Unconventional

“He could also be wrong entirely,” I pointed out. “My uncle had better info. He seemed to think it was here, in the walls of the keep.”

“Or,” said Julian, finishing his toast, “maybe it’s your uncle who was wrong.”

I wasn’t sure why, but that part I didn’t believe. My uncle was always on point. I trusted his judgment.

Noah pushed back from the table and began pulling on his work gloves. “Either way, none of this matters if we don’t finish our work.”

They rose as they always did, and exited together. I admired their dedication. By this point they’d been working as a trio for so long, they were a well-oiled machine.

Chase stopped by me on the way out, snapping the plastic top over his coffee. He put a consoling hand on my shoulder.

“You feel better at least?”

“About what?”

“Well the ‘thing’ outside isn’t a thing at all, it’s a man. And if he’s looking for a treasure horde…”

“Then he’s trespassing,” I snapped.

“True,” said Chase. “But it also means he’s not after you.” His face spread into his usual warm-but-gorgeous smile. “And that makes me feel better, at least.”

They filed out, leaving me in the foyer. I wasn’t dressed. I wasn’t showered. I should already be out there, helping them every way I could.

But my next move was more than obvious:

Edgar.

Sixty-Three

MADISON

“Sure you can have a word with him Lassie,” said Nolan, scratching his head. “But you’re gonna have to find him first.”

The stables were messier than last time, and smellier too. The horses seemed restless. The normally peaceful surroundings had an air of neglect to them, that made me sad.

“Edgar disappeared last week,” the stable-owner said. “Kind of left me in a bind, in more ways than one.”

“And how’s that?”

“Well for one he just stopped showing up,” said Nolan. “Didn’t give me notice, didn’t give me a chance to hire anyone else. And I… well…” He winced mightily as he straightened his back.

“You’re having a hard time keeping up,” I finished.

The old man nodded slowly. “Dunno if you noticed, but I’m not exactly as young as I used to be.”

I could see the suppressed pain behind his stoic expression, the lack of sleep in the bags under his eyes. The poor guy was trying to do everything himself. I started searching my schedule for a time I could come over. Maybe help him myself.

But until the inspection…

“The other thing,” Nolan went on, “is that he asked for an advance on his next paycheck. I gave him two weeks’ salary.” He laughed bitterly. “May as well have fed that money to the horses!”

“So he ditched you and robbed you…”

“Ayup.”

“Shit,” I said. “Sorry you’re in a bind.”

“We’re all in a bind, lassie,” the man smiled weakly through yellowed teeth. “Just some of us more than others.”