Chapter 28

"What do you mean Annabel and Rosie are missing?" Catherine echoed her brother's words.

She realized that being frantic and unreasonable would get them nowhere. So, she took a steadying breath, then grabbed him by the hand, leading him to a nearby chaise lounge.

"Come," she told him. "Sit down and tell me everything that happened."

He listened without any objections, like a small child who was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to and now he was being punished for it. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, staring at his trembling hands.

"I went to see them this morning," he started explaining, as Catherine listened intently. "Just like I do every other morning. It is our routine, you see. Rosie wakes up early, so I try to come even before she is up. I… I like to be the first thing she sees when she wakes up. That smile… it just brightens my day when I see it…"

He spoke in a way that threatened to break Catherine's heart. She could hear all the pain and anguish her brother was feeling, and she shared in it. His pain was hers as well. She knew that he would continue without being urged to. She gave him enough time to do it at his own pace. After a few moments of break, he continued.

"I have a key, you see," he said, suddenly fumbling in his pocket. It took him a few seconds to extract it, but he finally found it, victoriously lifting it up into the air. Then, his hand slumped back down onto his knees once again. "When I unlocked the door, they… they weren't there…"

Catherine stifled a gasp. She could only imagine her brother's shock at finding an empty apartment. She gently pressed her hand into his, a silent sign of compassion and love.

"I searched the place," he continued explaining. "I waited for a while. I thought maybe Rosie woke up much earlier than usual and they went for a walk in the morning. They never did that, but… I don't know… I wanted to find a reasonable explanation for what had happened. I just couldn't."

Catherine thought about it for a moment, then she nodded. "Is it possible that Annabel went to see someone? Maybe her sister?"

Catherine knew that Annabel had become an orphan, just like them, at a very early age. She had a sister, but they got separated after the death of their parents. Annabel was sent to live with their grandmother, while her sister was sent to be taken care of by their mother's aunt. Seeing that both of these women were already old, they were unable to take care of both children at the same time, so an arrangement had been made to separate them.

They would see each other several times a year, but that made their life situation even more difficult and unbearable. Upon hearing Annabel's story, Catherine shuddered at the thought of having been separated from Reginald. She wouldn't have been able to survive that. She was certain of it.

"No," Reginald replied, bringing her back to the present moment. "If she was going to see Dorothy, she would tell me. She always did before. I don't see why it would be any different now."

Catherine tried to look at the situation from a reasonable perspective, which was now understandably eluding her brother.

"Perhaps there was an emergency," Catherine mused. "Maybe her sister sent for her with a message to come as soon as possible, so she didn't have any time to let you know before her departure."

Reginald frowned. "That doesn't sound like Annabel."

"I know it doesn't," Catherine admitted. "I'm just trying out different options to see if anything will fit."

"Nothing fits, Cate," Reginald suddenly stood up, raking the fingers of both his hands through his hair. "Nothing! Something has happened, and instead of looking for them, I am whining here like a—"

"Is everything all right?" A voice suddenly interrupted them.

Both Catherine and her brother looked in the direction of the door, where Dominic was standing. Catherine stood up, sensing that there might be a clash between these two, seeing the state her brother was in.

"Yes, if you don't mind, I am having a private conversation with my sister!" Reginald shouted, completely beside himself.

"Reggie, please," Catherine once again stood in her husband's defense. She knew that he was there not to create more trouble, but on the contrary, to help them solve the one they had.

"No, Cate! This man…" Reginald pointed at him as he spoke, "has done you wrong! He has done both of us wrong, and we are supposed to pretend that we like him? Well, I can't!"

"Reggie, please, just listen to me," Catherine was trying to everything to calm her brother down. "Dominic… isn't like that. I can't explain it right now, not when you are like this, but please, believe me, he is here to help."

Reginald frowned in disgust. "I don't need the help from the likes of him. He already had a chance to help, and he chose exactly the opposite. He is part of the problem, Cate. And you are a damn fool if you don't see that."

Having said those words, he headed for the door. Catherine felt as if someone punched her in the guts. She wanted to run after him, to force him to listen to reason, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to prove anything to him. His words hurt more than she thought they ever could.

