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“It is better if you tell me the truth about her rather than the wrong people find it out before me.” He was hoping she would tell him that Triss was the owner of the brothel, and that was why she was in hiding. But she was alive and well. Or perhaps, she would give him some indication of where he might find her. Why did he want so desperately to see her again? He couldn’t quite answer that yet.

“I wish I could help you,” she said instead.

Ford watched her carefully with narrowed eyes, then finally tipped his hat. “It’s up to you. But I hope you know that I can keep you safe… And her.”

She hesitated, and for a moment, Ford thought she’d give in and tell him something important. Something she had been hiding from him. But she just smiled and opened the door wider, urging him to leave.

Chapter 16

Ihope you know that I can keep you safe.

Safe. Right.

That sounded laughable now as Grace stood among the wreckage formerly known as her bedchamber.

It had taken a little over a week from the thief-taker’s visit until someone had tracked them down and turned her house upside down.

She should have trusted her instincts. She shouldn’t have trusted him.

It had been a good week, however.

Grace and her harlot friends had enjoyed having the thief-takers on their premises. Grace had mistrusted them as she did nearly everyone. But the women in her house had livened up. Songs and dances returned to their household as they dined together in the evenings. The thief-takers took turns watching the house from the outside while the other was inside the house either resting, eating, or making merry with the women.

Thomas was quite handy, fixing the little things around the house and oiling the hinges. Jamison was very charming. He always had a story or two to entertain the women.

They had become friends.

But in all this merriment, someone had made a mistake. A mistake that had resulted in the current state of Grace’s bedchamber.

It was in complete disarray—although disarray might have been a weak word to describe it. The furniture was overturned, her clothing was thrown out of her trunk and scattered about the floor, but most importantly, the floorboards that held her secrets were ripped out, and as for her secrets… They were all gone.

Gone was the logbook and all her money. Gone was every other document that used to be there, including the one proclaiming her the owner of The House of Pain and Pleasure.

Her secret compartment was completely and utterly empty.

She was doomed!

How did this happen?

It had taken her a while to realize that something was amiss. She had gone out with Megs and Colette to get food for the week ahead. It was their practice to go to the market together so they could carry as much as they could manage and not go out for a long time afterward. It also helped them stay vigilant in case they felt they were being followed.

This time, however, it was different.

Harmony had not been feeling well all morning and had stayed behind, claiming a headache. Usually, they’d split up, and Colette or Megs would stay with her. However, this time they had strength in numbers. Harmony was under the safe watch of two thief-takers, or so they thought.

Once Grace had entered the house after the market, she noticed the eerie atmosphere immediately. It was too dark, too cold. Shivers ran up Grace’s spine.

Megs and Colette were happily chatting away, but Grace shushed them and quietly made her way upstairs to Harmony’s room only to find her missing. And then she entered her own room and the horror of the entire situation finally dawned on her.

They’d found her.

Whoever they were and whatever they wanted—it was no longer safe to remain home.

Then Thomas stumbled inside, swaying on his feet, blood gushing from a wound in his head.

His mind still hazy, he couldn’t recall anything that had happened before.

He didn’t see the hit coming. He didn’t know how long he had been groggily lying on the ground. But it seemed he had missed everything.