Chapter 19: Catching a Torch

I grinned as I watched Ashton chasing the calves and Maria giggled. The boy had filled out a lot since I had brought him home. He loved to care for the animals and Sarah acted like he was her little brother whenever she was around. Ann seemed to have a soft spot for him as well. As much as he had disliked it at first it was hard to get him out of his daily bath.

I turned and glanced at the city and frowned at the pillar of dark smoke, “it looks like another fire.”

Maria shifted and hugged my arm, “they say someone is doing it on purpose.”

I nodded, “it started with empty buildings but the last couple had people in them.”

She bumped me, “go find whoever is doing it.”

I looked at her and she smiled, “you are bored and I do not want someone burning my house.”

I smiled and gave her a kiss before I started walking towards the city. I headed through the city and followed the column of smoke until I reached the crowd of people passing buckets to keep the fire from spreading to the houses on each side. I looked around at the crowd of people watching the fire burn and my eyes stopped on one man.

His eyes were bright and he kept licking his lips as he stared. They finally managed to put the fire out and the man turned and slipped into the crowd. I followed him and moved back as he reached streets with fewer people. I glanced at a street beggar when the man went into a building that sold rooms. I held up my hand and showed a couple of silvers.

The beggar looked from my hand to my face before moving towards me, “my lord?”

I held out the coins and dropped them into his hand, “you saw the man that just went into the building across the street?”

He nodded and I gestured to the coins in his hand, “I will double it if you watch and follow him. You can send a runner to me at the guard building and I will pay him a silver. My name is Sinclare and I am a thief taker.”

He looked at the building, “the man?”

I shrugged, “maybe the man I want.”

He grinned, “I will watch.”

I nodded and turned to head to the guard building. When I walked in the commander, a magister and the duke were together arguing. I cleared my throat and they looked at me and the commander grinned, “just the one we need. None of the street people or our informants know anything about the one starting these fires.”

I nodded as I crossed the room, “that does not surprise me. Someone doing this is not going to tell people or let anyone see him do it. He will keep it secret and only start a fire when he knows he can get away with it.”

I glanced at the three men looking at each other and shrugged, “the ones that do not do it for money have to watch the fire burn, that is how they get caught. The flames draw them like a moth to a lantern and sometime there are both kinds.”

I glanced at a couple of guards coming in, “I followed a man from the last fire. I have a beggar watching the building. I will stay with him or have him watched until there is another fire. If he does not set it I will have to keep looking.”

The duke nodded and looked at the commander, “find the street people and pay them to watch him.”

I shook my head, “I will watch him. If he is the one we will know within a day.”

They frowned but nodded since there had been a fire almost everyday. I slipped out and glanced at the ragged beggar that began to follow. I returned to the building and the man I had paid to watch. He grinned, “he has not come out.”

I nodded and handed him another two silver coins, “thank you for watching.”

He took them and headed down the street as I squatted just inside an alley but where I could still see the building. I was also watching the windows and saw when the man kept peeking out. I glanced at the men as they snuck up the alley and Gregor squatted beside me. He grinned, “the one starting the fires?”

I looked at him before nodding, “see the third window? He keeps peeking out and checking the street.”

He snorted, “silly beggar. There are a half dozen ways into that building that do not come from this street.”

I smiled, “and I am hoping he is the one I seek or another home will burn tomorrow.”

Gregor sighed, “you are not sure.”

I shook my head and he glanced back, “we could...”

I shifted to look at him, “if you interfere and it is not him do I take you?”

He sighed, “but he could be.”

I looked at the others as they glanced around, “aye and my house could be the next he burns.”

Gregor grinned, “so you are going to sit out here and watch.”

I nodded, “that is what I do most of the time.”

One of the others snorted, “we could...”

I looked at him and Gregor shook his head, “forget it. The thief taker is right.”

He looked at me, “how about we watch and you pay us if he is the one?”

I smiled, “you want to be thief takers? Very well, you work for me under my license. If and when I catch him I will pay you but you pay those that help you.”

He grinned, “deal.”

I nodded and stood, “I will return at dawn. He seems to like to move and start fires around then. Get wooden night sticks like I carry for yourself and for anyone else you use. A blade used at the wrong time or in the wrong way could mean the goal.”

I smiled as I started down the alley, “besides hitting the bastards a few times feels better.”

They chuckled as I left and made my way home. Gregor might be living in a shade of grey but he has always protected people. I did chores at home but my mind was on the fire starter and I could not sleep. When I slipped up behind the man watching the house he jerked but I caught him before he could yell.

He grinned, “Gregor will be here when the sun rises.”

I nodded as I looked at the building, “is anyone watching the back?”

He nodded, “two lads. One to follow and the other to come here.”

I squatted beside him and glanced down the dark street. It was predawn when the lad peeked out of the narrow alley and waved. I was up and moving as the other man stood, “get Gregor.”

I followed as the lad turned to hurry back down the alley. He peeked out as I caught up, “a man wearing a dark cloak came out.”

He started walking down the narrow back street and I followed. A minute later we caught up with the other lad who was looking down another alley. I glanced back at the sound of running feet and saw Gregor and the other watcher. I touched the lads as I went around them and started down the alley.

At the other end I looked around the corner to see the dark cloaked man slipping into a building. I glanced at Gregor and the other man when they caught up, “he just went into a building.”