“No, it’s the right strategy for keeping all of us safe, and ensuring the villains don’t escape. You and the others can help weave a net around them that will inexorably tighten and sink all their nefarious plans.”
“While you put yourself in grave danger?” demanded Charlotte.
“I don’t think that I am doing so,” replied Wrexford. “But if it’s a trap, I’ll have a much better chance of escaping it if I don’t have to worry about the three of you.”
Charlotte slumped forward, pressing her forehead against his chest. “There are times when yielding to logic goes against every fiber of my being.”
“If it’s any consolation—”
A piercing whistle from Raven cut him off. In a blur of raggle-taggle wool, Wrexford spun around, pistol in hand, and was at the alleyway’s entrance.
Heart thudding against her ribs, Charlotte was right behind him, her own weapon at the ready.
“There are times,” murmured the earl, “when being part of an exceedingly eccentric household is a cursed nuisance.” He uncocked his pistol as Hawk spotted him and broke away from his brother.
“Oiy! Oiy!”
Wrexford’s wave silenced the boy, and for a moment, all Charlotte heard was the franticslap-slapof running steps before he burst into the alleyway and fell to his knees, gasping for breath.
Grasping his collar, she pulled him deeper into the shadows as the earl moved to block the entrance from prying eyes.
“C-Come quickly—we’ve found the p-plant!” wheezed Hawk. “A-And we now know who k-killed B-Becton!”
CHAPTER 25
“Slow down, lad.” Wrexford gave him a gentle shake. “Catch your breath and then explain yourself—at a walk, not a gallop.”
Hawk gulped down several lungfuls of air and began again. “M-Mr. Tyler and I have found the missing plant. It’s on Captain Lyman’s Baltimore Clipper.”
Charlotte let out a horrified hiss. “How—”
“Let him finish before we pepper him with questions,” Wrexford ordered.
“Even more important, we now know that the scholar named von . . . von—”
“Von Stockhausen,” finished the earl.
“Yes!” said Hawk. “That’s the bloody scoundrel. You see, Mr. Tyler and I had crept close to the ship and overheard . . .”
Wrexford listened to Hawk’s agitated explanation, seeing Charlotte’s eyes mirror his own shocked disbelief.
“Ye heavens, how could all our carefully reasoned assumptions about the murderer have been so wrong?” he muttered, once the boy finished.
“Because one looks for motive in murder,” said Charlotte softly. “And von Stockhausen was cunning enough to keep that hidden from all of us. Who would have guessed . . .” She caught herself. “But never mind that right now. Recriminations can wait until later. We have to stop him from absconding with the specimen.”
“Yes.” Wrexford gave a wry grimace. “It’s ironic that he has the missing specimen sitting right in his lap, but doesn’t know it.”
“Thank heaven for that,” said Charlotte. “As his ignorance gives us a chance to steal it back.”
“And to do that, we must move quickly.” And yet, Wrexford hesitated, trying to decide how to marshal his forces to the best advantage.
Charlotte, however, reacted first. “Sheffield needs to return to Nereid and Neptune. Raven should gather several of his friends to serve as messengers, and then join him there, so we have a place from which to coordinate communication. To begin with, Griffin needs to be notified. He and his Runners can wait in Sheffield’s office until it’s clear where they might be needed.”
She lifted her chin, as if daring him to disagree. “Hawk will, of course, need to show you where Tyler is hiding, and Daggett’s military prowess may prove useful if trouble arises.”
“And you?” he challenged. “Need I point that Daggett’s arsenal of weapons also includes a pair of eagle-like eyes?”
“You already warned him that I’m wary of strangers. I’ll stay close to you and keep my head down.”
