Jonny scratched his head, thinking. A redhead should be more than memorable, and yet…. Ada Jones.Jones.
Suddenly a memory came flooding back. A girl, no more than twelve. Her hand in her father’s. The man had been an investor, had connections, had made much of Blackwood’s unsavory business possible, until he refused to partner with him any longer. Jonny and Will had been sent to give him a message one way or another, but then they had seen the girl and had told Blackwood that they had made a deal with him instead — that as long as Jones never made a move against Blackwood, he and his family could live their lives.
His eyes widened as he took her in. “Idoknow you,” he said. “You’re Edward Jones’s daughter.”
Her lips crooked into a wry grin. “Took you long enough,” she said. “Now, tell me, are you still so changed, or are you the same man as you were then?”
“That depends,” he said, swallowing hard.
“On what?”
“On you.”
Chapter Three
“What doIhave to do with your life?” Ada demanded, placing her hands on her hips.
“Youshouldhave nothing to do with it, but you decided to involve yourself, so here we are,” he said, stepping toward her. She leaned back slightly, even though part of her was more inclined to do the opposite. “You have to keep all that you know to yourself.”
“Why would I do that?” she asked incredulously, crossing her arms over her chest.
“For the same reason you came here. To keep your friends safe.”
“How does keeping your secret help anyone but you?”
He took her elbow and moved her over to stand next to a pile of crates, out of sight from anyone who could be walking by, although Ada couldn’t help but look up now and again to make sure they weren’t in danger of another crate tumbling down on them.
“The less they know, the less chance anyone uses them against me — or you.”
“Me? I’m not the one putting them in danger.”
“Blackwood might have let your father off, but did Sharpe?”
“Sharpe?” Her eyes narrowed as her heart started racing, remembering the name that was as much a nightmare as it was a memory. Glimpses of pounding on their door, of the fear that crossed her father’s eyes, which had provided her with the opposite of the reassurance she had been seeking. “Gideon Sharpe?”
“The very one,” he confirmed before a voice cut through the night.
“Oh, Jo-o-onny, where are you?”
Ada froze.
She knew that voice, and from the way Jonny’s face darkened and his brow furrowed, he did too.
“Is that him?” Ada hissed as Jonny reached out and pulled her down and farther behind one of the crates. She wanted to complain when he tucked her within his body, practically cradling her against his chest, but her desire to stay hidden from Sharpe won out over any protestation. “Is he looking for you?”
“Appears to be,” Jonny said grimly.
If she had known justhowinvolved Jonny was, she never would have come here.
“What does he want from you?”
“The ledger.”
“The one you gave to Minnie and Tommy?”
“That would be it.”
Her mouth gaped and she stared at him. “I thought you said no one would notice that it was gone.”
