Page 40 of Wired Courage

“You love Sophie. That’s why you’ll trade yourself for her lover.”

There was no point in lying. “Yes.”

“Then, I find your offer acceptable. I will let Jake go.” The Master turned away and stared out over the pond contemplatively. “Finish your breakfast—you will need your strength. Training will begin this afternoon.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Day Twenty-Seven

Pim Wat entered her sister’s house when Malee opened the door. “This is a surprise! Glad you called, I was in the middle of something,” Malee said.

“I had to get away for a few days.” Pim Wat embraced Malee, and they air kissed. Malee stood back, studying Pim Wat’s face. “You look terrible, sister! What’s been going on?”

Pim Wat felt quick tears flood her eyes. That was the thing about Malee; she was one of the only people Pim Wat trusted with her emotional state, even if she lied about the reasons for it. “Armita has run off.”

“Oh no! Why would Armita do that? She’s been with you for so long!” Malee’s eyes went wide with surprise.

Of course, Pim Wat couldn’t tell Malee that she had stolen Sophie’s baby. Malee would never approve of Pim Wat’s actions in that regard. She had been horrified when Pim Wat hinted that she wanted to adopt Sophie’s child, complaining that her daughter was an unfit mother, what with her depression and dangerous activities.

Malee hadn’t liked those comments. Malee had a soft spot for Sophie, one that Pim Wat had encouraged when Sophie was young, knowing that her daughter needed the softness and nurturing Malee provided.

“I don’t know why Armita left. She didn’t even leave me a note, just cleaned out her clothes and disappeared.” Pim Wat felt her lip trembling. “Faithless wench. No better than any other hireling.”

“How terrible,” Malee said, but even though her words portrayed that feeling, she didn’t mean it. Pim Wat wasn’t the most sensitive person in the world; she knew this, and accepted it about herself.But Malee was someone Pim Wat knew well.

Her sister was faking both her surprise, and her concern.

Pim Wat grabbed Malee, digging her daggerlike fingernails into her sister’s arms. “Did Armita contact you?”

Malee flung Pim Wat’s clutching hands off with a snort. “Ha. As if I’d give your maid the time of day!”

“You’re lying.” Pim Wat grabbed her sister again, staring into large brown eyes much like her own. “Where is Armita?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Malee drew a shaky breath and dropped her eyes. “I am upset this morning. That is all. I think someone has . . . broken into the house.”

Pim Wat let go of her sister and stepped back, cocking her head to the side as she studied Malee’s face. “What makes you think so?”

Malee turned away, wringing her hands nervously. “Some things are moved. I was just getting ready to try to search the house and find out what had been taken when you called to let me know you were coming. I’m just unsettled.”

“So, you don’t actually know if anyone was inside?”

Malee hung her head, bit her lip. “I left the downstairs door open. Maybe they came in from outside. I think some of the silver might be missing.”

“Well, you know better than to bother notifying the police,” Pim Wat said acerbically. Local law enforcement was notoriously corrupt. “Let’s figure this out. I’d rather do that than get our nails done.” Pim Wat put her hands on her hips and surveyed the traditionally decorated room, then clapped her hands abruptly. “I have an idea. I remember something!” Pim Wat grabbed Malee’s arm again, and gave it a tug. “Let’s go outside. I might know how they got into your property. Closing up any loopholes is the smartest thing to do before you get into finding out what’s gone.”

Malee dug in her heels. “No hurry. Let’s have some tea first.” Was her face pale? Pim Wat was determined to figure out this mystery.Her sister was hiding something.

Pim Wat tugged a protesting Malee down the stairs and out into the garden area. Searching back and forth, she spotted it: that loose board in the fence that Sophie used to sneak through when she came over to play with her cousins.

“What are you doing? I am tired of this. I’ll just wait until my husband gets home. We will both deal with it then . . .” Pim Wat paid no heed to her sister’s protestations as she dragged Malee through the gardens and over to the fence.

Pim Wat felt along the weathered boards until she identified the loose one. She lifted it out of place easily and set it aside.

“Here it is! Sophie used to come over from our side through this. You’ve really got to get this fixed.” Pim Wat peered into the yard next door. “Oh, it’s sad to see our old home fallen into such neglect. That company that bought the property never did a thing with it!”

Pim Wat stared up at the shuttered dark bulk of her former home, overwhelmed with memories as she always was when she was reminded of her unhappy time living there.

She frowned to see a sliver of light gleaming through one of the shutters. She let go of Malee’s arm to point. “Look! There’s someone inside!” She turned back to her sister.

---