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“That’s Smithers’ residence isn’t it?” Marcus murmured as he studied the low light coming from within the room.
“Yes,” Ben replied. “Do you think they are playing poker or something?”
“That was Mr Grant’s house?” Marcus demanded.
“Yes, why?” Ben replied. “You can’t think that Mr Grant would be involved in whatever they are up to, do you? Mr Grant is ninety at the very least.”
“What family does this Mr Grant have?” Marcus continued to press, mostly because he knew the way Sayers operated.
“Well, none, I think,” Ben murmured thoughtfully. “His wife died yonks ago. He had a son, but he died several years back. I don’t think there is anyone else.”
Marcus nodded.
Mr Grant makes a perfect target. The house overlooks the tavern so Sayers can keep watch who comes and goes, but it is too close to the locals to use as a base. The lodging house is better for several strangers to converge in a dwelling without raising anyone’s suspicions. It is a perfect set-up.
“Do you think Mr Grant is involved?” Ben made no attempt to keep the doubt out of his voice.
“No, I don’t,” Marcus replied.
“Where is he then?”
Marcus pierced him with a hard look. “Dead most probably. That’s the way that lot work.”
He ignored Ben’s horrified look and turned away, but paused long enough to look back at his new, and clearly stunned, friend.
“Let’s go and see what they are doing, shall we? Just listen to me first,” Marcus began. ”Don’t make any noise, use hand signals only, and stay away from the windows. Watch your feet, and don’t – and I repeat, don’t - ignore what I tell you to do. We are just going to take a look at what they are doing, nothing more. Don’t speak and don’t panic.”
“How do we get a look inside? There are shutters on the windows,” Ben replied.
Marcus nodded. “I know there are shutters, but they haven’t closed them properly. They are closed enough for us to be safe while we try to get a look into the room. I need to see who else is in there.”
“What if someone else comes?”
“They won’t,” Marcus replied confidently. “They are already there. I followed them earlier.”
Ben glanced nervously around them. “What if Lloyd is out here?”
“He is,” Marcus said. “Just watch your back.”
“Look, I am not taking another step until you tell me who you are,” Ben demanded.
Marcus held a finger up to warn him to keep the noise down.
“I am someone you really don’t want to argue with,” Marcus warned.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ben looked at him but eventually followed, once Marcus was on the verge of disappearing.
Together they circled the house and crept up to the rear window. Once there, Marcus peered cautiously through a small crack in the shutters and took a good look at the men seated around the wooden table. The solitary candle in the room did nothing but encase them all in shadow. It hindered their identification somewhat, but there was enough to pick out who was who.
Silently, Marcus motioned for Ben to take a look. He kept an eye out for anyone approaching while the lad peered through the shutters. When Ben stepped back, Marcus moved forward again and tried to see what the men inside were doing. They were all looking several items on the table, but it was too dim for Marcus to see what those items were.
Were they coins? Or gems? Either way, Marcus suspected they had not been obtained through legal channels. Absolutely nothing Sayers ever did was legal. With one last look, Marcus turned away. He had seen enough. He now knew one thing for definite; all of the men were wearing disguises.
For now, he motioned for Ben to move away. Once they were back in the trees, they quickly made their way back to the house and headed straight to the scullery.
“They weren’t playing cards were they?” Ben asked with a frown. “I will throw them out of here if they are up to anything illegal.”
