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“I think we’d better sit down.”
The men took opposite chairs. Longfellow opened a desk drawer, rummaging through until he found what he was looking for. He withdrew a file with papers inside.
“How did you find me?”
Owen chuckled. “It was all by chance. I met your aunt, Lady Sutton, at a dinner party last night. She mentioned I had a similar personality to yours and that we might get along. When I questioned her further, she said you worked here. So I thought I would give it a go.”
Longfellow shook his head in disbelief. “I thought you were killed. After you didn’t write to me for months, I feared the worse.”
“Wrote to you about what?”
The agent rested his arms on the desk. “I suppose it’s best to start at the beginning. About eight months ago, I received a letter from you regarding a scheme. You told me some of your fellow soldiers had found gold and were illegally removing it to send back to England to sell.”
“Was I a part of this?”
“Yes. You said that your conscience had gotten the better of you, and you were willing to name your accomplices, both in the military and those receiving the stolen goods here. Naturally, it is a crime, since this gold was taken without permission and the proper authorities in New Zealand were not notified of the mine.”
It didn’t add up. Why would Owen want to rat out his accomplices? Unless there had been a falling out, or he’d had other reasons. Damn his faulty memory.
“Did I give you the names?”
Longfellow sat back in his chair. “No. That was the next letter I was waiting for, but now I see why it did not arrive.”
“How did I get your name? If we never met, there must have been some connection.”
“When your first letter arrived, it was addressed to the foreign affairs department here in London. It was given to me at random. Pure happenstance. When I responded to you, that’s when I gave you my name.”
Owen had found no letters in his satchel. Perhaps he had destroyed them in case he was discovered, and that’s why he had scrawled the simple missive on the slip of paper. Owen fixed his gaze on Longfellow. “So, where does this leave us? I no longer have any useful information. It’s all lost.” Unless he somehow got the rest of his memory back.
“I don’t know. You only gave me a few details about where the goldmines were located.”
The map.
Owen retrieved it from his jacket pocket. “This might be helpful.” He laid it on the table. “I wasn’t sure what the markings were, but now I suspect it may be where the mines are.”
“Could be,” Longfellow said as he studied the parchment. “I will have to get a copy made. You understand I must report this to my superior.”
“What shall I do in the meantime?” Owen hated not being more useful.
“Try to remember any details from when you were over there. Is there anyone else who might know something?”
“I ran into a fellow from my unit yesterday. Perhaps he will know something.”
“Good. In the meantime, I will make inquiries into the best way to unload illegal gold. I have friends on the police force who may know people I can speak to. But we must be careful. If there is a conspiracy to smuggle in the gold and these people think they are being threatened, who knows what they might do.”
A chill ran down Owen’s back. Selena’s attack. Could it be connected? “I think someone knows I have returned.”
Longfellow scrunched his brow. “Why do you say that?”
“A few weeks ago, my wife was carrying a package meant for me. It had been delivered to the hospital in London where I briefly convalesced. She was attacked, and the men took the package and told her to tell me to be careful.” He met the agent’s stare.
“What was in the package?”
“I don’t know. But I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
“Neither do I.” Longfellow collected his papers. “I will see what I can find out and contact you in a few days. Until then, keep yourself safe. Don’t go out at night, or alone. I don’t need you ending up dead.”
Owen had no intention of getting killed. First thing, when he returned home, he would get himself a pistol. He would also have to secure Selena’s safety. Thank goodness he’d had the sense to send a footman out with her today. The men parted ways.
Instead of hiring a carriage, Owen walked. The day was warm, and the stroll might calm his nerves. At least he had someone on his side. Longfellow had connections that Owen did not. With any luck, they could come up with a list of suspects. But it irked him to no end that he couldn’t figure out why he would turn on his co-conspirators. From the memories he now had, Owen did not seem the type who would run with his tail between his legs. There had to be another reason.
Whatever it was, it could wait. He had a lunch engagement with Selena, and he wanted to make up for his sour mood this morning. He had more than that to make up for; he had a lifetime of hurt for which he would make amends.
