In the Shadows

here, she’d have to answer his questions. “Just what exactly do

you know about Arthur?”

Minnie narrowed her eyes suspiciously, shifting on the sill.

Then she sniffed as though bored. “He’s been with us a year.

He knew my father.”

It wasn’t like Minnie not to tell an elaborate story when given

the chance. Why was she hiding things? “Where did he live

before? Who is his family? Come on, you have to know more.”

“I don’t know.” Her face grew shadowed with something

that looked like pain. “We think — we think he might be our

half brother. From before Mother and Father married. Arthur

knew our father, said that he would find them wherever they

were living and bring them food and money. Anyway, it doesn’t

matter in the end. Arthur’s ours.” She sat up straighter, expres-

sion fierce. Thom glanced at Charles, wondering if he noticed

the way she was when she talked about Arthur. His brother

seemed calm, though.

“What’s this about, Thom?” Charles asked, sitting on the

edge of his bed and leaning against the wall.

Thom was torn. He wanted to protect Charles and keep any

of this troubling information from him. But at the same time,

how could Charles be safe if he didn’t know there was danger?

Throwing his hands up in surrender, he turned the desk chair

around and sat backward in it, resting his chin on its back.

“That man staying here — Alden? We broke into his room.”

Minnie jumped off the sill and came in, sitting next to

Charles and listening intently. Thom continued to fill them

in, culminating in the list he found with his father’s name

on it. “Obviously this group — Alden, that woman from New

York, and the witch — have some sort of sinister plan that