Both men remained quiet until Argent’s protests had faded.
“He is up to his neck in the Smidgleys’ criminal activities, isn’t he?” Atticus murmured quietly.
Sir Hugo nodded. Atticus took a seat and studied the Sir Hugo, who had the respect of everyone who held positions of power. Sir Hugo was a man who had a reputation for getting results. He was as straight forward and honest as the day was long and could be relied upon to be discrete. There was nobody else he would put in charge of such an investigation, not least because he knew Sir Hugo didn’t move about in society very much. He was dedicated his family and his job and in that order. Everything else held little significance for him. Consequently, he would curry no favours, and consider nobody’s ruffled feathers or offended sensibilities when making his enquiries. Sir Hugo could be ruthless when roused, yet cold, clean, and clinical in his precision. He was perfect for this particular investigation given the difficulties of the case and the people Atticus suspected were involved.
“I think you should know that Argent is able to bend the Attorney General’s ear. For now, we can keep him quiet in gaol, but we cannot do so forever. What do you need to get your investigation completed faster?”
Sir Hugo stared at his boots.
“What?” Atticus prompted when Sir Hugo didn’t answer. After a moment or two, his gaze turned knowing. “You really think I would put my social connections before my work, didn’t you? You really think I would turn a blind eye to the ruthless exploits of the Smidgley brothers and put the lives of the men in the Star Elite at risk to do so.” It wasn’t a question.
Sir Hugo looked at him squarely in the eye. “Men are expendable. All good soldiers are. You know that is the attitude the War Office takes.”
“The Star Elite have taken many years to train. They are irreplaceable,” Atticus assured him firmly. “This is the safety of the country we are dallying with here. If we allowed corruption in the halls of power, the entire country would be thrown into chaos and we would never be in any position to fight, and win, another war. Whatever position anybody holds in this organisation, or the Lord Chief Justice’s office, if a person is corrupt then they have to be removed from their position, and face justice for their crimes. What I would say is that you must, and I repeat, must, make sure that you investigate the people in positions of power very carefully. Stay hidden, eh? It won’t do for them to have the ability to hide their crimes.”
“Is my position safe?” Sir Hugo asked carefully. “Do I have authority to do whatever I need to in order to ensure my mission is a success?”
Sir Hugo wasn’t surprised when Atticus sighed.
“While I do have the confidence to say that the Lord Chief Justice himself isn’t involved in whatever the Smidgley brothers are doing, it is safe to say that even he thinks the Attorney General is. He has been a little too vociferous in his objection to your investigation into the Smidgleys as well. But, because many in the hallowed halls of power are involved, many are going to have to be removed. It is going to make things a little unstable for a while. Because of it, you might do better to stay out of sight. Of course, you have my full authority to do whatever you need to do, but be swift and silent, and very, very, thorough Dunnicliffe. You must make sure that you leave no stone unturned. I think it might be best if your men stay out of sight for now. After all, nobody can stop you if they can’t find you.”
Sir Hugo’s face hardened. “Do you think they want you out of office?”
Atticus sighed. “I haven’t had any direct threats, you understand? But the Smidgley brothers have a gang of cretins working for them. Who knows what they would do? I have to take steps to protect my dear Clara, especially given some of the young women who have been snatched are pretty much the same age as her. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to me and my dear Clara was taken by them.”
“Do you want me to put a watch on her? She doesn’t have to know about it,” Sir Hugo offered.
Atticus considered that but then immediately shook his head. “Right now, she is safely tucked up at home in the country. She will be all right, but I want you to promise me that if anything does happen to me; if, for whatever reason, I am removed from my position, or worse, killed; you will put a watch on her. I don’t doubt they would snatch her if she was left – vulnerable.”
Sir Hugo nodded, and fully supported the man’s fatherly concern. He had no idea what he would do if any of his daughters were snatched.
Go quietly out of my mind probably, while I tore this damned country up finding her again.
“Don’t be worried about stepping on toes, and don’t be worried about what position of authority the guilty hold. Nobody can have immunity.” With a brief nod, Atticus quietly let himself out of the office.
Sir Hugo watched the door close and then slumped back into his chair behind the desk. He was a little stunned that his suspicions had been proven to be partly founded in fact. He now felt a little sorry that he had suspected his boss, Atticus Potter, the great Secretary of War who held the highest position in the War Office, might have been involved.
“That means the Attorney General, Raymondson, and Argent are,” Sir Hugo growled into the silence of his now empty office. “Now what?”
For once in his entire career, Sir Hugo knew he faced the prospect of having to bring down half the War Office, and the men in power in the Lord Chief Justice’s office, and for once, he wasn’t at all that even the Star Elite would be able to manage it.
CHAPTER TEN
“What happens now?” Emmeline asked quietly. She studied the huge kitchen Oliver escorted her into but didn’t move away from the door. For a moment, she watched the rather domesticated scene of everyday life as the men removed cloaks and boots and poked the fire back into life before they set about putting various foodstuffs onto the table.
/> “Come and sit down and have something to eat. I don’t know about you, but I am starving,” Oliver grinned.
Emmeline stared at him in dismay. “You have just dropped two thugs off in gaol.”
“Yes.” Oliver was too busy slicing off large chunks of bread of a loaf in the middle of the table to pay much attention.
“Aren’t you worried that these Smidgley men might go looking for them?”
Oliver began to slather butter onto the bread and barely looked up. “I don’t doubt they will, but they won’t find them.”
“They have no idea where they have gone. Or the carriage for that matter,” Harry added.
Emmeline shook her head. “What do you plan to do with them? I mean, you cannot just swipe them off the street and lock them up for, well, whatever.”