Stop it, she tried to tell him silently. But she wasn’t sure if he understood. The cords of his neck were tense, and they didn’t relax at the sight of her.
Without any introduction, Ruth turned to Esta, her voice unyielding as she asked a single question: “Where is it?”
Esta blinked. “Where is what?”
“The necklace,” Ruth said, stalking toward the chair where Esta was tied.
“I don’t have any necklace,” Esta said, well aware of exactly what necklace Ruth was referring to. And if they knew about the necklace, it was possible they’d also realized what her cuff was.
Ruth pursed her lips, clearly not believing her. “There is only one thing you could have wanted in the Streets of Cairo—it’s the same thing we want. We know you intended to steal the necklace, and we know that you went to the Exposition today to do just that. I allowed this particular farce to run to its conclusion because it suited my purposes, but the time has come. I’m out of patience.” She leaned down until she was close enough that Esta could see the fine lines that had already started to carve themselves into her face. “I’ll ask you this question only one more time: What have you done with the necklace?”
“We couldn’t steal what wasn’t there,” Esta told her. “It was a trap. When we got to the chamber, there was nothing in the case, and the Guard was ready for us.”
Ruth’s expression faltered. “You’re sure of this?” When Esta nodded, Ruth turned to the cowboy, but he only shrugged and gave a slight shake of his head. “I knew this would never work,” she told him. “We should have stopped them days ago and gone after the necklace ourselves.”
“Days ago?” Esta asked.
“A haircut and a suit might be enough to fool the Guard, but I’m not half so simple,” Ruth said. “Esta Filosik. The Devil’s Thief. I’ve had people watching you ever since North here saw you outside the theater.”
Esta kept her expression from betraying even a flicker of the anxiety she felt at the woman’s words. The fact that Harte had been right about her disguise barely even registered over the sudden and unpleasant realization that they’d been watched for days, and Esta hadn’t even suspected. She was either getting rusty, or these people—these Antistasi—were more formidable than she’d expected.
“If you knew who I was, I can’t imagine why you’d waste your time having me followed,” she said, trying to affect a haughty indifference. “You’d know already that we’re on the same side.”
“Are we?” Ruth said.
“Of course,” Esta insisted, refusing to show even a hint of her apprehension. She’d bluffed her way out of more difficult spots than this. If they thought she was the Devil’s Thief, then she would use every bit of that title to her advantage. “That is that why you use my name so freely, isn’t it?”
The woman’s nostrils flared in irritation, but she didn’t deny it.
“Yes, I know all about that,” Esta said, going on the offensive. “I’ve seen the masks and gowns. I know how your little group pretends to be the Devil’s Thief—to be me.” She watches Ruth’s expression go dark. “I know all about the Antistasi.”
The woman let out a hollow laugh. “We are no more the Antistasi than a drop of water is the sea.”
“But you’re part of them,” Esta pressed, testing the mood in the room as she spoke. Whatever doubts Ruth might have about her, the rest of the Antistasi in the room felt more tentative, supportive even—except maybe for the guy they called North. It seemed that even if Ruth didn’t much care whether Esta was the Devil’s Thief, the others in the room did. If she could use that to keep Harte safe, she would. “Or did you steal their name as well?”
“I’ve stolen nothing. We have earned the right to call ourselves Antistasi,” Ruth admitted, her tone dripping with acid.
“So I’ve heard,” Esta said, keeping her tone detached, aloof. She kept her eyes focused on Ruth, even as she wanted to look at Harte.
Ruth considered her. “Have you?”
Esta nodded. “You have quite the reputation in this town. It’s impressive what you’ve accomplished,” she said, playing to the woman’s ego.
But the ploy didn’t work. Ruth’s eyes narrowed. “Then you know already that we are not to be trifled with. If you knew anything at all about us, you would know that we don’t hesitate to destroy those we consider enemies.”
“Of course,” Esta said easily. “But I’m not your enemy. From what I hear? Seems like I’m more like your muse.”
“You?” Ruth laughed again before her mouth drew into a flat, mocking line. “You’re just a girl. The Devil’s Thief is bigger than any single person—she’s certainly bigger than you. You’re unnecessary at best. At worst, you are a problem that needs to be dealt with.”
“I’m not a problem,” Esta told her. But then she considered her words and gave Ruth a careless shrug, refusing to be intimidated. “Then again, maybe I am, but I’m definitely not your problem.”
“No?” Ruth mused. “From where I stand, you are a liability to myself and to the Antistasi.”
Esta gave a cold laugh, using the motion to glance at Harte, who was watching the conversation with a tense expression of concentration. “How do you figure?”
Ruth stepped toward her. “The police and the Guard have been looking for you ever since the night we helped you slipped past them at the Jefferson Hotel. For a week they’ve been on high alert, searching everywhere for some sign of you, which has been more than a simple inconvenience for me. Your presence in my town has made it nearly impossible for my people to do their jobs and has put every one of us in danger of being discovered. All because the authorities believe you to be something special, something dangerous. The Devil’s Thief,” she said, but there was a hint of scorn in her voice. “But here you sit, at my mercy. Barely a woman and too soft for anyone with eyes in their head to mistake you for a man. You are nothing but a liability.”
Esta let her mouth curve. “If you really believed that, you wouldn’t have tied us up and drugged us just to have this little conversation.”
“I don’t take unnecessary risks,” Ruth said, visibly bristling. “Not when the safety of my people is at stake.”
“I haven’t done anything to your people,” Esta countered. “There’s no reason to think I would.”
Ruth tipped her head to the side. “You didn’t plant a smoking device on my man?”
“He was following me,” Esta said, unapologetic. “And it’s not like he bothered to introduce himself. I didn’t know who he was or that he was one of yours at the time, and I had to distract him. Besides, he seems to be just fine.”
Ruth’s brows drew together. “While I’ll admit that I’m inclined to be impressed by anyone who’s able to get the better of North, I’m less inclined to be forgiving of your attempt to incriminate us with your reckless display at the fair.”
North. That must be the cowboy, Esta thought, and the way he was glaring at her only confirmed it.