Page 45 of The Moonstone Pirate
“I see.”
“Well, now I suspect it was Healey and Burke picking them up. I am in the process of inserting myself in this rebel operation, and having them use my caves as the drop-off location, because we recently got word that their old location is no longer available. Once this is accomplished, I’ll be able totrack their next steps. If all goes as planned, I ought to receive the first shipment of smuggled guns within the month.”
“And Healey and Burke will return with their men and wagons to pick them up?”
“That’s the big question, isn’t it? They were supposed to stay here through the end of July but have suddenly canceled their rooms at the Kestrel Inn and plan to leave first thing in the morning. I think they are desperate to keep out of our way as we investigate Driscoll’s murder. Moreover, if they did kill Driscoll, as I suspect they did, they will have hell to pay if it was not authorized by the Irishman gunrunner, Sean McTavish, or the rebel leaders.”
“Then why would they murder Driscoll?”
“I don’t know. I’ve added this as part of my investigation. What motive did they have strong enough to overcome their fear of McTavish or the men behind the rebel plot? McTavish will be livid when he finds out a murder took place at the very cave he plans to deliver his weapons. He might not kill Healey and Burke, but the rebel leaders surely will mark them for death if they acted without their authority.”
“What a mess. I suppose we’ll have Crown investigators swarming the village once McTavish is ready to sail in with his shipload of contraband. No wonder these two are fleeing.” Burness’s expression remained serious. “What will the Irishman do toyou?”
Draco raked a hand through his hair. “Depends on whether he thinks I aided Healey and Burke. I hope to convince him I had nothing to do with them or the murder.”
“Will he believe you, Draco?”
He nodded. “Yes, I think so. We’ve dealt with each other before and have developed a mutual respect. I’m hoping that is enough to spare my life.”
“Dear heaven, you are in this up to your eyeballs.”
Draco nodded again. “I know.”
“Can you handle this alone?”
He shifted uncomfortably. “For now, yes. I have no choice anyway, since the Home Office agents are not yet in place to help me. And before you jump in and offer your assistance, forget it. I won’t put you and your family at risk. Imogen is already a handful.”
Burness cast him a mirthless smile. “Yes, she can be quite stubborn when she wants to be.”
“Just protect her,” Draco said, his voice raw with concern. “I hope to wrap up my part of the assignment within a shipment or two. As soon as I receive word from the Home Office they have what they need to move in on the plotters and arrest them, I’ll be done.”
“So you think it will take several shipments to gather the required information? What are you looking at? About two months?”
“Yes, I hope this is all it will take. Imogen must be given full credit because of her drawings. If not for them, I would not have connected the Irish smuggler to his English contacts. This is a major breakthrough. As I mentioned, I’ve passed the information along to the Home Office today.”
“It will take time for your report to reach them and more time before they can act upon it,” Burness said.
“The more they can do at the London end, the better it is for me. I have given them quite a bit to go on. Names, banking information. They don’t need me present to start gathering proof and making arrests. Healey and Burke are not the top men in this rebel plot, but identifying them might be enough to flush out the true leaders and stop their plans.”
“Or speed them up.”
“Let’s hope not. In the meantime, I still need to prepare for the Irishman’s arrival.”
Burness crossed to his bureau and pointed to the bottles on a silver salver atop it. “Care for a drink?”
Draco declined, since there would be wine at supper and drinks for the men afterward. Although he could hold his liquor, not even he was completely impervious, and he needed to keep a clear head. “I have set up a meeting with the Irishman two weeks from now.”
“What if he shows up early?” Burness frowned. “And if this operation has been going on for as long as a year, why would he only reach out to you now?”
“As I mentioned, something happened several months ago to disrupt his deliveries. For whatever reason, the caves the rebels were using to receive their shipments were no longer available. This was an unexpected stroke of luck for us, and why the Home Office reached out to me. I don’t know how they got wind of this, but they immediately approached me and hoped I could convince the Irishman to use my caves as the new location.”
Burness poured himself a drink. “Yes, of course. You know him, and your slightly tarnished credentials are perfect for the task. The rebel leaders would approve.”
“The ink was barely dry on my purchase of Woodley Lodge before the Home Office contacted me. Since I had plans to restore the manor house, no one would be alerted if wagonloads of goods were coming in and going out.”
“Sounds almost too convenient.”
“I am not privy to what happened with the former middleman. If the Home Office knows anything about it, they are not telling me. But I am not afraid of dealing with the Irishman. And I am exactly what he needs at the moment, a privateer with a solid reputation and one he knows he can trust… Well, as far as privateers can trust each other. The point is, the rebels are now in a bind and must replace this important drop-off spot or they will not receive their guns. McTavish is in a bindbecause he will never receive his payment from the rebels unless these goods are delivered to them.”
