The Rambling Spy

by Mackenzie Morgan

  Kevin nodded. “I’ll shut down the office. Meet you upstairs.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Kevin and Chris were settled in Kevin’s room with scog and strawberry pastries. Chris picked up one of the pastries and took a bite. “These are good. Where did she get strawberries this time of year?”

  Kevin shook his head. “I have no idea, but Cryslyn borrowed my key yesterday. She may have picked them up.”

  “Wherever they’re from, they’re good.” After he took another bite, he asked, “How did things go on the island? Think Alek will be okay?”

  Kevin laughed. “He’ll be fine. The only question is will I be able to convince him to come back.”

  “Why?”

  “Callie’s there, and she loves to make a fuss over people. She had honey buns waiting for him in his room. He ate one while he was unpacking and said he hadn’t tasted any that good since Callie left.”

  “Did you tell him she was there?”

  Kevin shook his head and grinned. “I just told him one of the women made them. Then, after he unpacked, we went down to the main building. It was like old home week. He knew almost every one of Garen’s men. And you should have seen the way Callie flew into his arms and hugged him. If I’d been Petar I’d have been a little jealous.”

  “Did he know Petar?”

  Kevin nodded. “And Petar knew him, too. And he knows Warren, Torrey, and Theresa. I stayed through dinner mainly because I was having a good time. He was right at home out there, and the kids weren’t at all leery of him. He’ll be fine. In fact I think he’d be okay with it if I left him until they’re ready to come back.”

  “But you’re not, are you?”

  Kevin shook his head. “That would defeat the purpose. But I doubt I’ll have any problem getting him to go back for a few days every couple of weeks or so.” Kevin picked up one of the pastries and ate it. “These are good. I wouldn’t mind if she made some more of these.”

  “Tell her. Offer to go get her the strawberries and she’ll make all you can eat. She’s forever asking me if there’s anything you particularly like.”

  Kevin nodded. “Darwyn did well tonight, especially with Darrell’s question about how he got the job.”

  “Tonight wasn’t the first time he got that question. Tolliver asked him earlier today.”

  “Tolliver?”

  Chris nodded. “I think he got curious when I told him to send Darwyn’s bill to Cryslyn.”

  “He probably wondered why he wasn’t paying for his stuff himself. Did Fenway question it?”

  Chris shook his head. “He was more interested in asking Darwyn about life up north, things like did they have trouble getting shipments in, did the scog freeze up in the barrels, were the taverns open during the winter, and so on.” Then Chris laughed. “And he wanted to know if Darwyn had come into contact with any Yeti.”

  “What did Darwyn say?”

  “He had pegged Fenway from the start as one who enjoys a good story whether it’s true or not, so he spun a yarn about finding footprints outside his house, catching glimpses of one through the woods, and so on. I think everyone knew he was making it up as he went, but Fenway enjoyed it enough to treat him to a mug of scog when he was done.”

  “Was this before or after you told Fenway to send his bills to Cryslyn?”

  Chris thought for a moment. “After.”

  Kevin nodded. “Fenway charged it. I tried to pay him for a drink when we first got here but he insisted he couldn’t let me pay. Made me feel guilty about drinking it. I didn’t want to go back if he wasn’t going to take my money, so I asked Laryn how I could get him to take it. She told me not to worry about it, that every drink I had and every bit of food I ate would be billed to the castle. She said Fenway might act generous, but he was first and foremost a businessman and wasn’t in the habit of giving anything away.”

  “I’ll let Darwyn know.” Then Chris laughed. “I have a feeling he’ll be eating a lot of meals down there.”

  “Why?”

  “We had a lot of company around our table when we first got there, so by the time we ordered lunch, the place was pretty much empty. After Ainsley gave Blair our order, she sat down with us so Blair was the one who brought our lunch out. Later, after we left the tavern, Darwyn asked me about her, wanted to know if she was married or seeing anyone. When I told him not as far as I know, he asked if I could find out. He didn’t come right out and say he was interested in her, but it was written all over his face.”

  Kevin grinned. “Are you going to ask Ainsley?”

  “Either her or Doreen.”

