Cold Comfort (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 5)

“Sir Hugo is stepping on toes.”

“So you thought you would try to protect your criminal friends, did you?” Atticus challenged. “What are you really doing here, Argent? You don’t have any business with the War Office. Who let you through the door?”

“I am allowed to come here if I please,” Argent blustered. “I am acquaintances with the Attorney General himself.”

“Yes, but you are not the Attourney General, are you? In fact, Argent, as far as I am aware, you hold no position of authority in the War Office, ergo should not even be in the damned building,” Atticus snapped. “Now get out and don’t come back. If you have anything to say to any of my men, make sure you do so through the Lord Chief Justice, do you hear? Anybody holding offices less than his are not welcome in here, do you understand? Like Sir Hugo said, though, we will be in touch. I do believe you have knowledge that is going to be useful in our investigation. Of course, should you withhold it, I shall have no qualms about issuing a warrant for your arrest just so you don’t do anything more to protect those criminal friends of yours.”

“But-” Argent’s mouth fell open. He threw a panicked look at Sir Hugo, who didn’t move or even blink as Atticus yanked the door open.

“Turner!”

A uniformed officer suddenly appeared, his marching boots ringing hollowly on the tiled floor of the hallway.

“Sir.”

“Get this buffoon out of here and warn the guards on the door that he isn’t to be allowed back into the building without a confirmed appointment. Do you hear? No. Make that he isn’t allowed into the building at all. If any of the bloody Lord Chief Justice’s associates want to speak to me then they can do so through the sodding Lord Chief Justice himself and nobody less. Do you understand?”

“Sir.”

“Argent. Out. Now. And don’t bother to come back. You can tell those Smidgley friends of yours that they are not immune to justice. They are under investigation and are going to gaol for their crimes – all of them – and so will you for that matter seeing as you are helping them, so like Sir Hugo said, don’t leave the country. I wonder if Rufus knows just how close you are to the Smidgleys, eh? It wouldn’t do for the Attorney General’s honesty to be called into question by being associated with the Smidgley’s, now would it?” Atticus squinted accusingly at the squalid little man, who went from puce to pale and back again within a matter of several heartbeats. His flabby jowls wobbled when his mouth opened and closed several times. Not a word was said.

“I-I can assure you, sir, that I should never do such a thing as to get involved with their crimes,” Argent blustered.

“Oh?” Atticus turned and lifted high brows at Sir Hugo. “Has he just warned you to leave the Smidgley brothers alone?”

“Yes.” Sir Hugo mentally heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back in his seat. Folding his arms across his flat stomach again, he lifted a condescending brow at Argent. “One has to wonder how involved he is in their shenanigans.”

“Then I think he has to answer a few of our questions, before he goes anywhere.” Atticus opened the door again. “Turner!”

“Yes, sir.” Once again, Turner appeare

d in the doorway.

“Go and fetch several men. Mr Argent, here, is going to gaol, and is to remain there for further questioning.”

“But I haven’t committed any crimes,” Argent cried.

“You have been trying to interfere in a criminal investigation,” Atticus growled. “Moreover, you have been trying to protect criminals. We are not going to have a traitor in our midst, Argent, no matter who in the Hell you are working for.”

Turner hurried off to round up several heavily armed men.

“You can’t do that.” Argent’s panicked gaze flew to the door.

For a moment, Sir Hugo wondered if he was going to try to make a run for it. He slowly eased to his feet and edged around the table whereupon he propped his hips against his desk and folded his arms. As a much leaner, and considerably more powerful man, his physical stance made it clear that Argent, a much smaller, rotund gentleman, wouldn’t stand a chance. Argent seemed to realise that after he had raked Sir Hugo with a calculating look

“We can do anything we want,” Atticus growled. “And I am afraid there is nothing you, or the Attorney General, can do about it.”

This time, Argent did start to back toward the door. His heavy brows drew down. “I just came to warn Sir Hugo that I have heard rumblings that many are offended at his handling of the investigation, that’s all,” Argent blustered. “It won’t do to upset certain people who hold positions of power.”

“But if those positions of power have nothing to hide, there is no reason why they should be upset, is there? There is nobody in this land who cannot be removed from office if they have committed crimes, Argent. Remember that,” Atticus growled. “For now, you are off to gaol to await further questioning for treason.”

“No. No. You can’t do that. I demand to see the Attorney General. I demand my solicitor,” Argent cried loudly.

Atticus looked coldly at him. “You are going to get nothing until you have been questioned.”

Thankfully, Turner appeared with several men.

“Get him out of here,” Atticus growled. He stepped back while Argent was dragged, still protesting, out of the door.