Edward did not answer immediately, his gaze flicking between me and where Henry undoubtedly clung to Doris, and I settled deeper into my stance. He took a pointed step back.
"His face is on every public alert board in Birmingham and the surrounding towns," he replied. "His uncle and mother have been searching for him since the night he disappeared. I work with his uncle, and Henry and I met once before, at last year's holiday party."
"Henry?" I asked, never looking away from Edward.
"Mum doesn't want me," his small voice answered. "Don't know an uncle. Mum took me to a party for Christmas."
"Do you remember meeting Mr. Kendrick?"
Silence answered me, and Holmes looked back.
"That was a no," he said quietly.
I gave no indication I had heard, studying Edward as I thought. Henry was young enough that he probably would not remember someone he had seen only once, months ago. Confusing those memories with his more recent fear could explain why he had thought Edward was his father, but I would take no chances.
"Is his father helping the search?"
"He had better not be," Edward answered immediately, scowling. "The scumbag was in jail the last I heard. Rodrick, Henry's uncle, realized what was going on and raided the house less than an hour after Henry disappeared. There was enough evidence in a single room that Henry's father will not walk freely for many years, and Rodrick and Mrs. Emily have been searching for Henry ever since."
"Mum doesn't want me," Henry repeated. "She left me with Father."
"She did not leave you, Henry," Edward contradicted. "Your father kidnapped you."
"Tell the full story." I relaxed my stance slightly, leaning on my cane instead of holding it at the ready, but the others did not move from their positions.
"Henry's father is a drunk," Edward replied, "as you probably already know." He glanced at the way the other older children had started drifting closer, apparently realizing that if he lied, he would end up in worse shape than Shelton. "His mother, Mrs. Emily Baines, works as an accountant for a lawyer in town, and his uncle works in my department of the Birmingham Museum. As Rodrick told me, Mrs. Emily moved Henry to my town nearly a year ago, seeking to escape her husband, and she became friends with a man in the archeology department. He invited her and Henry to the party, where I met them, though she did not meet Rodrick until after Henry disappeared. Henry's father waited for Mrs. Emily to go to work one morning before using a skeleton key to open the door. When Mrs. Emily returned at midday, one of Henry's backpacks was gone, as well as clothes and his favorite toy, and she has been searching for Henry ever since."
"Father knew our word," Henry supplied quietly. "He said Mum had told him to come get me and that she would come later. She never did. He said she had decided she enjoyed being alone better."
Sorrow shaded Edward's expression. "He lied to you, Henry. Your mother has searched for you every day, and Rodrick got involved when he recognized your father's name on your picture. He led the raid on your father's house, but you had already crawled out the window. Your father has been in jail for almost a month now."
"Where are they?" Holmes asked.
"Mrs. Emily is probably in Birmingham," he replied, "but Rodrick should have been on the two thirty train into King's Cross. He is supposed to work here for the next week covering for someone going on holiday."
"Do you know his hotel?"
Edward nodded. "We always use the same one in London. He will be in the same hotel where I am staying. We were going to meet for supper tonight." He pulled out his pocket watch, adding, "in about an hour, actually."
"Get him," I ordered, wanting to get rid of Edward long enough to talk to Henry. "Tell him only that we need to talk to him. We will meet you back at Baker Street."
Edward looked behind me once more, but he disappeared through the doorway a moment later. I relaxed completely, surreptitiously leaning against the wall as I directed my words at Henry.
"Did your mother hurt you?"
He shook his head. "Want to be with Mum, but she doesn't want me."
"You said your father told you that?" I checked. He nodded. "After everything he did to you, do you want to trust his word?"
He thought for a long moment, then slowly shook his head. "But don't know uncle."
"You will not leave with him if you are not comfortable," I promised. "We will see what he says first and go from there. Will you come to Baker Street?" I would much rather he did. He would be able to provide details we could use to check Rodrick, and it would be easier to protect him there, but the other children were capable enough that I could leave that decision to him.