  “Ainsley would know. Doreen might not.”

  “But if Ainsley thinks Darwyn’s interested, she’ll go into matchmaker mode and scare Blair off.”

  “Maybe not, but if he starts hanging around, she’ll figure it out, and if she finds out you knew and didn’t tell her…”

  Chris sighed. “I’ll ask her tomorrow.”

  Kevin turned up his mug and finished his scog. “And if he is interested in her, it’ll give you someone to hang out with when you go down to flirt with Ainsley.”

  Chapter 64

  Mikos and Devron

  A couple of weeks later, Sister Agnes was working at her desk Monday morning when Leira tapped on her open door and held up a letter. “It’s from Zara.”

  “Perfect timing,” Sister Agnes said as she stood up, “I was just thinking about a cup of tea.”

  Leira smiled. “I’ll bring you one.”

  Sister Agnes shook her head. “Thank you, but I want to get out of here for a bit. Care to join me?”

  After Leira and Sister Agnes were seated at the kitchen table with a fresh pot of tea, Sister Agnes opened the letter and read it to Leira. The first pages were filled with amusing tidbits about their travels, people they’d met, and things they’d seen, but the last page got to the heart of the matter.

  Apparently we aren’t the only ones wandering around Brighthaven. It seems there are a couple of men exploring this area, too. Between the rivers and swamps there aren’t that many roads, so we’ve been pulling into towns a day or two after they’ve left. A few people have asked if we’re all heading to the same place. I’ve said no, but who knows? We could end up meeting up with them before long. There’s not a whole lot of land left before we hit the shore.

  Wish you could see this area. It’s different from anything I’ve ever seen. Definitely worth the trip. We’ll probably turn around when we get to Creekside. Unless something comes up, we should be there around the twenty-fifth, so by the time you get my next letter, we’ll probably be on our way back home.

  Can’t wait to see you.

  Sister Agnes reread the last paragraphs. “Does that mean they want someone to meet them in Creekside?”

  “I’d say yes,” Leira said. “Want me to run that up to the castle?”

  “No, I’ll go. If you take it, they’ll expect you to leave it with them.”

  “When do you want to go?”

  Sister Agnes fingered the letter and gazed out the window. “It’s a lovely day and I’ve been in my office long enough. Think I’ll go now. Those records can wait.” She picked up her cup and drank the rest of her tea. “Are there any errands that need to be run?”

  “I was going to ask Duri to deliver some teas. Do you want to do it?”

  Sister Agnes nodded as she stood up. “I’ll hitch up the team while you get the teas together.”

  ~~~~

  Kevin looked up from the message he was writing when Sister Agnes and Chris walked in. “Something happen?”

  “We thought you’d want to read this,” Sister Agnes said as she handed him the letter.

  Kevin frowned as he read the first pages and then smiled as he read the last few paragraphs. “You got the information we need?” he asked Chris. When Chris nodded, Kevin handed the letter back to Sister Agnes. “Looks like we might be able to tie this one up soon.”

  Sister Agnes nodded as she stuck the letter in her p
ocket and stood up to go. Before she opened the door, she said, “When this is all over, I want you to either bring Zara here or take me to her so I can tell her how much I’ve enjoyed her letters.”

  Kevin smiled. “I’m sure we can arrange that.”

  After Sister Agnes left, Chris asked, “So, who’s going to Creekside?”

  “I’m still leaning toward Rigel, with orders to stay until the two guys we’re after are off by themselves for the night.”

  “With or without Doreen?”

  “With.”

  “What about horses? If they show up in Creekside on foot, someone’s going to wonder where they came from.”

  Kevin thought for a moment. “Maybe they need to be somewhere else first. Where is Creekside? If there’s a port in the area, they could arrive by boat and buy horses there.”

  They walked over to the map. Creekside was near the middle of Brighthaven. The closest port was Lander's Point, near what was Fort Myers on Earth. “If they start here,” Kevin pointed to Lander’s Point, “they could buy a couple of horses and then head to Creekside, provided someone in that area has horses for sale.”

  “I might be able to find out about that.”

  “How? Pop down there?”

  “I guess I could, but I was thinking Cryslyn might have some contacts in that area.”

  Kevin nodded. “If she does, maybe she can arrange the horses. If not, we’ll figure out something else.”

