Tonight, remember?" He wiggled the papyrus with the map on it at his valet.
    "Of course, sir, but surely not the gold coat? Most inappropriate for one of your evening engagements."
    "Silly me. You packed the burgundy?"
    Floote gave him a look that suggested he was gravely insulted that Mr. Tarabotti should ever doubt such a thing.
    The burgundy jacket was a comparatively stylish affair, but cut looser than the gold to better hide multiple pockets, and with a full skirt to mask any additional accoutrement secreted about a gentleman's waist. Alessandro slipped it on while Floote bustled about putting various items onto a large silver platter, which he then proffered politely to his master.
    Mr. Tarabotti selected from the offerings, as a man will from a particularly delectable cheese plate: a nice bit of garrote there, two vials of quality poison here, a tin of Germany's best phosphorus matches for extra zest, and a flask of turpentine to wash it all down. He chose one of the two pistols, the smallest and his personal favorite, checked that it was loaded, and stashed it inside a pocket over his left hip. After a pause to think, he took three cigars, the tidy little cheroots he preferred, and stashed them in the tin with the matches.
    "Will you be requiring my company this evening, sir?"
    "I shouldn't think so. After all, he is only an archaeologist."
    Floote refrained from comment upon that statement. He had spent over ten years as valet to Mr. Tarabotti and, as yet, no one had turned out to be only anything. He smoothed down the sleeves of the burgundy coat and checked its armament carefully before buttoning it closed. He handed Mr. Tarabotti a matching top hat.
    "Will there be anything else, sir?"
    Alessandro tightened his lips over his teeth in thought. "Perhaps the other gun as well, if you would be so kind?"
    Floote passed it to him. "Try not to kill anyone important, sir."
    Stashing the gun up his sleeve in a special quick-release wrist holster, Alessandro grinned. It was an