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He spun around, aiming his pistol toward the unknown person. Shadows played with his vision, but soon he saw the outline of a man holding a pistol as he came toward Wayne.
“Who goes there?” he asked, trying not to be too loud, especially since he didn’t want Harold to know he was outside the building spying on him.
The intruder’s steps faltered, and he lowered his pistol. “Nichols? Is that you?”
Relief swept over Wayne, and he also lowered his weapon. “Donley, what are you doing out here?”
The other Bow Street Runner motioned with his hand toward the area. “These buildings belong to Lord Montague. I was watching to see if there was activity tonight, and when I saw you sneaking up on this building, I thought I had caught the man I was after.”
“I, too, have been following my suspect. However,” he glanced toward the closest window, “I believe he got away.”
“Are you still watching Lord Penrose?”
Wayne nodded. “Indeed. As I told you, I was going to do this for a few more days.”
Donley shrugged. “Then I shall let you continue. Just know that I don’t believe he is involved. So please, drop his case and help me. I need you.”
“I assure you, my good man, that I will help you. Give me a day or two to be sure.”
“As you wish.”
Wayne watched his friend walk away. Sadly, dropping this case would be harder than he first thought, especially since Regina was involved now. He definitely didn’t want to stop seeing her.
He waited a few minutes to make certain Donley had left before Wayne listened inside the abandoned warehouse. He detected no sounds and no movements. He prayed he hadn’t just allowed Harold to slip through his fingers.
Wayne scooted along the wall until he found a window. Cautiously, he peered inside. As he had suspected, there wasn’t any light to show him Harold or the men who might be meeting with him tonight. Yet, Wayne’s gut told him not to leave. Things were not as they seemed.
He continued moving until he discovered a door. Trying to be as quiet as possible, he opened the door. Thankfully, it only squeaked once, yet that noise hadn’t brought anyone running.
Without the sun to help him see inside, Wayne was lost. He waited several minutes for his vision to adjust, but he still couldn’t see anything. He didn’t dare wander inside any farther for fear he would knock against something, and it would crash to the floor loudly. However, as he waited, he heard voices, but they were muffled. He couldn’t listen to what was said, but clearly, they were in the building.
Slowly, he scanned the floor of the warehouse. Finally, something caught his attention. There seemed to be a small amount of light peeking from out of the floorboards from underneath large crates. His hope lifted. Harold must have had a secret room built under the floor. Now everything made sense. Unfortunately, he would have to wait until daybreak to see how to get inside the hidden room. Walking around in the dark was not very wise.
Laughter floated up from below. Wayne recognized those laughs. Indeed, Harold was here, but so werethe boys.
Wayne chuckled in victory as he hurried back to his horse. Arresting Harold would be a glorious day, but an added bonus would be to take down all the men involved in Harold’s scheme. Wayne just prayed it would be soon.
He mounted his horse and took off for home. There were still two hours left before he would meet up with Regina, and he wanted to clean himself up before that time. For some reason, he had the urge to show that confounded woman just howgentlemanlyhe could be. He wasn’t the rogue she had labeled him. Sadly, he feared that once they were alone together, his memories from their moments in the coach today and last night might turn him back into the man she thought him to be.
Time seemed to pass too quickly, and soon, he was cleaned up and inside his father’s jewelry store. Out of all the stores his father owned, this one would eventually become Wayne’s. His father promised that Wayne could take control of this store once his Bow Street Days were over. Although this was his inheritance, he didn’t want the hum-drum life. He enjoyed being a Bow Street Runner.
As the minutes ticked by, Wayne became restless. He paced the floor, wringing his hands in utter frustration as guilt grew inside him. Why had he asked Regina to meet him in private? Mistake number one! He could have just met her behind the hedges of the Meyer’s estate after leaving earlier today. The earl had a grand backyard, and Wayne was certain nobody would see them meet there. So, why did he want to meet at his father’s store?
The simple truth was that Wayne’s body and mind still experienced everything that had happened between him and Regina. Earlier today in the coach, while waiting for Harold, Wayne had enjoyed sitting so close to her with his arm around her shoulders. He enjoyed gazing into her amazing eyes and feeling himself sink with every breath.
However, he needed to determine if this effect was from the poison or if the lovely woman made him feel this way. He had never taken Opium, but from the things he had heard, not once had people said it had stayed on their mind all day. He realized it had almost been twenty-four hours now.
He stopped pacing long enough to peer out the front window. The drapes had been closed, but he pulled back the material just enough to look outside. Being this late at night, the street was empty, and an occasional carriage passed on the road. The light sprinkle of rain and cooler temperatures also helped keep people at home or at their nightly functions, and he prayed it wouldn’t keep Regina from coming.
Finally, a horse and rider trotted under the streetlamp not far from the shop. The rider wore a fur-lined hooded cloak and gloves. Immediately, he lost his breath.
She was here!
* * *
WHY AM I DOING THIS?
Her heartbeat hammered so fast it violently shook her body. How could she rein in this out-of-control feeling rushing over her? Answers were what she sought, and yet how could she do anything if she acted this way in front ofhim?
