“Seeing as you’re such a smart fellow, what were you planning to do when Daggett spotted you?” His voice was sharp with sarcasm. “Expect Raven to stick a knife in the captain’s leg?”
Sheffield said nothing. Thankfully, Charlotte remained silent as well. He was in no mood for arguments.
“Sir—” began Raven.
“Bite your tongue, Weasel! I don’t want to hear another word out of you,” cut in the earl. The realization of how close Sheffield and Raven had come to disaster was like a spark, igniting his anger to a fiercer burn. “You ought to have better sense than to lead a lamb to slaughter.”
Raven refused to be silenced. “Sir, sir! You can birch me from here to Hades if you wish. But do it later!” He locked eyes with the earl. “We know where Daggett is right now, and if we don’t move quickly, we might not have another chance to see what he’s up to.”
Wrexford hesitated, but only for an instant. “Very well, let us not allow him to slip through our fingers.” He cracked open the door and checked up and down the cart path. “But the three of you are to doexactlyas I order, or there will be hell to pay.”
“Understood, Wrex,” said Sheffield, pausing for a heartbeat on his way out to touch the earl’s arm. “I would never—never—have let the boy come to any harm.”
Wrexford let out a gruff sigh. “And what about you? Do you think the idea ofyouconfronting a vicious killer doesn’t make my blood run cold?”
“Ah, but think of all the expensive bottles of brandy and port that you would save with my demise.”
“Arse,” muttered Wrexford, causing them both to smile.
“Pssst,” hissed Raven. “Follow me.”
The boy wove his way through the maze of byways, bringing them closer and closer to the far end of the tidal basin. As they approached a chandlery specializing in flour and biscuits for long voyages, Raven crept close to a jumble of barrels. A ragged urchin crawled out from his hiding place, and after exchanging a few words with Raven, he darted off.
“Daggett is still inside,” whispered Raven, on returning to where the others had taken cover.
Wrexford surveyed the surroundings. “I’ve an idea.” He pointed to a narrow gap between two of the nearby buildings on the other side of the ship chandlery. “There are only two pathways that will return Daggett to the main part of the dockyards. I’m going to hide in the gap, and when Daggett comes out, I want the three of you to begin an argument here. And do it loudly. My guess is, he’ll choose to avoid a scene and come my way.”
“And if he doesn’t?” asked Sheffield.
“Then let him go,” answered the earl. “One of Raven’s friends will help us pick up his trail.”
Sheffield nodded. “Understood.”
“And you, Weasel?”
Raven made a mulish face, but signaled his agreement.
Charlotte nodded without a challenge, though a flicker of fear betrayed how little she liked the idea.
“Then let us take up our positions. And hope that the tide is finally turning in our favor.”
CHAPTER 24
Abank of sullen grey clouds was creeping in from the east, dampening the light of the sun. Bracing a shoulder against the wall, Wrexford waited within the sliver of space, trusting that he had made the right move.
In this particular game of cat and mouse, the role of predator and prey could change in the blink of an eye.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the creak of the chandlery door sounded. The earl ventured a peek and saw it was Daggett.
The captain had paused to glance in the direction of Sheffield, Raven, and Charlotte, whose sudden shrill altercation was punctuating the raucous cries of the gulls. Shifting the valise he was holding from one hand to the other, Daggett turned and took the path leading past the earl’s hiding place.
Excellent. The rat is about to become a mouse.
Holding his breath, Wrexford drew his pistol and held himself in check until the perfect instant for attack.
It was done in a flash—seizing Daggett’s coat collar from behind, he yanked the American into the niche and slammed him up against the unyielding bricks.
“Drop your bag,” Wrexford ordered, pressing the snout of his weapon against the captain’s forehead. “And do it very carefully. I’m in no mood for games.”
