Roanoke: The Price of Power

The Plan

Arnold hadn't brought the mystery of Jeremy Swift's death any closer to a conclusion, but he had determined that the two other men involved in the investigation were hiding something. This meant that his involvement had become personally dangerous, and that he would need to work fast to take it to the end.

After parting with the Doc, he made directly for the Governor's cottage and banged on his door. Arnold had very few pieces on the board, so he would have to play them against each other to make any headway.

"Calling so late?" said Dare, opening the door in his nightshirt with a single candle in hand.

"Apologies. I'll make this fast," said Anthony. "Someone isn't telling everything they know."

Dare's eyes shifted in the fickle candlelight.

"I want to search the Doc's cottage, but I'll need to know he's not going to walk in on me doing it. Will you send a man for the Doc at first light? Tell him to come here to discuss the matter of Swift."

"I'm not sure I condone such a search," said Dare. "Not without cause. Why do you think you'll find anything at the Doctor's?"

"When we called on him earlier today, the door was barred."

"A man can bar his door."

"Indeed, but after he opened the door, I saw him put the tip of his index finger into his mouth. It meant nothing to me until later, when I noticed a large splinter of wood on his desk. Dark wood, unlike the desk itself. More like the floorboards."

"So he picked up a splinter from his floor?" Dare said flatly. "Forget the search, by God. I'll just have the men haul him to the gibbet right now."

"I know it sounds thin, governor, but I think he has something hidden under the floor. He picked up the splinter just before we arrived, while his door was barred, which means he was probably rushing to put it back before allowing us entry."

"Perhaps."

"And think about it, Dare. We were all in the middle of a compelling event when this happened, correct? If he rushed home to hide something in his floor, don't you think it's likely to be relevant to our search?"

"Quite possible, I'll grant. Fine, fine. Tomorrow morning, first light."

"Thank you, sir. Try to keep him talking as long as you can."

Arnold dismissed himself and headed back to his cottage. Despite the creeping hand of exhaustion brought on by a day of running through the colony, he was wide awake with anticipation. How long had it been since he'd been involved in a legitimate investigation? As long as it had been since the magistrate dismissed him from service, certainly. Six years, then. Six years since he brought disgrace to the name of Archard and been stripped of his titles. Titles like "Sir Arnold," the very one that Doc continued to glorify him with.

"Arn!" a shout came through the night.