He looked up at where Doris still stood next to him, one hand around his shoulders.
"You might recognize your uncle when you see him," she pointed out, "and you know Doctor Watson and Mr. Holmes will protect you. Doctor Watson nearly drew a sword on his uncle for you."
And I would have used it if needed, but I was paying for it now. I leaned harder against the wall.
He hesitated. "Can Tim come with me?"
"Of course Tim can come with you," Holmes answered. We probably would have asked Tim to come anyway.
Some of his fear eased at the promise. "I'll come."
"Good," I said with a gentle smile. "Do you have anything with you that you had at your father's?" He would only have taken something important, and an identifiable item could be used to prove a relationship, at minimum. Most children only let trusted family members see or handle such a thing, but Henry shook his head.
"Father took my dog."
The "favorite toy" Edward had mentioned had probably been a stuffed dog, I decided, but I did not confirm that.
"You will come back here tonight at least," I said instead, "so there is no need to pack your things." Every child in the courtyard had at least two changes of clothes, a blanket, and a cheap trinket or other small item to call their own, and I easily spotted Henry's bundle resting in its customary place near one wall. "Do the two of you want to walk to Baker Street or ride with us?"
"Betcha I can run faster than you," Tim muttered before Henry could ask to ride. He grinned when Henry's eyes quickly met his, and I quickly smothered my own smile.
"I won last time!"
"Only cuz I let you."
"Liar!"
Tim's grin widened. "Prove it."
Henry crossed his arms, pouting more than scowling as irritation distracted him from his worry. "You're on!"
"Guess we're walkin', Doctor," Tim told me, and I laughed.
"Alright. Follow Omega Protocol." He nodded. Henry was not the first child to flee an abusive situation, and the Irregulars had all learned different protocols to either hide the child indefinitely or get him or her to Baker Street without notice. They would find one of the older boys before taking side streets to the flat. "If the others are with us when you arrive," I added, "go sit in Holmes' bedroom. You will be able to watch and listen from there."
Nodding another acknowledgement, Tim guided Henry away, and Jackson accompanied them through the far door.
"Are you going to be able to walk to the street?" Holmes asked under his breath.
Probably not without help. The storm had stopped before Jackson arrived, but the throbbing in my knee from wearing that brace was not helping the pain radiating from my old scar. He had obviously noticed the way I used the wall and my cane to take my weight off my leg.
"Do you need anything?" I asked Doris instead of answering.
"Go home, Doctor," she replied, shaking her head. "We're fine for tonight. The others are trying to fix our cots so we can make a fort for the littles."
"There is a pile of scrap two alleys west of here," Holmes told her, "and the cobbler and blacksmith three blocks north might have some bent nails you can straighten."
"Two alleys west and three blocks north," she repeated. "Thank you. I'll send Nicholas and Johnny now. Am I still to meet you in the morning, Mr. Holmes?"
Doris should have reported her findings first thing tomorrow, but that was hardly necessary with Shelton in custody. Holmes indicated a negative, placing a coin in her hand.
"Here are your wages for today. I believe Jimmy intends to bring many of the younger children to Mrs. Hudson sometime midday. You can update me on anything new then."
She smiled widely at the thought of Mrs. Hudson's sugar biscuits, but she merely waved a jaunty farewell before moving back into the crowd. I eyed the distance to the door, debating trying to reach it on my own.
"Stubborn." Holmes' arm slipped through mine.
"As if you expect any less," I shot back, trying to hide the amusement and irritation that shot through me in equal measure. I had not wanted to announce how much I was hurting, but I seriously doubted I would be able to walk far without help. I had not overdone it this badly in quite some time.
He harrumphed but said nothing, and we started the slow walk towards the street.
And opinion twists again! Edward talked himself out of a sword fight, but do you think he is telling the truth?
Thanks to MCH1987, Corynutz, and Guest for your reviews. I loved reading every one of them.
Guest, I have to agree with you on Doris. The lady I knew and her Irregular namesake both rock, and I LOL'd many times writing that scene with Shelton.