Runaway (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 4)

Oscar nodded.

Jasper sighed because, as the Star Elite had suspected, the fop and his brother were behind the kidnappings.

“Jesus,” Oliver hissed.

“Do you like it where you were on Rigley Row?” Jasper asked.

“No. They bossed us around a lot and watched us all the time. It was no better than living with Edith.”

“Why would you want to go back there then?” Jasper prodded.

“I don’t,” Oscar replied.

“So, you won’t try to run away from here then?”

“Why? What do you want me to do?” Oscar glared suspiciously at them.

“I want you to stay here, eat and enjoy playing in the house. Do not go outside, though, unless you have one of us with you. Niall will show you to your room,” Jasper replied. “What we want to know from you is what house you lived in and, if you can remember, the layout of it. On Rigley Row, that is.”

“It was the one that stands on its own at the end of the street,” Oscar replied.

Jasper nodded his thanks.

“Oscar?” he called when the young man was at the door. Oscar paused to look back at him. “Did you and Molly have any money of your own?”

“Nah. If we had, Edith would have taken it off us anyhow. Molly always grumbled that she didn’t give us the allowance we were supposed to have.”

“Edith took it?”

Oscar nodded.

“Where would Molly get money from?” Jasper asked.

“She might have taken the housekeeping, but there was never much in the tin,” Oscar replied.

“Do you know where Molly might be now?”

“How should I? I didn’t even know she was in London,” Oscar replied with a scowl. He paused. “How do you think she knew where to look for me? London is a big place.”

“That is just what I was thinking,” Jasper muttered thinking about the night he had watched her being accosted by the mugger who had tried to drag her into the warehouse yard.

“Where is she and should we be worried?” Oliver asked when Oscar and Niall had gone.

“I think she is the reason Denzel is here,” Jasper sighed. “He clearly followed her to London.”

Everyone agreed.

“I think we have to consider that the thug who tried to drag her into the warehouse yard is from Rigley Row, and tried to snatch her upon Denzel’s orders,” Jasper added.

“Which means they will try to get her again,” Oliver concluded.

“If they can find her,” Jasper said.

Jasper cursed bitterly, shoved away from the table, and began to pace in front of the fire.

“Damn it, what am I doing?” he growled.

“Age doesn’t matter,” Oliver warned. “It can sometimes help.”