Free Tangled Webs by Lee Bross

by the time she faced him again. The man only laughed, obviously happy with something. Slowly this time,
he pulled his hand out of his jacket and held it palm up. Empty. She frowned. He had meant to reach for something, she’d been positive about that. She’d seen the intention in his
eyes.
    “Fascinating. You’re as good as he said you were. There is, indeed, a pistol in my jacket, but I assure you, I had no real desire to use it on one so pretty.” His smile turned
almost charming and it softened his face. His gaze moved down over her bodice appreciatively, until the sharp tip of the blade under his chin forced his head back up. Amusement danced in his eyes
again. He smiled at her as if they were friends. As if he were not afraid of her at all.
    “I would like to offer you what that wretched excuse for a human being cannot. Lady A,” he said, bowing in front of her, “I would like to offer you your freedom.”
    The familiar fear started again, and despite how hard she tried to push it back down, it would not budge. This had to be a test. Why would anyone, especially this stranger, want to save her?
    “I’m afraid that you’re not in a position to extend such an offer, sir. I don’t have the time for false promises or games.” Arista needed to get away. From this
man, from this party—from all of it. Her ruse as Lady A had a certain structure to it. It was familiar. A part she could play with no real effort.
    But tonight, Grae had thrown her off balance, and before she could recover, this man was now offering her freedom.
    “How about a promise from someone that holds a much dearer place in your life? One whom you trust? One who, perhaps, has mentioned a way out recently?” he said quietly. “I
assure you that I am not playing games at all. I am simply giving you the chance to live the life you dream of.”
    Time stopped. The space around them shrank to the very spot where they stood. Arista could find no hint of treachery in his intentions, and that fanned the flames of fear dancing inside her.
He’d echoed the words Nic had whispered in the darkness last night, and she couldn’t ignore him any longer. There was a connection. She needed to know what it was. “Who are
you?”
    “I am but a
humble
thief taker.” Though he bowed his head, the square set of his shoulders told her differently. Nothing about him spoke of humility. His pride came through
loud and clear. He could only be one man. Her blood ran cold.
    Even in the Hells, London’s darkest places where people existed almost as animals, this man’s reputation was notorious. He lived with the power of the law on his side. The Thief
Taker General protected the interests of the richest in society, tasked by the Crown with tracking down their stolen property.
    Yet those in the Hells whispered rumors that he was also the one perpetrating the crimes against the rich themselves. Stealing. Embezzling. Smuggling. For a price, a high price, he would
“find” those responsible and claim the reward. Among thieves it was well known that if you did not work for the Thief Taker, you were against him. And his enemies were dealt with in the
harshest manner possible. They became the accused, and paid for the crimes they did not commit.
    This man before her could make someone disappear behind the walls of Newgate Prison, never to be seen or heard from again. He could exact deadly judgment on any who might betray him, under the
guise of justice.
    Nic said Bones was worried about the Thief Taker. It appeared that his paranoia held merit. Jonathan Wild, the Thief Taker General,
did
know who Bones was. And he also knew what his most
lucrative possession was. Lady A.
    “I see by your expression you’ve figured it all out now?” Wild smiled at her. It almost looked…pleasant. Pride shone from his eyes. “We are very similar, you know.
You and me. We both take from those who have too much—but while you pass along the spoils of your labor to someone