“You need to run and find Master Price. Wherever he is, however far he got to.”
“I don’t have a pass.”
“It’s too late to worry about passes. Just don’t get stopped.”
“What do I tell Master Price?”
“Tell him Elliott fixing to whip your mama. That he’s acting touched in the head, ever since he found out Cecily was dead.”
Gilbert remembers the flyer in his pocket. He gives it to Moses. “Make sure Master Price sees this.”
“What is it?” Moses asks.
“It’s a flyer, offering a reward for your sister’s return.”
“What makes you think Master Price don’t know about it?”
Gilbert shakes his head, points to Elliott’s name at the bottom of the notice. “He didn’t sign it.”
Moses studies the page’s neat type, and Gilbert regrets never taking the time to teach him his letters.
“Be sure Master Price knows Elliott’s putting these up all over town, and that he’s got the slave patrol out looking for her, too.” Tracking a slave costs money. If Elliott Price Sr. cuts his son’s purse strings, Cecily might have a fighting chance. “And remember, you got to make him believe Elliott’s only got one oar in the water.”
Moses rolls his eyes. “That ain’t hard.”
Gilbert can tell Moses is itching to get going, but Gilbert’s got a couple more things to tell him, and he’s not going to like hearing them. “I’m not going to be up there in the yard with your mama.”
“What?”
“You on your own.”
“But Uncle Gil—”
“There ain’t a thing I can do for her. But what I can do is get Cecily out of here.”
Moses’s eyes meet his.
“We got to get her moved.”
The boy doesn’t disagree.
“If your mama makes it out of this all right, tell her I’m going to go give Samuel Jefferson and his carriage another try.”
It’s clear Moses is only half listening.
“Repeat what I just said back to me.”
Moses doesn’t take his eyes off the hill. “Tell Mama you’re going to go see Samuel Jefferson.”
Gilbert nods. “That’s right.”
Moses turns to go.
“One more thing, Mo.”
His nephew stops, waits.
“You got to keep your mouth shut up there.”
