"What are we going to do?" Annie lamented, her forehead leaning against the door. "Two dungeons… either Mrs. Lewis is eviler than we thought or this is one cooky castle."
"It is a bit unprecedented," Michael agreed, the darkness not stopping him from feeling around for another secret exit.
Turning, Annie slumped to the floor. "I'd feel better if Hannah and Molly were with us. What do you suppose she's doing to them? How much danger are they in? Oh, it's all my fault!"
Finding his way back to Annie, he sat down behind her. "I don't suspect she'll hurt them so long as your dad is around. What good are any of us dead if she's trying to get money from him?"
"Don't say 'dead'," she shivered.
"Sorry."
"Even if Daddy is able to have her arrested, he doesn't know where we are. Neither do Hannah and Molly. What if they don't find us in time?" She paused, hearing the distress in her voice. "Huh. So this is what it feels like to be Hannah."
"I've only known your dad a short while, but he seems like someone who isn't going to give up easily. He found us, didn't he?"
"Yeah… It's just that he hasn't been himself lately. Like all the fights he and Mom have been having and all this weirdness with Mrs. Lewis. Then her daughter? I'm not so sure it's true anymore, but it was weird for a while thinking that I might really have a sister. And then he seemed so disappointed in me for all the trouble we've been getting into on this trip. I wondered if maybe he'd love her more than me."
"How could he? He's only just met her."
Annie shrugged, hugging her arms across her stomach. "Because Marlene would have been his real daughter. It's different, you know?"
"I get it. At least I sort of do. I know what it's like to have a lot of siblings. When I was little, I was afraid my mum and dad would like my brothers more than me."
"Do they?"
Michael shook his head. "I don't think so. They treat us all the same. But sometimes, you know, the younger ones get more attention."
"I guess I kind of know what that's like, too. When Molly's parents died my parents spent more time with her than me. It didn't bother me though, for some reason. I guess because I knew what an awful time Molly was having. Like she needed them more than me for a while."
"Exactly. But then there are times when you need them more."
Annie let out a long sigh as she said, "Like I do now."
Feeling her tremble as she wrapped her arms around herself tighter, Michael slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Annie smiled even though he couldn't see it.
. . .
"How clever of you to find me, Oliver," Darlene said, a vague smirk hidden beneath her expression. "Although, I hear you had some help."
Oliver, with Punjab and the Asp at either side, stepped further into the room. "Give me my children."
"Not possible, I'm afraid."
"What do you want from me, Darlene? Is this a punishment for not inviting you to the knighting? I assure you it's not interesting enough to kidnap children."
Darlene scoffed. "You always were daft. How you became the richest man in the world I will never understand."
"I beg your pardon?"
"This isn't about the knighting. You simply refused to play the game."
"What game?" he questioned, aggravated.
"Marlene! Had you done as any other man in your position would, you would have written a check and rid yourself of the matter. But no, you had to be moral about it. Consider the 'right thing' to do."
"So, you're admitting she isn't my daughter then."
"Of course she's not your daughter!"
"I wasn't certain… but the eyes? I saw a resemblance. I swear it."
Darlene laughed. "What a fool you are. Have you forgotten you were not the only Warbucks I was acquainted with back then?"
He thought for a moment, then it dawned on him. "Cousin Charlie."
"Of course it was Charlie."
"I told you he was no good!"
Darlene scoffed. "He didn't know I was pregnant when he left. Heaven knows where he got off to. He was no better than you. Married to the sea and all that rot. Thankfully, my late husband was gracious. I wasn't always this bitter, Oliver. Times are tough. Dear as he was, my husband left me his debts. You were an easy target."
"Then this was all a ploy to earn a quick buck?"
"Good job, Oliver," she said with a yawn. "You're finally starting to catch on."
"I should have listened to Grace right off the bat," he grumbled.
"A nuisance, that woman. All of this would have been so much easier without her."
"Don't say a word about my wife. Because of you I nearly lost her!"
Darlene shrugged. "Is it my fault she's so sensitive? If one kiss and a paternity suit are enough to wreck your marriage, then there are clearly issues there I have nothing to do with."
Oliver huffed, a part of him grateful for the surrounding police officers. He'd surely have gone to strangle her otherwise. On the other hand, if they weren't, his bodyguards would never tell a soul.
"Shut up, Darlene," he said instead. "I'm not going to drag this out any further. Tell me where my children are now."
"Oh, so hard to say," she replied coyly. "Here and there, I suspect."
"You do realize I've got this place surrounded, don't you? You can't walk out of any of these doors. The jig is up."
Darlene scoffed. "Even if you do arrest me, I still have your precious children. You'll never find them. However, I am willing to organize a trade."
Taking one step closer, Oliver said, "This has all been a complete waste. You call me daft? Don't you realize if you'd just come to me and said you needed – hell, even wanted – money I probably would have given it to you? We go back, Darcy. I appreciated that memory once. You blew that chance when you kissed me. You played your cards wrong."
"That's a lot of hot air. Your wife never would have allowed it."
"She would have put me through hell. Don't think I'm not aware of that."
"This is a waste of time," she snapped. "It doesn't matter what wasn't done. The fact is, I have your kids and I'm in a position to assure harm comes to them should harm come to me. I'd choose your next moves carefully."
"I don't think she's bluffing, sir," the Asp murmured in Oliver's ear.
"Neither do I," he said in defeat.
Darlene smiled haughtily. She really had won.
