Page 13 of The Journal of a Thousand Years
“We certainly do. Thank you for your warning, but we’re already aware of the danger he poses. Rest assured, Gabe is capable of protecting himself, and he has his friends surrounding him at all times.”
“It’s not Glass who’s in danger. My information says you are.”
“Me?”
“Thurlow will avoid Glass because of his magical abilities.”
“Gabe isn’t a magician.”
He held up his hand to stop me. “Let’s stop pretending. I know he possesses some kind of magical ability. Thurlow knows, too. He witnessed it at the racetrack recently.” Mr. Jakes watched me closely.
I crossed my arms and waited for him to go on. If he suspected me of being a weak link who’d blurt out the truth, he was a fool.
“Thurlow has been trying to discover more about Glass’s abilities, to no avail. But he believes you are an easier target. Capturing you could force Glass to cooperate.”
My skin prickled. Thurlow wasn’t the only ruthless element that probably saw me as a way to get to Gabe. Was Mr. Jakes breaking ranks by coming here and warning me? Would theauthorities stoop to the same tactic? Or did Mr. Jakes genuinely know Thurlow’s plans?
“You seem to know a lot of what Thurlow thinks and suspects. Why is that?”
“I have eyes and ears everywhere.”
I didn’t doubt it, but something didn’t quite make sense. “Thurlow is a criminal, as you pointed out. He operates an illegal bookmaking ring and probably has fingers in other pies. But he’s not a threat to national security. So why are Military Intelligence interested in him? Surely his activities are a matter for the police.”
Mr. Jakes settled his hat on his head. “I stumbled upon his interest in Glass while investigating another matter.”
“Ah, yes. The Hobsons.”
I’d managed to surprise him again, but he quickly covered it. “Consider yourself warned, Miss Ashe.”
“Wait. Do you know why the Hobsons met with Thurlow?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. Good day.”
I watched him walk down the lane then closed the door. Although I believed he was genuinely warning me, I didn’t trust that the threat came from Thurlow. Despite Mr. Jakes’s assurance that he was no longer interested in Gabe except where he could help with the Hobson and Son boot matter, I suspected Military Intelligence would still like to know how Gabe had survived unscathed for the duration of the war. If they thought there was a way to replicate Gabe’s magic, they would try. But first they had to study him, and Gabe refused to be treated like a laboratory specimen.
Would Military Intelligence stoop to kidnap? Wouldtheytarget me to lure Gabe?
I contemplated the various scenarios as I exited the library. The moment the door closed, someone caught me from behind.A hand clamped over my mouth, smothering my scream. My arms were pinned to my sides.
Mr. Jakes had warned me. Now I was paying the price for not heeding it immediately.
CHAPTER 4
“Don’t move,” whispered a male voice in my ear. It was familiar, but it didn’t belong to Thurlow. “I’m going to uncover your mouth so you can answer my questions. Promise not to scream.”
I nodded as best I could.
He removed his hand, and I felt a slight relaxation of the arm trapping me. It was my opportunity.
I stamped on his foot. He grunted, and while he was distracted by the pain, I pulled free of his grip. I jabbed my fist into his stomach, hard. He doubled over with a sharp gasp. He was now the perfect height for me to elbow him in the jaw. The blow knocked him to the ground.
I adjusted my hat and pushed my bag’s handle up to the crook of my elbow. “My mother taught me those moves.”
Melville Hendry rubbed his jaw, eyeing me carefully. When he realized I wasn’t going to attack again, his gaze turned cold. He pushed himself to his feet. “I wasn’t going to harm you. I just wanted to talk.”
“Usually when people want to talk to me, they greet me nicely, not accost me in the street outside my workplace.”
He looked up at the library’s sign. “Are you the paper magician Miss Peterson told me about?”
