The Sapphire Brooch by Katherine Logan (reading eggs books .TXT) 📗

damn parlor.” He glanced at the startled sergeant. “Evening, Clem. Where’s Doctor Mallory?”

In the glow of the gaslight, the soldier’s face appeared unusually haggard and lined. “Sir, she was…kidnapped this afternoon from the park.”

Braham dropped the angel figurine he’d been holding. “She what?” He stomped over to the contrite sergeant and grabbed his shoulders, bunching the fabric of the shirt in his hands. “Why aren’t ye out looking for her?” Fear mixed with rage froze the breath in Braham’s lungs. A quiver of panic leeched all reason from his mind. He shook Clem until Cullen pulled Braham back hard, and his grip on the sergeant’s shoulders loosened.

The color had drained from Clem’s face. “Mr. Gaylord told me to stay put and wait for you.”

Braham’s heart raced. He swept his fingers through his hair in a quick gesture, trying to harness his raging fear. “Where’s McBain?”

“He was riding over to Maryland today to interview witnesses. Mr. Gaylord sent a man after him. It’s all I know.”

“Where’s Gaylord now?”

Clem shrugged. “I can track him down. He leaves messages around town so he can be found.”

Rock-hard anger the size of a fist lodged in Braham’s throat. “Then go find him now.”

Clem ran out of the room, slamming the front door on his way out of the house.

Edward entered the room with a broom to sweep up the broken china.

“Ye didn’t ask the sergeant what time she was taken,” Cullen said.

“Three o’clock,” Edward said. “Or thereabouts.”

Both men faced the butler. “Did ye see what happened?” Braham asked.

Edward shook his head. “No. I was at the door when Miss Charlotte went out. Within an hour, the sergeant returned, blood dripping down his head. Said he’d been hit over the head and when he came to, Miss Charlotte was gone.”

“Did he see the men? Were they hired thugs? Young, old?” Cullen asked.

“They were wearing soldiers’ trousers,” Edward said. “I sent one of the maids out to leave word at the shop up the street for Gaylord to come quickly. He came, talked to the sergeant, and then left, saying he’d get his men out to search the city.”

Braham’s jaw worked in barely controlled rage. “Why didn’t ye send word to me?”

Edward dropped his head. “I knew you and Mr. Montgomery were working on Mr. Jack’s case. I’m sorry if I did wrong, sir.” He glanced up at Braham, a sheen of tears in his eyes. “I didn’t think Miss Charlotte would want you to abandon Jack for her. She’s told me every day, ‘Jack comes first, Edward.’ Whatever else happened around her, Jack had to come first.”

Braham collapsed in a chair and buried his head in his hands. “Ye did the right thing, Edward.”

Cullen poured drinks and handed Braham a glass. “Do ye think Henly took her?”

Braham studied the glass for a moment before taking a quick gulp. “Yes. I don’t think he’ll kill her, but he’ll hurt her.” He set the glass aside and got up again to pace the room, thinking.

“Do ye think he’ll rape her?” Cullen asked.

Braham punched his fist into his palm, smacking it again and again. “He’s had her for six hours. He implicated Jack in a conspiracy. He’s capable of ruining her life, too.”

“But would he—”

“I don’t know.” Icy fear grew in Braham’s chest. “His drug addiction might have made him impotent. At least Charlotte thinks it has.”

“Which could make him more violent,” Cullen said.

Braham’s hand shook as he picked up the glass again and held it at his lips. “As soon as Gaylord gets here, I’m going out to look for her. Ye stay and prepare for tomorrow. Ye’ll have to handle the cross-examination.”

“If ye find Henly, for God’s sake, don’t play into his hands. We need him on the witness stand tomorrow.”

Braham swirled the contents in the glass, staring at the golden liquid as if it held answers. “If he’s hurt her, I can’t make any promises.”

The door opened, and David rushed in. “I got an urgent message. Has something happened to Jack?”

“Charlotte’s been kidnapped,” Cullen said.

David’s face held his usual immutable calm, but his hands clamped into tight fists. “How long ago?”

Braham took a short, calming breath. “Six hours. She could be anywhere in the city. Gaylord’s men are out searching. We just sent for him. He should be here shortly to give us a report.”

“I’ll find her.” The ruthlessness in David’s voice was chilling. He rolled up his sleeve and pushed buttons on the special watch he wore, much like the one Braham had seen on Jack’s wrist. David wore his device high on his forearm and out of sight. “Elliott anticipated this. If we were at home, I could locate her within seconds. This equipment will take longer.”

“How much longer? Days?” Anticipation tightened the back of Braham’s throat.

“If it works, minutes.” David’s broad shoulders tightened, and his muscles were starkly defined beneath the tight fit of his linen shirt. The room grew quiet, motionless except for the occasional flutter of a curtain hanging in front of the open window. David kept his eyes on his watch. “Braham, do ye remember how Charlotte and Jack found ye in Kentucky?”

Braham walked up behind David and looked over his shoulder, glancing at the watch. “Elliott called it a tracking device.”

“Charlotte has a tracking device similar to those used to locate Alzheimer’s patients who wander away from nursing homes. I just activated it. If it’s going to work, we should get a signal very soon.” Within seconds, the watch beeped. “Bingo. She’s about two miles in a northeasterly direction. At home, I could give ye a street address. Here all I get is a general location.”

“How do ye know ye’ve found Charlotte? The kidnapper could have taken the device,” Braham said.

“Or it could be lost like the sapphire brooch,” Cullen said.

David gave Cullen a dark, sideways look. “It’s implanted in her hip. She doesn’t even know she has it.”

A vision of Charlotte au naturel with David’s hands on her left Braham aghast. “Ye put the device inside her without