“Is your son here?” Mark asked.
“Yes.” The old woman nodded. “But he’s asleep.”
“Go get him,” Mark demanded. “We’ll wait.”
When Michael Mitchell arrived at the door minutes later, he looked none too pleased to have been awakened at such an early hour. “Wot in the ’ell do ye want? And it better be good, I tell ye.”
“Do you know a man named Quinton Knowles?” Daffin asked. “And you’d better tell the truth. I’ve got no time for games.”
Regina could tell from the surprised and guilty look on Mitchell’s face that hedidknow Knowles. She nearly closed her eyes in relief.
“Wot ye want ’im fer?” Mitchell asked, narrowing his eyes on their little party.
His mother lumped him on the back of his head. “Tell the chap wot ye know, Michael,” she said. “He’s a real live Bow Street Runner, he is.”
Michael appeared to be less impressed than fearful of that news, unlike his mother.
“We’re looking for Quinton Knowles, and if you know where he is, you’d better tell me immediately,” Daffin warned.
“Wot’s in it fer me?” Mitchell asked, poking out his cheek with his tongue.
“Two pounds,” Mark stated.
Michael Mitchell’s eyes lit up. So did his mother’s.
“Where’s the money, first?” Mitchell asked, obviously still suspicious.
Mark opened his coat, pulled out his purse, and extracted two pounds. “Right here.”
Mitchell held out his grubby hand.
“Not until you tell us where Knowles is and we find him,” Daffin replied.
Mitchell scowled. “How do I know ye’ll give me the money?”
“You don’t,” Mark replied. “You just have to trust me. Or I can allow my friend here to beat Knowles’s whereabouts out of you.”
Daffin narrowed his eyes on the younger man. “Believe me. I’d like nothing more.”
“Fine,” Mitchell said. “He’s staying at a boarding’ouse not two streets from ’ere. Mrs. Penworthy’s. But if ye tell him I were the one who told ye, my life won’t be worth a ha’penny.”
Mark withdrew one pound and tossed it to him. “I’ll be back with the rest after we locate Knowles.”
They retraced their steps to the coach and climbed inside.
“When we get there, Regina, you must stay in the coach,” Mark warned. “Nicole will have my hide if you’re harmed.”
Regina nodded. She didn’t want to put Mark and Daffin in danger again. “Very well.”
Daffin gave the coachman instructions to the boardinghouse two streets over, and soon their coach came to a stop in front of the ramshackle address.
“Let’s hope it’s our lucky day,” Mark said.
“If he’s not here, I’m going back to find Mitchell,” Daffin said, flexing his fist.
“No you’re not. But I understand the sentiment,” Regina replied with a smile. “Be careful.”
“I will be,” Daffin replied, winking at her.