  ~~~~

  While they were eating dinner, Chris asked, “Are you going anywhere this evening?”

  “I thought I might go to Elsewhere, but I don’t have to. Why?”

  “I talked to Cryslyn.”

  “And?”

  “She knows a guy who knows a guy who has a boat and is in and out of Lander's Point all the time. She said if she can borrow the key tomorrow morning, she’ll see if she can arrange to have him deliver Rigel and Doreen to Lander's Point on Wednesday, and while she’s down there, she’ll arrange the horses. I thought you might want to talk to Rigel this evening.”

  Kevin nodded. “And after we talk to him, we need to bring Doreen in.”

  “I’ll go by the guard office and see if Kort knows where he is.”

  “If he’s not on duty, he’s at Doreen’s.” Kevin slipped the key to Terah off his chain and handed it to Chris.

  “When are those two going to make it official?” Chris asked as he put the key on his chain.

  Kevin shrugged. “Rhianna keeps asking the same question.”

  “Where will you be when I find him?”

  “My office.”

  ~~~~

  Kevin hadn’t been in his office long when Chris and Rigel walked in. After they sat down, Kevin said, “I’d like to send you to Brighthaven for a few days.”

  “Now?”

  Kevin shook his head. “Probably Wednesday morning, and you’ll be there at least a week.”

  Rigel frowned.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Alek’s not here so Brandon will be on his own. He won’t be able to leave the castle until one of us gets back.”

  “Darrell will be here,” Chris said. “We’ll get him to fill in until Alek gets back.”

  Rigel nodded “What do you want me to do?

  “Meet up with Kitridge. He’s about a day behind Mikos and Devron now. I want you to follow them until they set up camp in an isolated area. Then, while Kitridge keeps an eye on them, you come get me.”

  “But…”

  “He’s planning for you to have a key with you,” Chris explained.

  “But I could be gone a week or more.”

  “I have another one,” Kevin said, “and I’m sure I could borrow another if I needed to, but the only way this will work is if you have a key with you.”

  Rigel nodded again. “Where do I meet Kitridge?”

  “At a town called Creekside.” Chris got up to point it out on the map. “We’re trying to make arrangements for you to get a horse here.” He pointed to Lander's Point.

  “Why there if I’m meeting them in Creekside?”

  “We want to avoid questions,” Kevin explained. “It’s going to be tricky enough to grab Mikos and Devron and bring them back here without arousing anyone’s suspicion. If you show up in the middle of nowhere with no apparent means of getting there, people will wonder how you did that and start paying attention to what you do and where you go, and then our little abduction scenario might get noticed. I want things to be as ordinary and uninteresting as possible.”

  “Won’t people wonder where I came from when I show up in Lander's Point?”

  Chris shook his head. “Not if you go in by boat, and buying a horse makes sense then, too.”

  “Whose boat will I be on?”

  “Cryslyn’s going to try to get you a ride on one that goes in and out on a regular basis. If not, you’ll have to pretend the one you arrive on is yours.”

  Rigel’s eyes widened. “Mine? I don’t know anything about boats.” Rigel shook his head. “I’ll wreck it, and the dock, and any other boats in the area. You need to find someone else to do this.”

  Kevin laughed. “We’re planning to have someone go with you who knows boats inside and out.”

  “Oh, good.” Rigel visibly relaxed. “Who?”

  “Doreen.”

  “Doreen?!” Rigel tensed up again. “No! There’s got to be someone else who can do it. She can’t go!”

  “Why not? She’s more qualified than anyone else around here to take a boat into a port.”

  “But she’s… she’s…”

  “She’s what?”

  “But…we’d have to stay in inns!” Sweat broke out on Rigel’s brow.

  Kevin nodded. “And that would be a problem because?”

  “We’re not married!”

  Kevin paused. “And why is that anyway?”

  Rigel sputtered for a moment and then took a deep breath. “I can’t marry her. It’s not allowed.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m one of your bodyguards!”

  “And that means you can’t get married?”

  Rigel nodded.

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Yes, sir. Bodyguards have to live at the castle and be available twenty-four hours a day.”

