Roanoke: The Price of Power

The Missing

Discussions of town matters, from game reports to beer production, occupied Governor Dare well into the afternoon. With the sun making its descent into the west and the day drawing to a close, he was finishing up with assistant governor Hobb on the rough-plank porch of his cottage.

"We've never found large game on the island," said Hobb. "I just don't understand what would be eating the small game out from under us."

"I'm telling you, we're taking them too fast. Tomorrow we'll tell Webb and the two Smiths to take down a quarter of their traps."

Hobb shook his head, "no one will take that well. And beside, I never heard of taking rabbits too fast. By God, they bear young by the dozens. Over-hunting! Can such a thing even be done?"

"What else could it be?"

There's someone else living on the island. It has to be. They're stalking our game and killing our men.

"And leaving behind wagons of bear meat," Dare mumbled.

Hobb cocked his head and blinked.

"What was that?"

Dare shook himself and combed his fingers through his hair. O, how he wished his father-in-law would come back from England!

"Nothing at all."

Just then, he spotted Anthony Cage sauntering toward them from the western gate.

"If you'll excuse me for the evening, Mr. Hobb?" said Dare. "I'll have words with Anthony and then be off to sup."

"Of course," said Hobb with a small bow, "have a pleasant evening. We'll speak more of the traps tomorrow."

With that, he turned on his heel and marched off toward the setting sun. Departing in his usual cunning way, Dare thought. Circumventing his decision to cut back on the gaming by putting off further discussion. Dare was frowning when Cage stepped onto his porch.

"Taken care of?"

"I dismantled the wagon as you said. Hid it and the meat about twenty paces off the track."

Dare swiveled his head to check for prying ears.

"And the body?" he whispered.

Cage shook his head, "there wasn't one."

"What?" Dare hissed.

"Wasn't a body, sir. Wagon, ya. Meat, ya. Bear meat, I say. Not dead man," he grinned.

"Oh, you fool! Did you go immediately after I gave you the task?"

Cage's grin vanished and his hands shot up again in their defensive way.

"Ya! Straight away!"

Dare clenched the sides of his head with both hands. He thought on the matter, and resolved that if the colony wasn't in an uproar, the body likely hadn't been found by any of his people.

He found it a discomforting conclusion to draw.

"Go get two men and arm up. Search the area around the trail and find that body. Keep alert for anyone who might be skulking around looking for their next victim."

Cage looked up and around, his mouth hanging open like a foul-smelling cave.

"Getting dark, sir. Maybe an hour of daylight left."

"Then bring fucking torches!" Dare yelled, immediately regretting the effect Cage's ignorance was having on his temper. "Go! Now!"

Dare didn't wait for Cage to get on his way. He left his porch at a run and made haste toward Doc Richard's cottage.

He arrived a moment later and tried the door. No one was inside.

Dare exited and looked to the horizon, making a note of how little time remained before total darkness fell. When he leveled his sight, he nearly jumped backwards. Two of the town's children had somehow put themselves directly in front of him without so much as a sound.

I do need to calm down. How did I not see them?

"Ah! Tom Archard," he said, after fixing one of the children with a name. "I'm looking for your father. Have you seen him?"

Silence.

Dare couldn't help but swallow hard. Why were the two wee ones staring at him? It was altogether disconcerting for children to behave so! After a long moment, Dare was on the cusp of chiding the boy for ignoring his question. But the statue arm broke free, and young Tom Archard slowly raised his finger westward, toward the trail.

Of course.

Dare frowned and dashed off in that direction, not sure whether he was rushing to warn Arnold that the killer might be nearby, or if he was just eager to be out of sight of those odd children.

The latter concern became moot, for when he spared a backwards glance, both of the children were gone.