“You were supposed to keep her safe,” Roswell stated. “That was your job.”
He half-expected his friend to grow angry, to contradict him, but he had not expected him to be so contrite. “I know. This is all my fault,” Caleb admitted.
As much as he wanted to agree with Caleb, he knew that would not help the situation. Anette was still missing and they both needed their wits about them. They could continue this argument later when Anette was home safely.
Roswell sat down next to his friend. “We will find her.”
“How?” Caleb asked. “Most likely, she has been abducted by my father’s contact to force him to hand over that book.”
“About that book,” Roswell started, “I gave it to Kendrick for safekeeping.”
Caleb stared at him incredulously. “Why would you do that?” he demanded. “What are we going to trade for Anette?”
“We couldn’t have turned over that book, regardless. You must know that.”
“Then what will happen to my sister?” Caleb asked in a weak voice.
Roswell could understand what Caleb was feeling because he felt it, too. He was scared; scared that a wrong decision could result in Anette’s death. But he couldn’t let the fear in. If he did, then he was useless to Anette.
In a tone that was far calmer than he felt, Roswell placed his hand on Caleb’s sleeve. “Are you done feeling sorry for yourself?” he asked. “If so, we need to get to work.”
Caleb shook his head. “We don’t know anything. How do you propose we try to get Anette back?”
“Let’s focus on what we do know,” Roswell said. “Your father put out the signal that he needed to talk with his contact. With any luck, we can apprehend the man who shows up and he will lead us to Anette.”
“What if he has already killed her?”
“Then he has no leverage over your father,” Roswell reasoned. “He will keep her alive until he has the information he seeks.”
Caleb rose and walked over to the window. Staring out over the gardens, he said, “Anette told me that she didn’t want any further secrets between us. What would have happened if I had just been honest with her?”
“I can’t answer that,” Roswell said. “But one thing I do know is that your sister is a resourceful young woman. She will find a way to stay alive until we can rescue her.”
“And what if my father’s contact doesn’t show?” Caleb asked, turning to face him. “What if he discovers that it is a trap?”
Roswell lifted his brow. “How would he know about us?”
“What if it was Mr. Barnard that abducted Anette? He wanted that book. What if he was just trying to force our hands?”
“Mr. Barnard was with my sister when Anette was abducted. He couldn’t have done it,” Roswell assured him. “Besides, he knows that I turned the book over to Kendrick.”
Caleb didn’t look convinced. “He could have hired someone. You have said so yourself that you don’t trust Mr. Barnard.”
“As much as I don’t like Mr. Barnard, I do not believe he is behind Anette’s abduction.”
His friend didn’t speak for a long moment before asking, “Why did Kendrick meet with you?”
“He told me that there was a traitor working amongst us and we needed to be careful. Until he is brought to justice, no one is safe.”
Caleb looked heavenward. “We don’t have time to look for a traitor, not when Anette has been abducted. Her safe return needs to be our utmost priority.”
“I agree with you.”
Lord Oxley stepped into the room and announced, “The message has been received. I stepped out for a moment and the book was removed from the windowsill.”
“When do you think this person will show up?” Caleb asked.
With a slight shrug of his shoulders, Lord Oxley replied, “I don’t know, but he won’t come unless he knows that I am alone.”
