Part Thirty

Marie stood up so quickly her chair fell backwards. She grabbed the teapot but found no microphone or transmitter, setting it down again she went for the sugar bowl instead. While she was looking the voice continued:

"... I guess even the fat thief finds a gem now and then. Unfortunately you are too late. My plan is already in motion and this little mishap won't get in my way." Sparky frowned at the insult and helped Marie look, when they found what seemed to be the little Talkie he gestured to her to keep looking for the microphone as the man on the other end, Lord Amberfitch presumably, obviously could hear them as well as talk to them.

"What, no snappy comebacks? And I heard you had such a great sense of humor Sparky. Is it the little gutter rat who's gagging you..." Miss Sarah finally located the Listener, the small brass oval were set under the table and she quickly got it loose before looking at Marie and raising a questioning eyebrow. Marie looked around before her eyes once again fell on the teapot. Lifting the lid she indicated to Miss Sarah to drop the Listener in.

"... you won't stop me. I have yo-" There was a crackle as the device hit the liquid and a small flash flared. "-u watched where ever you go, you can't hi.... wait, what did you d-" Marie dropped the Talkie into the teapot as well, her whole hand tingling with the thaumaturgy needed to send sounds, and the voice went silent.

"Let's get out of here. He's probably watching but maybe he doesn't know about the third door."

The three of them quickly gathered their things and went for the powder rooms, they slipped into the the men's room, Sparky entering first to cover the women as they slipped into the storage closet just inside the door. Well inside Marie found the switch that unlocked the secret passage and presses it. She breathed a little easier when it swung open silently and revealed the narrow corridor behind it, the three of them moved into it, as silently as they could, closing the hidden door behind them.

At the end of the corridor were stairs and after those and a damp cellar they could finally step outside. They were about a block away from Brodie's now, in an alley populated by stray cats and one or two rats. Marie cursed fiercely.

"I hate to have to run, and it's all I've been doing these last days. I'm tired of this." Miss Sarah hmmed her agreement as Sparky spoke up.

"Well, if you want I think I can find out where Lord Amberfitch is holed up..."

"Yes! Go, find out, then I can finally end this damned business and go back to the way things should be, nice and easy." Marie's annoyance still bled through and she wasn't properly paying attention to her surrounding. Therefore she was actually surprised when the figure detached itself from the shadows.