“If it were too terrible I would be with her.” Nathaniel craned his neck to look toward the upstairs window. “There’s something she isn’t saying, and I don’t like it.”
“You think she’s been threatened?”
“No doubt.”
Thomas growled. “Who? Why?”
“That I intend to find out.”
“Nathaniel!”
A voice echoed through the dark trees and jerked Nathaniel toward the sound of approaching footsteps. “Roger? What are you doing here?”
Panting, Roger Oliver crouched and grabbed his knees for support before pointing in the direction he’d just come. “Another break in at the magazine.”
“What?” Thomas and Nathaniel spoke in unison.
Nathaniel stepped forward and grabbed Roger’s arm, his blood already at a steady boil. “Are you certain?” Rage, confusion, regret—all piled in his gut like a poisoned meal.
Turning for the road Nathaniel sprinted toward town with both men striding beside him.
Thomas glanced at Roger as they ran. “A second raid in less than twenty-four hours?”
“I fear it may have... happened at the changing of the guard.” Roger spoke between breaths. “When I came to relieve Billy... he’d already gone and the lock on the door was unlatched.”
Picking up his pace, Nathaniel charged down the road to keep the building anxiety from ripping his muscles in two. Billy. Nathaniel’s breath heated. Had he been paid off to leave the watch early? The bachelor was new to town, and though he claimed to be a patriot, perhaps he practiced deception like so many of the Tories they knew.
When they reached the scene Nathaniel kicked in the unlocked door. His shoulders cramped and the sound of his hard breath bounced against the walls of the violated building. It was impossible to see anything with the room as black as charred wood, but there could be no doubt someone had been inside. The lid to one of the barrels was ajar and two of the muskets had fallen to the floor. Not the same state of disarray as before, but equally alarming.
“Where is Billy now?” Nathaniel whirled around, a bitter curse slamming against the silence. It didn’t matter where the idiot was—probably home and in bed. He would get an early visit from Nathaniel.
He spun toward Roger. “How much did they take? Do you know?
“’Twill be too hard to tell in the dark.” Thomas stood in the doorway, his broad frame illuminated by the moonlight. “We won’t be able to make a proper assessment ‘til morning.”
“What?” Was Nathaniel the only person who cared what had happened here? “We can do something about it and we will do it now!”
“Thomas is right, Nathaniel. We can’t risk an explosion by bringing any kind of flame in here for us to see by. We have no choice but to wait until morning.” Roger stepped away from the open door, his hands on his hips. “I’ll keep watch until dawn. We can decide then what more we can do.”
Ducking as he exited the building, Nathaniel froze when his vision narrowed on the exact spot several yards away where he’d found Kitty. Bits of awareness fitted along side the questions still resonating in his mind. Could Kitty have...?
“Roger?”
“Aye?”
Nathaniel patted the man on the back and drove out a harsh sigh. “You did well. I commend you for doing your part and for fetching me the minute you saw something amiss.”
“Of course, Doctor.” Roger straightened as if the compliment added inches to his small stature.
“Now,” Nathaniel continued, “I need you to return home and be with your family.”
Roger protested. “But, Doctor ‘tis my turn to keep watch—”
“You’ve done enough, my friend. I shall keep the watch tonight.”
“As you say, Doctor.” Nodding his farewell, Roger glanced between Nathaniel and Thomas before disappearing into the trees beside the road.
Thomas neared, keeping his voice above a whisper. “You’ve discovered something.”