“We need to get this out of here, and search the entire property for anything else that might be hidden,” Joe announced.
“I will go and find someone to fetch a carriage,” Kerrigan said. “You do a thorough sweep of this room. I need to go and find Toby. We still have Marcus to find, don’t forget, but at least now we have one very valuable bargaining tool. If Sayers wants those jewels back, he has to hand over Marcus, Ben, and anyone else he might have who doesn’t want to be there.”
He suddenly pierced Marguerite with a dark look. “I am sorry, ma’am, but if I find your father is involved in this in any way, I will put him behind bars for a very long time.”
Marguerite wanted to deny that her father could have anything to do with this.
It wasn’t possible, was it? He wouldn’t be that underhand. It was illegal. Highly illegal. Even if it was just shipping gems, they were stolen. But, he had been behaving oddly of late. Was this why?
In need of support from someone, she turned to look at Joe, but he was thoughtfully studying the contents of the box.
“Joe?” she whispered, unsure what she was asking of him.
“He could be involved in it,” Joe replied calmly. He really couldn’t offer her reassurance until he knew the facts. He wasn’t foolish enough to lie to her, she didn’t deserve that. It was better to prepare her for the worst, or at least offer her some ray of hope.
Especially because it now looks like Marguerite will receive the worst possible news about her father. Unfortunately, I don’t know if the worst means her father will most probably be dead or is heavily involved in smuggling stolen gems, Joe thought.
“If he is guilty then he should be put behind bars. I just need to know,” she whispered.
“I know. We will find the answers, Marguerite. Do I still have your help?”
On a more personal level, Joe needed her on his side. As a member of the Star Elite, he had full authority to force her to assist him if he needed to but he didn’t want that. For reasons he daren’t look at too closely right now, he wanted her to work with him on finding out just what her father was involved in. At least if she went along with him, she would understand the fear and worry people innocent people experienced when their lives with touched by Sayers and his gang. Maybe then, if her father was helping the gangster, his guilt wouldn’t hurt so much.
If he was honest, he quite liked her. She was strong, resilient, and level headed. There was something about her quiet manner that called to something in him. He wanted to protect her and wished now that circumstances were different so they could get to know one another in their own time. As it was they had been thrown together through circumstances beyond their control and had to make the most of it.
“I will help you, but mainly because I want answers myself,” she whispered.
Joe nodded his thanks. “Even if it means you might find out your father is guilty?”
“Even if my father is guilty,” she assured him as she waved to the box. “This cannot be allowed to keep happening. It has to be stopped.”
Relieved that he had her understanding, Joe motioned toward the door. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t know about you but I am sick of closed rooms.”
Painfully aware that they still had to find Marcus, even though men were busy searching for them, Joe led her out of the workshop and locked the door behind them.
They didn’t retrace their steps as Marguerite thought they would. Nor did they go back to her father’s house, or off to find Marcus and Ben. Instead, they walked for mile upon mile in a seemingly random direction across London. At various stages of their journey, Kerrigan, Brandon, and Jacob all branched off and left them.
“Can I ask you something?” Marguerite murmured now that she was alone with Joe again.
Joe looked at her. “Go on.”
Marguerite hesitated. “At the safe house, I had a distinct impression that you didn’t want the other man there, Reg, to know what you were doing. Why?”
Joe sighed and studied the buildings around them while he thought that one over. After several moments, he seemed to reach a decision and, with a deep sigh, turned to her. Rather than begin to talk as she expected, he nodded to a park further down the road.
“Let’s go in there. The bandstand is empty. We can talk privately there without being overheard.”
Marguerite nodded, even though her acceptance appeared to be just expected. Joe was already walking her across the road, and hustling her toward the bandstand. Curious,
she followed.
“The Star Elite has a traitor,” Joe sighed once they were beneath the bandstand’s canopy.
Her eyes widened. “Working with you? One of those men?”
“God, no,” Joe huffed. He was thankful that he could call at least Kerrigan, Jacob, and Brandon trustworthy. “They are the handful of trusted men, together with Marcus, whom you met at the house, and Ben, who got beaten up.”
Marguerite nodded. “How did you find out about the traitor?”