Then, Dominic did something that shocked them all. As Reginald was passing him by, he grabbed him by the elbow, forcing him to turn around and face him.

"Your sister is a good woman, Reginald," Dominic spoke. "She doesn't deserve to be spoken to like that. If you are angry with me, insult me all you want. I know I deserve it. But Catherine deserves your respect after everything she has done for you."

Catherine gasped upon hearing him say that. She dared not speak. All she could do was stare in disbelief at the two men that meant the world to her, and wait to see if they would start fighting each other. For a moment, it seemed that Reginald would plant Dominic a facer and then continue on his way, but he changed his mind at the last minute.

Catherine could see his fist easing up, unclenching, only to relax once again. Dominic removed his hand from Reginald's elbow. The tension had lessened significantly.

"You're right," Reginald said through clenched teeth. "She deserves my love and respect. It is you who deserves my scorn."

"Yes, you are right," Dominic echoed his words. "I know I have wronged you both. I made many mistakes, but there is one I would never change, not even if I were given a million chances to do so. I married your sister. That is the only thing I did right in all of this. And I want to show you both that I am not the villain you both think I am. I know it will take time, but please… allow me to start here. Let me help you… please."

Reginald locked eyes with his sister, then he turned to Dominic once again. "How can you help?"

Catherine decided to take over. "His friend, the one who found out everything about you and Annabel, he has connections. Maybe if he tries, he might be able to find something out, something you weren't able to."

Reginald sighed. It seemed that he had relinquished control over the situation. Grief and rage had broken him. Now, on top of that, he was feeling powerless, thinking that the woman he loved and his child were missing. She couldn't imagine how devastating that must have felt for him.

"That man doesn't want to be found," Reginald explained. "He is a thief, wanted for arson and other crimes as well. That is why he is doing such a good job of keeping himself hidden."

"No one can hide forever," Dominic reminded him of something h had obviously forgotten.

"He is also good at covering his tracks," Reginald continued. "I managed to track him down to an alehouse two years ago. But after that, I couldn't find him again. I couldn't find a single trace of the man. It's as if he has vanished into thin air."

"Do you think he died?" Catherine wondered.

"I doubt it," Reginald shook his head. "Rats live for a long time. He is alive and kicking. He just doesn't want to be found."

"Sooner or later, he will make a mistake," Dominic stated. "He will forget himself, and someone will notice him. Then, it will be our time to act, but we have to be ready."

"I'm ready," Reginald nodded. "I've been ready for a long time. I want to see that scoundrel get what he deserves."

"He will," Dominic spoke softly and calmly. Catherine appreciated how he eased the situation with such skill. "I know you've been patient all this time, but I must urge you to be patient for a little while longer. I promise you that we will find him."

Reginald didn't say anything to that. However, it was evident that he wasn't as frantic as before. He had also calmed down, and it seemed that he almost believed Dominic's words.

"That man of yours…" Reginald started.

"Timothy Hallifax," Dominic introduced his friend by name only. Catherine had seen him, although she had not spoken to him.

"He is good at… finding things?" Reginald inquired.

"Things, people, whatever is lost," Dominic assured him. Reginald nodded, listening intently. "But, like your sister said, first we must see if Annabel isn't with her sister. It is unlikely, but we need to make sure. We can't leave any possibility unexplored." He paused for a moment, then he continued.

"This is what we shall do. You shall come to my study now, and you will tell me everything you know about Annabel's family, friends, everything. I want to know if she speaks to the grocer, if she has a dog, everything. I will give all that to Timothy and he will commence with his search, first checking those things. We work by process of elimination. Once we eliminate all possibilities, whatever is left has to be the truth."

Reginald nodded again. "All right. Let's do that."

"Good," Dominic smiled.

Reginald turned to Catherine. "I… I'm sorry I said that. I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't," Catherine gushed. "I would never hold it against you."

Reginald bestowed a small, painful smile, then he followed Dominic out of the parlor. Catherine had no idea where Annabel and Rosie were, but she was certain that her husband and brother would find them, no matter what.