“Mr. Northern,” Wren said slowly before he returned his gaze to Richard. “If you have brought along a witness, I assume you have much more to say than perhaps I realized. Please, do tell.”
Richard nodded. “I think we need to be honest with each other, sir. Your client is Bernard Varrick.”
Wren’s brow arched. “It is. I wonder how you know that.”
Hux tensed. This was the risk now and while he liked taking it for himself, watching Richard dance along the edge of destruction was far less entertaining. But he did well, he didn’t even acknowledge the statement and kept going.
“What if I could return the missing pocket watch to Mr. Varrick—through you, of course—and end this entire situation?”
Wren held his gaze for a beat, two. He slightly shifted in his place. “You have the watch.”
“If I did, would returning it resolve the matter without further incident?”
Wren stared at Richard evenly for what felt like a very long time. At last he said, “I was hired not only to find the watch, Mr. Fitzroy. Mr. Varrick demands justice for the people who took it.”
Richard’s jaw clenched. “Mr. Varrick is a spoiled man-child who is more afraid of his father’s wrath than he cares about true justice in any way.”
Hux held his breath. Wren’s cheek twitched like he wanted to smile, the only indication that he found humor in that statement. But it gave Hux hope.
“You may not be wrong,” the investigator said slowly. “Though it isn’t my place to judge the value of my clientele. I would not wish for that to be my reputation.”
“Why would it be?” Richard asked. “No one would know about it but you and me. You would return to your client with his missing item and tell him that the perpetrators have fled to the continent. Knowing the man as well as I do, I assume he will be so pleased not to have to tell his father what happened to a priceless family heirloom that he will not think one more moment about who caused his very brief pain.”
Wren continued to look at Richard, reading him, Hux could see. Coming up with answers to questions that were dangerous to ask. Hux wanted so desperately to intervene, but when he glanced over at Zara at the door, she quickly shook her head. And he knew she was right. There was no reason for him to reveal his true identity at this point.
It would only make things worse.
“I would also make it worth your trouble by matching whatever it is that Mr. Varrick has paid you for your services.”
“Two-hundred and fifty pounds?” Wren said. “You’d be willing to pay two-hundred and fifty pounds to return a watch that you didn’t steal just so the perpetrators were not pursued?”
Hux’s stomach turned. That was no small sum. More than the income of many a person for an entire year in his world.
“Would it be agreeable to you?” Richard asked softly.
“May I see the watch?” Wren asked.
“Of course.” Richard motioned to Hux, and he had to force himself to come forward. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the silk square they had wrapped the piece in. He set it on the desk in front of Wren and gently folded the fabric back so that the watch was revealed.
Wren glanced up at him, gaze narrowed briefly and then picked up the watch. He weighed it in his hand, drew out a magnifying glass to examine the diamonds more closely, opened it and looked inside at the watch face and engraving. At last, he set it back into the silk and folded his arms.
“It does appear to be the correct item,” he said. “And I’m sure Mr. Varrick will be pleased to have it. I agree to your terms, Mr. Fitzroy. I see no reason to pursue anyone regarding this matter.”
Hux steadied himself on the edge of the desk as relief washed through him. He saw Zara do the same before she straightened back up in the guise of servant. Wren looked up at Hux, then back at Richard. “Will you answer a question?” he asked.
Richard nodded. “I will try.”
“You must care very deeply for your…friends…if you are willing to risk yourself. To make yourself part of a crime. Are they worth it?”
Richard swallowed hard and there was no hesitation on his face as he said, “They are worth a great deal more, Mr. Wren.”
Wren drew in a long breath, and for a moment Hux saw emotion flutter across the man’s face. Like he understood the dynamics in some odd way. Like he felt them from the inside. But then he pushed to his feet, sweeping up the watch as he did so and tucking it into his inside pocket.
“I hope they are grateful,” he said. “I shall return this forthwith and with as few details as possible.”
“Excellent,” Richard said. “I’ll be certain the money is at your office in London before week’s end.”
Wren extended a hand and the two men shook before Richard motioned to the door and followed him out to escort him to the foyer. When they were gone, Zara rushed across the room and bounded into Hux’s arms. She didn’t speak, just lifted her mouth to his, kissing him with relief and passion and love. He drank her in, cupping her backside as she wrapped her legs around him and held tight.
