Page 57 of A Duke's Scandalous Obsession
“That man doesn’t want to be found,” Reginald explained. “He is a thief, wanted for arson and other crimes as well. That is why he is doing such a good job of keeping himself hidden.”
“No one can hide forever,” Dominic reminded him of something h had obviously forgotten.
“He is also good at covering his tracks,” Reginald continued. “I managed to track him down to an alehouse two years ago. But after that, I couldn’t find him again. I couldn’t find a single trace of the man. It’s as if he has vanished into thin air.”
“Do you think he died?” Catherine wondered.
“I doubt it,” Reginald shook his head. “Rats live for a long time. He is alive and kicking. He just doesn’t want to be found.”
“Sooner or later, he will make a mistake,” Dominic stated. “He will forget himself, and someone will notice him. Then, it will be our time to act, but we have to be ready.”
“I’m ready,” Reginald nodded. “I’ve been ready for a long time. I want to see that scoundrel get what he deserves.”
“He will,” Dominic spoke softly and calmly. Catherine appreciated how he eased the situation with such skill. “I know you’ve been patient all this time, but I must urge you to be patient for a little while longer. I promise you that we will find him.”
Reginald didn’t say anything to that. However, it was evident that he wasn’t as frantic as before. He had also calmed down, and it seemed that he almost believed Dominic’s words.
“That man of yours…” Reginald started.
“Timothy Hallifax,” Dominic introduced his friend by name only. Catherine had seen him, although she had not spoken to him.
“He is good at… finding things?” Reginald inquired.
“Things, people, whatever is lost,” Dominic assured him. Reginald nodded, listening intently. “But, like your sister said, first we must see if Annabel isn’t with her sister. It is unlikely, but we need to make sure. We can’t leave any possibility unexplored.” He paused for a moment, then he continued.
“This is what we shall do. You shall come to my study now, and you will tell me everything you know about Annabel’s family, friends, everything. I want to know if she speaks to the grocer, if she has a dog, everything. I will give all that to Timothy and he will commence with his search, first checking those things. We work by process of elimination. Once we eliminate all possibilities, whatever is left has to be the truth.”
Reginald nodded again. “All right. Let’s do that.”
“Good,” Dominic smiled.
Reginald turned to Catherine. “I… I’m sorry I said that. I didn’t mean it.”
“I know you didn’t,” Catherine gushed. “I would never hold it against you.”
Reginald bestowed a small, painful smile, then he followed Dominic out of the parlor. Catherine had no idea where Annabel and Rosie were, but she was certain that her husband and brother would find them, no matter what.
Chapter 29
Three days had passed since Annabel and Rosie had disappeared. They had now officially been declared missing.
That morning, Dominic found himself in his study, his brow furrowed as he leaned forward in his chair, the weight of the situation bearing down upon him like a heavy burden. Timothy stood before him, his expression mirroring Dominic’s unease.
They had spent the past three days tirelessly searching for any trace of Annabel and Rosie, combing through the streets they frequented and questioning their friends and acquaintances. But despite their efforts, there had been no sign of the missing girls.
“It’s been three days, Tim,” Dominic remarked, his voice heavy with worry. “No one has seen them or heard from them. What do you think?”
Timothy’s features were drawn with concern. “I’ve spoken to everyone we could think of,” he confirmed. “But there’s been no sign of them anywhere.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. To be quite honest, he had hoped that Annabel had simply forgotten to let Reginald know that she would be visiting her sister. But the sister had not heard from Annabel in weeks.
That meant that no planning of any visitations was taking place. That meant that Annabel didn’t take Rosie on some fun filled trip. They were probably taken against their will. Only one person came to mind.
“What about… what’s his name?” Dominic said, gesturing at Tim with his hands. In all honesty, the man’s name was irrelevant. But it would probably help to know who it was they were searching for.
“George Thompson,” Timothy reminded him. “I’ve been following up on some leads, but so far, nothing concrete. The man is really good at hiding.”
“He ought to be.” Dominic gritted his teeth, barely able to control his anger. “He knows what awaits him upon return, the scoundrel.”