  “Then if I were you, I’d find another job.”

  Rigel’s eyebrows rose. “Are you asking for my resignation, sir?”

  Kevin shook his head. “But I don’t want to be the reason you haven’t asked Doreen to marry you either. Of course, it’s none of my business. It’s your decision. Well, yours and Doreen’s. Anyway, if it would make you feel better, you could stay in separate rooms, but I want her to go with you.”

  “I guess separate rooms would work,” Rigel said slowly. “I’ll pay for the extra room.”

  “We’ll pay for both rooms, all of your meals, and anything else you need while you’re gone. Cryslyn will give you expense money before you leave.”

  “When do we leave?”

  “I’m not sure yet. Cryslyn’s going to get everything set up tomorrow morning, but you need to be in Creekside next Monday. I’d like for you to get started by Wednesday morning. You’ll need a little time to get used to the area and get there.”

  “What do you mean, get used to the area?” Rigel asked hesitantly.

  “That whole area’s swampy. You’ll need to stick to established roads while you’re down there. Don’t take any shortcuts through the woods like you do here. Sometimes the ground looks solid, but it could be quicksand or a bit of dirt floating over waist deep water.”

  “And you’ll need to watch out for alligators,” Chris said.

  “Alligators?” Rigel asked. “I’ve never seen one before.”

  “I imagine you’ll see several while you’re there,” Kevin said, “and snakes.”

  “And bugs, all kinds of bugs,” Chris added.

  “Sounds…interesting.”

  Kevin laughed. “Guess that’s one wa
y to look at it.” Then he looked at Chris. “Would you go get Doreen, please?”

  Chris took out the key and left.

  While he was gone, Kevin asked, “Do you want to ask her to go with you or do you want me to?”

  “I’m not sure,” Rigel said. “I haven’t told her anything about Kitridge and Zara, much less Mikos and Devron.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “You know she’s going to get all fired up when she finds out who you think Mikos is. Are you sure you want her around when we catch up to him?”

  “I’m counting on you to handle her.”

  Rigel closed his eyes and sighed. “You’ve got a lot more faith in me than I do.”

  Kevin chuckled. “If I were you, I’d tell her about it now, and let her get used to the idea before you go.”

  “It won’t be a quiet conversation.”

  “I didn’t much think it would. You can use my office. With the door shut, it’s nearly soundproof, and we’re the only ones here tonight.”

  As Rigel nodded, Chris knocked on the door and opened it. “Doreen’s here.”

  Kevin got up, said, “Good luck,” to Rigel and then smiled at Doreen. “Come on in. Rigel needs to talk to you for a minute.” Once she was inside, he stepped out, said, “We’ll be right out here if you need us,” and shut the door.

  For the next hour, voices rose and fell in the office. The loudest voice was Doreen’s, but neither Kevin nor Chris could hear well enough to know what was being said. When the door finally opened, Kevin asked, “Is it a go?”

  When Rigel didn’t answer, Chris asked, “Is Doreen willing to go with you?”

  Doreen stuck her head out the door. “Oh, I’m going, but I want to know who came up with the harebrained idea that we need separate rooms. Seems to me you’d want us to do this without drawing attention. How are we supposed to do that if we have separate rooms?”

  “You don’t want your own room?” Kevin asked.

  “Not unless you want everyone we run into wondering who I am!”

  “What do you mean?”

  Doreen exhaled in exasperation and gave Kevin a long look. “I can understand you. You’re a member of the House of Nordin. I doubt your life has been anything close to normal, but there’s no excuse for you two,” she said as she put her hands on her hips and homed in on Chris and Rigel. “Have you been at the castle so long you’ve forgotten how real people live? There are only two reasons a single woman travels with a man who’s not her husband. One, he’s a relative, and someone would have to be blind to think we’re related. The other is someone hires an escort for her, basically a bodyguard. I do not want anyone out there wondering how much I might be worth. I’ve already been captured once and I do not intend to repeat that experience!”