In the low light, the challenge would be to figure out where he kept his valuables. I didn’t need much. Coins were best because they’d be the most valued by the thieves, the easiest to replace, and the least sentimental. If Harlowe had coins anywhere in the home, they were most likely here.
I had worked my way around a desk in his office and was fingering across shelves of books when I heard footsteps in the main hall. I froze, hoping it was only a passing servant.
But the footsteps were followed by voices, and the light of a candle flickered from beneath the office door. They were coming closer.
When it became obvious they were approaching the office, I hurried toward the window. The voices were of two men, though with the muffle of the door I couldn’t recognize them. I assumed one of them must be Harlowe.
The door opened before I was as far as the window, so I began to duck beneath the desk, but a voice commanded me to stop.
I didn’t draw my knife. There was no point in it. And turning around to face the two men who had entered the office was one of the hardest things I’d ever done.
Both men gasped when they recognized me. Harlowe was the one holding the candle. The other man, who had ordered me to stop and who had withdrawn his knife, was none other than Mott.
None of us spoke for what seemed like an hour. Slowly Mott lowered his knife and finally Harlowe whispered, “You’re Jaron. But why —”
My heart pounding, I glanced at Mott for help, still unable to speak.
At almost the same time, I heard a sound behind me and Erick climbed through the window. “I saw the light,” he said. “I thought you needed help.”
“I don’t.” Now I withdrew my knife.
Mott put a hand on Harlowe’s arm. “This isn’t who you think it is,” he said. “This boy is one of the finest thieves of Avenia. I’ve seen him before and I know he’s capable of everything he says he is. You should give him whatever he wants. He’ll always get it anyway.”
Erick looked at me. “What are you capable of?”
I ignored Erick and looked at Harlowe. “Whatever coins you have here, I want them. Now.”
Harlowe remained frozen, unable to put together the various explanations of who he had thought I was when we first met, whatever Mott must have told him, and what he was now seeing unfold. Finally, Mott pushed him forward, and Harlowe said, “I don’t have much here.” He reached for a frame on his desk. “But this is made of gold. It’s worth a lot.”
A sketch of a young child was inside the frame. I wondered if it was Nila’s father, or the other child Harlowe’s servant had told me about. “I don’t want that picture,” I said. “But I’ll take the frame.”
Harlowe removed the sketch and set it carefully on the desk before Erick took the frame and dropped it in a bag he’d brought with him.
Next, Harlowe reached for something inside his vest and handed it to me. “You can take this too. It’s also gold.” It was the watch that had belonged to Nila’s father.
I tossed it back at him. “That’s imitator’s gold. It’s worthless.” Unable to avoid Mott’s eye, I added, “Surely you know that I can tell the difference between that and real gold.”
“Obviously you can’t.” Erick frowned at me while holding out his hand. “It’s real enough for my needs.”
“If anyone’s taking it, I will.” I reached for the watch, but Erick swatted my hand out of the way and flashed the blade of his knife. There was nothing to do but give in.
“This boy doesn’t mean anything more to us than imitator’s gold,” Mott said, staring at me. “Give him some coins and he’ll go.”