Chapter 6 - Chemical Warfare
Martha's heart slammed against her ribs.
She kept her grip on the heavy black ledger.
"Miss Delaney, you don't want to do this," Martha reasoned softly.
"I absolutely do," the older woman sneered.
"Silas is a fool who thinks he controls the waterfront."
"My employers in Boston will pay handsomely for that book."
Martha realized the housekeeper was a spy for a rival syndicate.
Delaney stepped closer, the gun pressing harder against Martha's skull.
Martha noticed a cart of cleaning supplies resting just inches from her left hand.
Her medical training had taught her exactly what happened when certain chemicals mixed.
She swiftly grabbed a bottle of industrial ammonia and swung her arm backward.
The bottle smashed directly into Miss Delaney's face.
The housekeeper screamed and dropped the weapon as the harsh liquid burned her eyes.
Martha did not hesitate.
She snatched the fallen gun and sprinted out of the basement.
She ran up three flights of stairs, her lungs burning with exertion.
She burst into Maxwell's suite and locked the heavy doors behind her.
"Delaney is a spy!" Martha gasped, tossing the ledger onto his lap.
Maxwell flipped the book open immediately.
His face drained of color.
Martha caught her breath and looked down at the pages.
They were completely blank.
Every single page in the book was empty.
"It's a fake," Maxwell muttered, throwing the book to the floor.
"Someone already took the real ledger."
Before they could think of a new plan, the smell of smoke drifted under the door.
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The fire alarm began to blare a deafening warning.
Miss Delaney had locked them in the suite and set the wing on fire.
