The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

Author:Michelle Griep [Griep, Michelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781636090627
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2021-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Infuriating man! Kit stopped where the dock met the water and planted her feet, shoulders stiff against the footsteps grinding into the foreshore behind her. Why, oh why, had she said so much? Given Jackson Forge a peek into her true thoughts. Exposed the underbelly of her doubts and fears. She’d done stupid things before, but none quite so reckless as this. Worse, she never should have listened with open ears when he planted those stunningly awful questions that would surely haunt her in the blackest hours of the night.

“Will you trust Him despite your circumstances?”

“Will you depend on Him rather than yourself?”

She ground her teeth, not wanting to know the answers, for to do so meant she’d be forced to give up control. And that was something she simply couldn’t do, for she had no one else to depend upon. Her parents had deserted her. Miss Lila had refused to defend her. Even the Cards, though they’d tried, had not filled her craving for love. “In the end, everyone else will fail you—including yourself.” No. If she didn’t survive by her own wits, she’d die. Plain and simple.

Thankfully, Jackson waited silently behind her as the few passengers from the water taxi scooted past them into the thickening fog. If he said one more thing, asked her any more personal questions, she’d swing around and pop him a good one on the jaw.

When the boat was empty, she stepped onto the warped boards of the dock and faced the great toad humped at the back of the boat. A single, unnatural growth bulbed out at the side of the river runner’s nose, purplish and pitted. A great gash of a mouth cut across the bottom half of his face, and who knew if he had eyes, his cap sagged so low. No wonder he worked the night shift. With a visage like that, he’d scare off customers by the light of day.

She stared him down with a tilt to her head. “You Scudder?”

“Who’s askin’?” he croaked.

“I am.”

He lifted the front of his cap, and instantly she understood why he wore it so low. His eyes bulged even more than the warty growth on his nose. “A farthing fer a skippin’ and another fer a gob-waggin’.” He shoved out his hand.

This was the man, all right. She’d bet on it. She arched a brow at Jackson.

Without a word, he retrieved the coins. He paid the runner, then offered her a hand into the boat. He followed after she settled, bumping up against her as he sat at her side.

“Pardon.” He flashed her a smile. “Don’t have my sea legs yet, apparently.”

Scudder’s face darkened, and her breath caught in her throat. Jackson sounded like a green-bowed gentleman, which would not grease the jaws of a jaded runner. She’d have to do some silvery talking to put the man at ease.

She faced Scudder with a wink. “Just need a piece o’ bait, luv. A few, actually. And this fish here is willing to sweeten yer pocket for it.

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