Runaway (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 4)

“Upstairs,” Oliver growled. “Harry has an eye on her bed chamber door, if only to stop her from accusing Molly of stealing something else. God, that woman screeches.”

“Molly?” Jasper scowled.

“Marilyn,” Sir Hugo corrected.

Jasper nodded, but before he could even begin to find a way to deal with the situation, Sir Hugo leaned toward him and looked conspiratorially at the door.

“There is something more,” Sir Hugo sighed.

“Go on.” Jasper knew his boss. Whatever he had to tell them was not good news.

“The magistrate has contacted me to tell me that Edith has been found dead. It appears that she has been poisoned.”

“Jesus,” Jasper hissed. “I don’t think either Molly or Oscar are going to be sad about that.”

“Do you think Edith actually sent that letter?” Sir Hugo asked.

“We can’t be sure, can we?” Jasper sighed and leaned back in his seat to study his boss.

“I have contacted the local solicitor and requested Edith’s will is sent to us so we can examine it, preferably before anything is signed over to Denzel. That is assuming she has changed her will to leave everything to him,” Sir Hugo warned. “I have informed the solicitor there that we suspect Denzel is her killer, and that we have him under investigation. Denzel is to be arrested for Edith’s murder when we can get our hands on him.”

“Well, we know where he is,” Oliver snorted.

“Do we? Do you really think that the man is going to sit around in an inn every day just waiting for us to turn up?” Sir Hugo looked sceptically at Oliver. “He has someone watching the tavern. I don’t doubt that as soon as Molly or Oscar appeared they would be swept off the street just as effectively as the women in Leicestershire and Derbyshire.”

“That is less likely now we have arrested most of the mob from Rigley Row, surely?” Oliver blustered.

“We didn’t get everyone, especially Denzel. Just because he is alone doesn’t mean he is any less dangerous,” Jasper warned. “He managed to force Oscar out of Leicestershire by himself and didn’t even accompany him on the coach down here.”

“Molly would fight him,” Oliver countered.

“He would kill her,” Jasper snapped.

Sir Hugo leaned forward. “What do you plan to do about her? Molly, that is?”

Jasper sighed. “I have absolutely no idea.” It was the truth. He didn’t have the slightest clue what he did want to do about her. What he knew quite definitely was that he didn’t want her to leave.

But I doubt I will ever be at a point in life where I want her to go and forge a life on her own.

He knew he would go quietly out of his mind with worry if he couldn’t make sure she was all right, safe, eating properly, or if Oscar was behaving himself.

“If Molly truly isn’t the one for you then we will make sure her and her brother are provided with a small property of their own, and a stipend so they can set up a home. It will be enough to give them the fresh start they need. What I want to know is what your personal intentions are toward Molly because if you do want a future with her and you are likely to marry it changes what the Star Elite will do to help them.” Sir Hugo leaned back in his seat.

Jasper looked at him. He wanted to be honest but needed to contemplate what he did feel for Miss Molly Egerton before he spoke of the future with anybody, especially Sir Hugo.

“I work for the Star Elite. My interest in her extends no further than that,” he declared flatly. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure she stays where we need her, and that brother of hers. Apart from that, my interest is purely professional.”

“Sure?” Sir Hugo asked.

Jasper nodded briskly. He shoved roughly away from the table and began to pace while he munched an apple, but Sir Hugo stopped him from leaving.

“Fair enough. I shall arrange for them to be moved out of here just as soon as it is safe to do so. Meantime, I want Marilyn investigated thoroughly. Leave no stone unturned. I want to know why she arrived so conveniently, and what, if any, connection she has with Rigley Row, especially Denzel.”

Jasper nodded grimly, but only heard half of what Sir Hugo said. He was struggling to comprehend just how much guilt now weighed heavily on him for not wanting a future with Molly. He knew exactly what caused that guilt, it was because he had just lied to Sir Hugo. He felt as though he had just damaged, or even lost something precious, and he wasn’t at all sure he was ever going to get it back.

Molly crept back up the stairs to her bed chamber. Her knees shook with the amount of effort it took to restrain her emotions until she was somewhere private. She felt hot. She felt cold. Moreover, she felt sick at the thought she had been conned so badly by someone who it transpired had only been using her to do his job after all despite his strenuous denials.

Well, I cannot expect anything else really.