“It’s all right.” Wells offered her a handkerchief. “Thank you for the information, Flora. Come, I’ll take you back to Millie.”
“There is one more thing. Another girl said she got close enough to the door, and she thought she heard a noise.”
“What was it?” Kane asked.
Flora’s stare bore into him. “She said it sounded like crying.”
Fear and loathing twisted around his heart. Good God, they had to be close. Was this where the girls were held before they were taken somewhere else?
As scenarios ran through Kane’s mind, Wells escorted Flora out.
“Shall I come back?” Wells asked, glancing between Kane and Heath.
“No. I will contact you tomorrow.”
“Very well. I’ll have at least one man watching this place day and night.” With that, the detective closed the door behind him.
Now they were alone. He turned to face Heath, who had not moved from his spot. Heath rubbed his chin, the wrinkles of a frown marring his face.
“Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on? Who was that man? And how did you come to be here tonight?”
“I could ask you the same thing, at least about the last bit.” Kane put his hands on his hips, ready to be on the defensive.
“I came here tonight to investigate.”
“Investigate what?”
Heath let out a loud sigh. “One of the maids, Jessica, has gone missing. She’s Mrs. Baum’s goddaughter, and she asked for my help.”
Kane had hoped Jessica was not another innocent victim. “How did you know to come here?”
“Earlier today, Mrs. Baum told me she’d heard rumors about this place, so I promised to look into it. I watched the activity down in the main room and noticed several women coming upstairs with men. I finally decided to look for myself when I stumbled in here.”
Heath gave him a pointed look, as if saying it was his turn to take over the storytelling. Since it appeared they were on the same page, Kane would tell him the whole truth.
“Let’s sit down first.” He led Heath over to the bed. “Caroline Hearst has had several of her students go missing over the last few weeks. That’s what we were talking about at the picnic that first time you saw us together. She needed someone to confide in, and being a fellow teacher, she figured I would be a sympathetic ear. Naturally, I offered her my assistance.”
“Is that what you meant when you said you were helping her with a personal issue?”
“Yes.” Kane took Heath’s hand. “I didn’t tell you because you had so much going on already with your studies, the brewery, and your other business. I didn’t want to burden you.”
“So you lied to me?” Heath narrowed his gaze.
“No. I never lied, but merely withheld all the facts. Heath, I didn’t do this to be malicious towards you. I knew that with your kind heart, you would jump feet first into helping. And since we’ve ended up here together, my assumption was correct.”
Heath pulled his hand from Kane’s grasp. “But you assumed I couldn’t handle this additional stress in my life? I was in the military Kane, where every day brought its own new surprises. I believe I am equipped for this type of thing. Or do you think me so weak…”
Kane sprung to his feet. “I never said nor thought that you were weak. How dare you put those words into my mouth. In the time since we’ve known each other have I ever insinuated that?”
Heath signed. “No.”
This was not how Kane had pictured his evening would end. He finally had Heath in a bedroom and all they were doing was arguing. For now, he had to make amends for his deception. He sat down next to Heath again.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Caroline is your friend and asked for your help. I would have done the same thing. Besides, when she confided in you, we weren’t...”
A couple? Lovers?