Chapters (50)
- Cover
- Half Title Page
- Books by Elizabeth Camden
- Title Page
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Historical Note
- Questions for Discussion
- In 2021, look for Luke Delacroix’s story in
- About the Author
- Back Ads
- Back Cover
Annabelle had been nothing but conciliatory from the moment their world imploded. If their family was ever to mend, Caroline had to participate. She didn’t want to, but Gray desperately wanted a truce, and she needed to grow up and quit priding herself for holding on to a grudge. If a woman as fresh and cheerful as Annabelle could adore her boring older brother, she couldn’t be all bad.
“I have better taste than you,” she said to Annabelle, her voice deliberately casual. “I’d love to take you shopping. We shall wreak terrible havoc on Gray’s bank account.”
The relief on Gray’s face was palpable. Patching their family back together might still have its rocky times. It was going to take effort and humility, but it was time for her to move beyond the trauma of the past year and into a season of peace and renewal.
A genuine smile began to tug, for she would love to see Annabelle decked out in some pretty new clothes.
Thirty-Eight
It didn’t take Nathaniel long to learn the name of the third man in Key West. Ever since Captain Holland’s arrest, he had been singing like a bird, hoping to fall on the mercy of the court by revealing everything. He confessed to setting up the fraudulent account early in the Spanish-American War. When the war ended after only a few months, it was in his interest to keep money flowing into the armaments account, which was why he stoked the fire of the Cuban rebellion by funneling money to the rebels. Captain Holland wired funds from Foster’s bank to an accomplice in Key West, who then brought the funds to Mateo in Cuba.
That intermediary was Daniel Perez, a shrimp boat owner living in Key West. Records subpoenaed from the Western Union Telegraph station confirmed a lively correspondence between Holland and Daniel Perez for years.
“I want you to come with me to Key West to question Perez,” Wilkie said. “I need your eye for detail and familiarity with the case.”
They were in Wilkie’s office, the records from Western Union spread out on the worktable. Altogether there were over forty messages between the two men, along with eighteen bank transfers shifting thousands of dollars to Key West. It was the smoking gun Nathaniel needed, but there were other criminals out there.
“What about Milwaukee?” he asked. “Going to Key West will set my trip back a few days.” If he had to be delayed, he’d much rather spend that time with Caroline instead of sweltering in Florida.
“Key West first, then Milwaukee,” Wilkie said. “It will be like old times!”
But Caroline deserved more than Nathaniel had been able to give her lately. A great deal more. He needed to go after the Kestrel Gang, but he needed Caroline too.
“What if I was married?” he asked. “Could I bring a wife with me to Milwaukee?”