For Love Alone (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 8)

‘Yes, there is one woman. She lives near to the site of the latest robbery. She heard the gunshot and saw someone in her garden. However, she didn’t venture outside to see who it was. We haven’t been able to find her lately either. After the magistrate spoke to her, she disappeared and has seemingly vanished into thin air.’

‘So, there might be two women missing, both of whom might have been taken or murdered by these highwaymen?’ Jarvis confirmed.

‘I am afraid so.’

‘Highwaymen for God’s sake,’ Elias hissed.

‘What do we know about the gang?’ Jarvis asked.

‘There are about six of them. Somehow, they are getting rid of their stolen goods somewhere away from the Great North Road. I have had men trawl the pawn shops in the area for the items that we think have been stolen but so far nothing has surfaced.’

‘Either this highwayman has a very lavishly furnished home, or he has someone moving the stolen goods away from the area to be sold. I want to know who he is, who his associates are, where the goods are going, and I want all reports of this highwayman quashed, gentlemen.’ Sir Hugo looked at each of the men seated around the table but had no doubt they could conclude this investigation.

He wished that there was some experience joining the group in the form of Phillip, Callum, or Aaron, or anyone else in the new Kent team but he had reluctantly agreed that they could all move south together and couldn’t really go back on his word. The old London team were all happily married men now, including Phillip. All of them were determined to continue to work together but on the smaller regional crimes rather than the larger scale investigations the London team involved themselves with.

‘Try not to find any brides, though. The last thing I need is to have any more men get married and want to move to the country. Over the last couple of years, I have lost a lot of excellent fighters. At this rate we are going to have to set up a nursery branch.’

‘Over my dead body,’ Jarvis snorted. ‘You won’t catch me marrying anyone.’

Amidst murmurs of agreements, Sir Hugo gathered his papers. ‘There is a safe house near to the small village of Roddersmill. Use it. You have a local there who can give you any information you need on the robberies that have happened so far. He has been keeping his eyes and ears open so you will need to meet up with him to find out if he has uncovered anything he hasn’t yet told me about.’ Sir Hugo slid a small folded piece of paper toward Gregory who read it and slid it across to Morgan. While the paper did the rounds, Sir Hugo made his way to the door.

‘You know where I am if you need anything, gentlemen. However, I would ask that you keep your investigation away from the public. I want this concluded as quickly and quietly as humanly possible. Duncan, might I have a word?’ With that, he let himself out and hurried back to his office, leaving Duncan to join him in his own good time.

Sir Hugo had barely settled into his chair when Duncan entered the room. ‘Sir?’

‘Take a seat.’ Sir Hugo peered over the top of his spectacles at the most experienced member of the new team. ‘I should like you to also take on a more personal investigation for me. I should like you to investigate the disappearance of the young woman who saw one of the highwaymen in her garden. It isn’t like her to disappear. I have been to her house. There are no signs of forced entry, or correspondence from a relation inviting her to stay with them for an extended period. She doesn’t have anybody else living at the house except an uncle who isn’t quite in the present, if you get my meaning. He has no idea what is going on half the time, so there are no credible witnesses. It is highly unusual of her not to return to the house at all, or at least tell neighbours if she was going away. Moreover, she couldn’t leave Frederick behind. Find out if she is still alive, please?’

‘Is she a relative?’ Duncan asked.

Sir Hugo nodded. ‘She is my wife’s second cousin. Phoebe is not the kind of woman to just wander off. Unfortunately, property is on the edge of the village but quite remote, so I think you will find it difficult to locate any witnesses if anything happened to her.’

‘Why me?’ Duncan frowned. ‘Al is better at tracking than me. Gregory is more adept at blending in with locals.’

‘Because you are more likely to be able to survive staying in that house while you try to find her. I want you to pretend to be a distant relation who is staying for a while. Frederick won’t question you because his memory has started to fade. I will give you a note for him anyway but shall not use my own personal letterhead. I doubt he will remember you are not part of his family. Unfortunately, he suffered a head injury in a carriage accident several years ago and hasn’t been the same since.’ Sir Hugo discretely tapped the side of his head. ‘Just try to work around him. Keep him calm and do what you can to find her. You need to go to this address.’ Sir Hugo slid another piece of paper toward Duncan. ‘This is an isolated property that sits about five hundred yards off the Great North Road. The road is busy, but the property isn’t. Use it as a base as well as the safe house.’

Duncan nodded. ‘What do you want me to do if I find her? Do you want me to bring her to you, or return her home with a scolding not to be so foolish again? How do you know she has not run away with a secret lover or something?’

‘You have to see Phoebe to understand. She was involved in the accident Alfred was in and was badly injured. She has no parents. There was nobody else to look after the pair of them for a while, so Harriett and the children went to stay with Phoebe until she was mobile again. Neither Alfred nor Phoebe will countenance the idea of moving somewhere less remote. That is their home and they were adamant neither of them would leave it. Phoebe doesn’t get around very well and walks with a limp. She isn’t married.’

‘Which is why it is highly unusual for her to disappear,’ Duncan sighed. ‘I will do what I can.’

‘Find her, Duncan.’

Duncan nodded and took his leave of his boss with the papers clutched in his hand. He stared down at them and wondered what he was going to do now. The last thing he wanted or needed right now was being stuck babysitting a somewhat forgetful uncle while trying to unravel the mystery of a disappearing woman while working with his colleagues to catch a gang of highwaymen.

‘Well, this is what I signed up to. I just didn’t realise it was going to be this busy this quickly.’ When he looked up, Duncan saw his colleagues heading toward him. Rather than tell them what his meeting with Sir Hugo had been all about, Duncan tucked the papers into his pocket and left the War Office with his friends.

When they all reached the Great North Road the next day, they split up with a promise that they would each make their way to the new safe house over the next day or so.

‘Let the new investigation begin,’ Duncan murmured and with one last, somewhat rueful look at his departing friends, went to find Highmere House and, more importantly, the woman who was missing from it.