The Best-Laid Plans by Addison Albright

Author:Addison Albright [Albright, Addison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JMS Books LLC
Published: 2019-05-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5: Searching

Efren

“What’s this about?” The woman rested one hand on her hip and rubbed the other forearm across her brow as she narrowed her eyes and assessed Denis, who had introduced himself and asked her if she’d noticed anything unusual pass by on the road this morning. She moved her gaze to Efren and the others who hung back by the road. “You’re from Zioneven. I saw your caravan heading north yesterday.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Efren replied. She wasn’t going to be forthcoming without further explanation, and moreover, a reason to assist foreigners she was old enough to remember as Sheburat’s enemy not quite two decades past, so he added, “I’m Crown Prince Efren. You might have heard about my wedding at Sheburat Castle two days ago.”

That got her attention. She straightened but remained silent…waiting.

“We are on our return journey to Zioneven, and our camp was attacked in the night. Prince Marcelo has been abducted and we’re tracking his captors to recover him.” Efren paused for emphasis before making his plea. “We, and your own queen, would greatly appreciate your cooperation and any information you can provide that might lead to the recovery of her son.”

The woman’s eyes widened as Efren spoke. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. Yes, there was a wagon traveling south this morning that caught my attention.”

“In what way, ma’am?” Denis asked. “What was unusual about this wagon?”

“Most of the traffic that comes by is regional farmers, and there’s more that I don’t personally know, but I recognize them as some that go by on occasion. Of course, there’s always some I don’t know at all—travelers like yourselves that were part of that group yesterday—so that’s not curious on its own.”

“But…?” Denis prompted.

“But, this wagon passed by heading north just last night about an hour after your group went by. Same wagon. Same horses, different driver. There might be a reasonable explanation, but that was curious.”

Efren and Denis shared a glance. This was a promising lead.

“Anything else about this particular wagon that seemed out of place?” Denis asked.

The woman shrugged. “The tarp, maybe? The load wasn’t full, and it’s a sunny day. I guess it depends on what was under it.”

Sunny and not at all windy. Still, there could be something legitimate that needed cover.

Denis continued to question the woman. She had been up well before the sun, working in her kitchen that had a window overlooking the road. She’d noticed everyone and everything that had gone by during the plausible stretch of time for their target to have passed.

Shortly before she’d arisen, she’d heard an unusual number of horses clopping by without the rattle of a wagon or carriage behind. And it was also possible there’d been foot traffic she hadn’t detected at all before entering her kitchen. But she was sure she’d been at work making bread and pastries before she’d heard any kind of horse-drawn conveyances.

“Seven wagons and carts went by this morning before you knocked on my door,” she said. “I know four of them, and they’d never be part of something like this.

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