Chapter 22. Let the Games Begin.
William had left immediately after dropping Anne, he joined back up with Richard, who by this time, with Mrs Dawkins and the caretaker had entered the apartment that Wickham had made his escape through, with little luck in finding the fleeing suspect.
Mrs Dawkins had been dropped off at her own apartment, despite her protests a security detail was posted at the apartment block, an agent in her apartment, the one Wickham had fled through and two who were posing as maintenance workers at the apartment block.
Richard and William had been strategizing, trying to figure out what Wickham's next move would be, and who was heading up the operation he was involved in. There was no ways that Wickham was the kingpin, he lacked the resources and the acumen, he had just enough sleaze to be an operative.
Williams phone rang "Its Aunt Catherine!" he looked at Richard.
"Well answer it, you know how she gets!" Richard said, starting to break into a grin.
"Aunt Catherine, Good afternoon, how are you?" William decided to just deal with the dragon.
"William! Where is Anne? Why can I not get into my apartment?"
"You are back? Anne said you would be away for at least more months"
"Yes, yes I am back and I cannot get into my own home." She was getting very impatient.
William resisted telling her it was actually Annes home "Anne is at Charles Bingley house, I am not sure if you know but George Wickham was holding her hostage in the apartment. After Richard and I freed her we thought it best for her safety to not be at the flat alone."
"Yes, yes, I know about that, stupid man, do not know what he thought he was doing! How do I get into my apartment?" Catherine was getting very impatient.
"We will get the keys from Anne and bring them to the apartment; we will meet you there." William said ending the call. "Oh well she knows about Wickham taking Anne hostage, so at least we do not have to break that news to her."
"She knows? How?" Richard asked, "Anne was not able to get hold of her."
"Perhaps Anne managed to get hold of her in the meanwhile?" William said, but then realised "No, if she had spoken to Anne she would know where Anne was, and why she can't get into the apartment."
Richard and William looked at each other.
"No!" Richard said, looking at his cousin, "Aunt Catherine, Wickham's boss?"
"She's an old lady, surely not?" William asked
"We cant deal with this, she is related to us, we need to take this to William Lucas." Richard said.
"Agreed!" William nodded
With that the two of them got into the car and headed over to William Lucas's offices, calling him of the way to give him a heads up.
Arriving at the offices, they found Mr Lucas, Richard's father, Earl Fitzpatrick, a government agent; a couple of police officials and a few people they assumed were involved in the current investigations.
William and Richard felt very foolish presenting their theory about their aunt to these people, but they had discussed it on the drive over, the timelines were matching up, their aunt suddenly left to visit her northern properties shortly before the discovery of Lydia and Emma, then her trip was extended, way beyond any visit she had done before. Wickham who did not have a fixed job or income always seemed to have money and resources. There was no way he could have secured that cabin under his own resources or hired additional hands to run the trafficking.
Richard's father had the grace to look sheepish as his son noticed that he was not surprised at this revelation.
"As you are not a full-time member of the team, we felt it safer to not give you all of the information we have collected to date, my sister has recently come onto our radar, and then again yesterday, unfortunately we lost her when she headed off into the country and drove around like a crazy person. We are collecting evidence so that when we do arrest her no amount of high-powered lawyers can get her released.
Unfortunately, she is very crafty, and we have a lot of speculation but no actual evidence that directly tie to her." Richard's father looked very relieved telling his son and nephew, as if keeping this secret had been a burden for him.
"What about Emma?" Richard said, "she said she was taken by an older woman, not Mrs Young? Could she have seen my aunt and identify her?"
"We did speak to her, but she said she did not remember much, but I don't think she is trying to remember to be honest." Earl replied, "we have been talking to her, hoping she would remember some small clue, even if it was not my sister, it might be what we need to link this whole operation to my sister, or whoever is running the show."
"Perhaps we need to somehow get my aunt and Emma in the same room?" Richard suggested.
"How, despite both being wealthy women, they do not socialise in the same places. Or Emma would have recognised her already. We would have to create a situation where they meet but without any collateral damage or danger to Emma." William was thinking out loud. "My sisters birthday party might be an opportunity, except for all of the guests, I am starting to think Aunt Catherine might be a tad mentally unstable."
"My sister does seem to have lost the plot, but her social image has always been the most important thing to her, even under dire circumstances I do not see her risking her reputation." Earl could see where William was going with this. But do Georgiana and Emma even know each other?"
"No but she could come as Lydia's guest, or we could say it is for her safety." Richard added
"We would have to tell her the real reason for being there, it would be unfair considering what she has been through" William said, "but I think I should introduce her to my sister beforehand, and let Georgiana know what is going on. Catherine is also her aunt after all." William was also thinking that it might do Georgiana and Emma good to talk to each other having been through the same ordeal.
"It sounds like our best bet at the moment, until we can establish who the kingpin is, albeit Catherine or someone else" interjected William Lucas, William startled, he had almost forgotten that Mr Lucas was there the man had been so quiet.
"Just so that everyone is aware, I will kill the whole operation if my sister is in any form of danger, or Emma." William said, his voice was quiet but firm.
"Understandable!" William Lucas responded
"Elizabeth and Charlotte will also have to be briefed, as they are the party planners for Georgiana's event." William could not suppress the feeling of happiness he got, in the anticipation of spending more time with Elizabeth.
They moved the meeting from William Lucas's office to the boardroom and started to plan the minute details of the operation ahead of them. It was agreed that William and Richard would liaise with the ladies from The Light Fandango, as it was William who was hosting the event, and the two men already knew the ladies involved.
William Lucas knew he could fit that bill just as well, but he thought it would not be hard to encourage the young people towards each other. He was after all, deep down, a soft-hearted matchmaker. He could also envision his wife's delight at his daughter finally dating someone as for himself he like the young Fitzwilliam and thought he was a fine match for Charlotte.