In the Shadows

“I can’t find the key . . . but this is all so strange. Drawings,

maps, lists —” Thomas paused. “Arthur, look.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Please.”

The fear in the other boy’s voice finally pulled Arthur’s eyes

up. He followed Thomas’s finger to where he pointed at the name

Edward Wolcott. Next to it was written: Blood debt. Sacrifice

required.

“That’s my father,” Thomas whispered. “What does it mean?”

“It means you should take your brother and run.”

“Why?” Thomas slipped the list into his pocket, then closed

the chest. The latch would need to be relocked, but Arthur couldn’t

find the strength to care.

He stood and drifted to the door, pausing without looking

back at Thomas. “Because if you don’t hide, you’ll die. You’ll

probably die, anyway.”

Arthur walked back out to the front lawn, where Minnie and

Cora laughed and played in the brilliant, safe sunshine.

Now all he had to do was figure out how to kidnap them both.

Florence, Italy

April, 1949

thirteen

T

HOM BURST INTO THE BEDROOM, STOPPING SHORT AT

THE SIGHT OF MINNIE PEERING INTO THEIR WINDOW.

She knocked. Charles’s expression was delighted as he

undid the latch and let the glass panes swing open on their hinges.

Thom, on the other hand, was annoyed. He needed to

speak with Charles right now, and not with her here. He’d gone

immediately to talk to Charles about what he’d found in