A Terrible Misunderstanding (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 6)

“No, I didn’t,” Atticus replied with an approving nod. “Why do you think we came running?”

“And happened to arrive when all the excitement was over,” Flo snorted. She glared at the men now assembled in Atticus’s study before shaking her head at her brother. “You always were the last to arrive.”

Clara missed what else her aunt said after that. She was distracted by Niall’s arrival. Her gaze turned instinctively toward him and picked him out amongst the men who were looking from her, to the thug, to Flo and back again with acute interest. Worried that Niall might see how much his presence unnerved her, Clara lowered her gaze to the thug and immediately stepped away from him.

“He is the one who accosted me in the garden,” she confirmed to her father, who stopped his argument with his sister long enough to look at her.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The man groaned and blinked several times before he tried to get up and then realised his predicament. Harry, who was closest, knelt and tipped his head so he could look into the eyes of the thug.

“This here is a petty crook from Derby who works for Claude Smidgley’s best friend: David M

elrose.”

“How do you know?” Atticus asked.

“We have seen him with Melrose only last month,” Harry informed him.

“Lord Helson,” Niall murmured. “He is a wealthy man and has two country estates that would be perfect to hide a kidnap victim in.”

The men hissed a breath and looked at each other.

“That’s Argent’s friend,” Rhys added.

“It starting to look more likely that the kidnap victims have been hidden in the houses of the wealthy who have not just used them for sexual services but have put them into other kinds of service.” Atticus rubbed his chin and began to contemplate possible accomplices.

“How do we get into Melrose’s house? If he is hiding a kidnap victim, his property is going to be impossible to get one of us into even undercover,” Will asked.

“We could break in,” Niall suggested.

Clara knew then that Niall and the Star Elite were going to leave Serpentine. There was every chance now that she would never set eyes on any of them ever again, especially Niall. Her heart wept a little more. She had thought that the last few weeks had taught her what hurt felt like. Now she knew otherwise.

“We are going to have to get someone in undercover somehow,” Will countered.

“For now, the team moves on. This thug is going to tell us exactly who he is working for and what he wants Clara for, but when he is in gaol, gentlemen. Not while he is in my study,” Atticus growled. “Harry, Will, get him out of here. We will interrogate him in the next day or so. Niall, I want a word with you.”

Clara took this as her cue to leave. She barely made it to the door before her father’s next words made it impossible for her to make good her escape.

“Where do you think you are going, Clara? If you won’t mind joining us.” The tone of his voice warned both Clara that it was an order not a request.

“I am not one of your Star Elite,” Clara chided.

Atticus lifted his brows at her. “I had thought that you were involved in this investigation enough to be interested to know what happens next?”

Clara dutifully returned to the room and took a seat opposite her father’s desk while she watched the men carry the thug out of the room. Once outside, they replaced her shawls with ropes and dragged him toward Atticus’s carriage, which was positioned outside the front of the house waiting to take the prisoner to gaol.

Once everyone had left, Atticus waved Niall to a chair and sat behind his desk. He knew it was a somewhat officious stance to take, but he wanted both his daughter and Niall to understand that he wasn’t just a meddlesome father.

“Now, I think you should know, Clara, that Niall’s job is dangerous. I am sure you know that already given what has happened this morning,” Atticus began. “Well, all of the men need to be able to concentrate on the work they are meant to do. They deal with the worst of criminals. Being distracted can get them killed. While they do have the support of their colleagues it will do them no good if they are set upon like you have been, several times in fact. In just the same way that Niall helped you I am sure he will agree that he wouldn’t hesitate to step in to help his friends and colleagues.” Atticus looked questioningly at Niall. “I hope Niall doesn’t consider me too impertinent by saying that.”

Niall pursed his lips and shook his head. “No. It is the truth.”

“However, what I have heard from your colleagues and friends, Niall, is that you are more than a little distracted by what went on here in Serpentine.” Atticus sucked in a breath and began to fiddle with a quill which rested beside his ink pot, not least because he wanted to stand up and rant and rave at them both, but Flo had made him promise that he wouldn’t. Sure enough, when he looked at his sister, he saw a warning look in the dark glare she had levelled on him. She was watching him and would never let him hear the last of it if he gave in to temptation.

“Now I am not one to meddle, but I do believe that a stern warning has to be issued to you both. Life is rarely fair. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, or what position of authority you have, or how titled you are. If Fate decides to land you a cruel blow your entire life can be snatched from you without any warning or explanation. Unfortunately, the criminals the Star Elite face are harsh, cruel, and don’t give a damn who suffers.”