Runaway (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 4)

“You are stealing from the people you charge to live here in conditions like this,” Niall warned. “I am going to arrest you for it.”

“Who are you?” The woman began to look wary.

“The magistrate’s men, and I am now placing you under arrest for stealing from the people who rent these rooms from you,” Niall repeated.

“It ain’t mine,” the woman protested.

“But you take the money,” Jasper replied. “That makes you the thief.”

“I ain’t no thief,” the woman spat.

“So, you don’t take money from these people?” Jasper retorted.

“Of course I do, but it ain’t my house is it?” the woman replied.

“So, you can be arrested for robbing people,” Niall reported. “Charging anybody to live here is robbery.”

“Here here.”

One by one, as Jasper and Niall stood talking to the landlady, the residents came out of their rooms and had all gathered to listen. It was stunning to Jasper that they all looked dirty, unkempt and were clearly in dire straits. One or two of them even looked quite ill, he suspected because of the conditions they were living in.

“I ain’t stolen nothin’. You had better have a word with the man who owns it. It ain’t me. This ain’t my business.” The woman backed toward the door to get away from the probing questions.

“But it is your business. You tell the occupants what to do, and take money off them. It is very much your business,” Niall protested.

Jasper sighed and threw Niall a warning look.

“I suppose we could take a more lenient approach, as long as you tell me what you know about the young woman who rented this room off you,” Jasper mused.

“What do you want to know?” The woman frowned at them both.

“How much have you charged her for living here?”

The old woman named a figure that Jasper knew was a lie. He lifted a brow and fixed her with a steady stare.

“I think you can do better than that, unless you want to be arrested for lying to one of the magistrate’s men.”

“What has she done? I don’t want no criminals staying ‘ere,” the woman reported.

“No, because one criminal in this establishment is enough,” Jasper snapped. “Now, tell me the real amount you have been charging her. I warn you now that she is going to confirm it. If I find out you have been lying to me, I shall arrest you for it.”

The woman grumbled a sum that was pure daylight robbery, and made Jasper so mad that for a moment, all he could do was stare steadily at her and pray that he had misheard her.

“You charged her what?” He asked coldly.

The woman remained silent but began to look decidedly shifty.

“This is London,” she mumbled, tugging in effectually at her shawl.

“I am well aware of that, madam, seeing as I have lived here all of my life,” Jasper retorted coldly. “I am also well aware that you are a thief and a liar and are ripping off the people who live here. I shall arrest you if you do not refund the money to all of them - immediately.”

“It ain’t for me to do that,” the woman grumbled.

“Yes, it is. You take the money. You refund it,” Jasper protested. “Or face arrest.”

Jasper was aware that Niall was studying him closely but didn’t stop to explain that he wanted Molly to be turned away if she ever appeared at the door to this dump looking for accommodation again. As far as he was concerned, he would move Heaven and earth to make sure she never even thought about the place again, much less ventured near it.

When a small voice prompted him to find the reason why he felt so protective toward her, Jasper swiftly blanked it out, but would contemplate it later. Much, much later when he was alone, and had nothing to do with his time than think about a future with Miss Molly Egerton.