Page 65 of Wild Bond

The wind had picked up while we were inside the shop, and I was one step behind him as he came to a halt. He let out a low whistle that I could barely make out over the wind.

A man materialized from the shadows before us. He tipped the cap he wore in Rake’s direction. “Sir,” he greeted.

The man was short and thin and younger than I had first thought, probably around my age. The cap covered a mop of dark hair, and he was dressed in nondescript clothes. Nothing about him would stand out in your memory if you passed him on the street, and I was reminded of the man I had met at the tavern after Borden had died. D, I think Rake had called him. This was yet another of Rake’s contacts, no doubt the one assigned to watch the shop.

“Report,” was all Rake said.

The young man didn’t seem bothered by the brusque order and merely began to rattle off a list of facts. “All was quiet, then about an hour ago two men entered the shop, and I heard a cry and what sounded like quite a scuffle inside. Few minutes later they come out with the older lady—the shop owner, and the girl. The woman was knocked out, slung over one guy’s shoulder, and the girl was gagged and bound. Put up a fight the whole way as they drug ‘er off.”

Fury raced through me. “Why didn’t you do something to help?” I demanded.

He looked at me. “My job wasn’t to interfere, only to watch.”

“Why wasn’t I informed?” Rake asked, cold irritation in his voice.

“I sent T to let you know what happened right away. He must’ve missed ya.”

“Did you follow them?”

The man looked insulted. “Course I followed ‘em. They took ‘em both to an alley a few blocks north. A third man was there waitin’. He was tall, wore a cloak. Thought I caught a glimpse of light hair and possibly a beard. Couldn’t be sure. I was too far away ta tell. Cloak was nice though, and he carried himself like a wealthy chap.”

“What happened to Lessa?” I insisted.

“The third man gave the girl something that made her pass out. I climbed up on the roof to get a better look, but by the time I got up there they were gone. Sorry, sir. I searched the surrounding area but couldn’t find nothin’. I just got back when you showed up.” He looked annoyed that they managed to give him the slip.

I was frustrated as well, but there was nothing I could do about it now. Worry for Lessa was like a hot brand in my gut, and concern for the poor woman who had apparently taken her in, or at least given her a place to stay.

No emotion showed on Rake’s face in the shadows, but I could tell he wasn’t happy either.

“Anything else?”

The young man nodded. “Just before they disappeared, I recognized one of the two goons who kidnapped the girl. Seen him playing cards at the South End Tavern. Never got his name, but I’m pretty sure he’s one of Safan’s enforcers.”

A jolt went through me at his pronouncement followed by a familiar sense of dread. Hearing my old master’s name spoken so casually threw me. I felt Rake’s eyes shoot to me at my reaction.

Misunderstanding our silence, Rake’s contact continued to explain, “You know, the crime lord who operates out of Rosalina’s brothel?”

“I know who he is,” Rake intoned, his eyes never leaving me.

I barely heard him as the man kept speaking.

“Word on the street is that several other children have gone missing from the lower city in the past several months. No one knows where they are being taken or why. Maybe Safan is involved.”

“Thank you, J,” Rake said. “Keep watch on the shop for another day or so in case anyone returns.” It was a dismissal, and J took it as such, nodding once and disappearing into the night without a backward glance.

“Did you know about the other disappearances?” I finally asked, needing to distract myself from the fact that I was shaking slightly.

“A few of my contacts had informed me about the disappearances, but none have been able to witness one or find the man responsible. Looks like tonight he finally got sloppy,” he said watching me closely. “Who is Safan to you? As soon as J mentioned his name you went white as a sheet.”

“I-I worked for him before I was caught,” I admitted, trying to make my voice sound nonchalant. “Lessa did as well.” I swallowed hard. “I shouldn’t be surprised that Master Safan is mixed up in this. He always did have his hands in all kinds of dirty pies.” I snorted in contempt. “He fancies himself a king of sorts in the lower city.” For a moment neither of us said anything as memories and events from my past, that I would rather forget, tried to swamp me. Memories of that evil twisted man who now had Lessa. I forced myself to shake them off.

“But I don’t understand why he would kidnap Lessa. Unless something’s changed since I’ve been gone. And why kidnap those other children?”

Rake gazed down at me, his perceptive eyes still assessing me. “What do you say we pay your old master a visit and ask him?”

Safan’shome,aswellas his main base of operations, was located several miles away in a slightly nicer part of the lower city. Being the class act he was, Safan lived and ran his little crime empire above a brothel known asThe Plucked Rose. The establishment was run by his business partner and sometimes lover Madame Rosalina, a viper of a woman who was almost as cunning and ruthless as he was.

The building itself was large, three stories tall, and made of polished white stone that stuck out amid the dark gray stone of the rest of the street. I had to fight against every instinct I had not to rub anxiously at the scar on my wrist as we walked up the stone steps to a long porch.

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