Masterful Trickery

XVI. Prison Spectacle

*****

"Go to the apartment!" Ralph shouted at the driver the moment he jumped out of the carriage and before he stormed into the offices of The Town Herald.

His mind reeling, Ralph found Samuel inside his office, reading a paper.

His friend looked up in surprise.

"We do not have much time," Ralph said, stopping in the middle of the room only to start pacing.

"What the bloody hell happened to you?" his friend inquired, straightening in his seat and dropping the parchment he was reading.

"She has been taken by the Guards."

Samuel frowned. "Who?"

"The bandit."

Samuel blinked in confusion. "Is that not what Guards are supposed to do?"

"I meant Alex!" he snapped.

Samuel sat confused for a moment before the name registered and he shot to his feet. "You went after the bandit! Why the bloody hell would you go after your sisters' friends!"

"I was working with her on a case!" Ralph said, ignoring Samuel's latter comment. He would rather not think about his sisters' reaction at the moment.

"You must realize, Ralph, that I am bloody confused."

Ralph did his best to recount his journey with Alex, starting from Whiston and to Blucksley as efficiently and fast he could. And while doing so, Samuel was back in his chair, gaping at him with disbelief.

"Now, I need you to help me get her out of there. She could very well be dead before the morrow."

"I would love to ask why you allowed her to walk away with the Guards, Ralph, but I know it would not lead us to anything productive so I shall allow that tiny bit of stupidity slide," Samuel started. "But I would love to ask why you came to me."

"Because I cannot go to Devitt this time for help," he snapped at his friend, hands on his hips. "My brother-in-law's position in the Men of Courts would be questioned should it be found out he had anything to do with a prison breakout."

Samuel blinked rapidly, his mouth falling open even wider. "A prison breakout?"

Ralph made an impatient sound with his tongue. "There is no other way to get her out of there alive. And we are running out of time. Sophia is being held somewhere and Alex—"

"Surely you could do this in a more legal manner!" Samuel said, coming to his feet. "You find the right people to make certain that she is protected inside the prison. I could continue to harass the Guards in my articles to refrain them from repeating the incident with the killed prisoner from last time. We let her go through a trial with the help of your brother-in-law. She would eventually have to be set free as I am certain the Guards do not have anything against her other than the fact that they were ordered to by someone. And whilst all that is happening, you go on your way and find this Jeremy Briars and rescue Sophia." But when Ralph shook his head, Samuel scoffed. "A bloody prison breakout will merely make her a stronger target for these Guards, you fool."

Ralph saw his friend's reason, but he also knew that keeping Alex in that prison would be very dangerous. He shook his head. "I do not wish to be killed by a ghost."

"What?" his friend ask incredulously.

Ignoring Samuel's question, Ralph looked his friend squarely in the eye. "You must help me."

Samuel's jaw tightened. "Bloody hell, you always bring me trouble, you bastard."

"Let us come up with a perfect plan from that perfectly witty mind of yours, Samuel. You have always been good with mind games."