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Jess knew from the shifty way Lloyd glanced around the garden that she had hit on the truth. She then realised there was no sign of the man’s associate. Wariness immediately made her tense. She glanced around but couldn’t see anyone else.
“Where is he? Have you lost him?” she murmured quietly. She listened but couldn’t hear anyone creeping up behind her.
“You were in those woods firing at Marcus and his friend weren’t you?” she murmured when Lloyd didn’t reply. “Did Marcus shoot your right hand man? Are you now all alone in the world, Lloyd?”
Lloyd stared at her for a moment. He then seemed to come to a decision and lost all pretence of innocence.
“What of it? Yes, I was there. I have been helping Sayers. He pays well. Why shouldn’t I? God knows, the pay for being the magistrate around here isn’t much,” he said.
“That’s because you don’t do anything,” Jess countered.
“I have seen your brother stealing pheasants.”
“Prove it,” Jess challenged. “You and I both know that you don’t have any evidence. After all, if you saw him with them, why didn’t you stop him?”
She knew then that Lloyd hadn’t seen Ben doing anything illegal himself. Someone else had. She fell silent for a moment while she thought over what Marcus had told her.
“I think that you have wanted Ben out of the house for an entirely different reason that had nothing to do with your lecherous interest in me,” she murmured thoughtfully. “Sayers was trying to get the house to himself, wasn’t he? That cottage across the village wasn’t enough for him. He didn’t like the fact that Ben and I were living in the house as well. We were too close, and could see something we weren’t supposed to see.”
“He needed some more room. That cottage is too small,” Lloyd challenged. “He said I could have you if I got rid of your brother.”
He shrugged. In spite of their situation, his lecherous gaze slid the full length of Jess’ body.
Rather than show her revulsion, she tipped her chin up and lifted a snooty brow.
“So, you were going to press false charges against Ben, to get him out of the house. Then Sayers was going to take over my house, as well as Mr Grant’s cottage. You would then circle the houses at night to make sure that nobody ventured close enough to see what they were up to.”
Lloyd shrugged unconcernedly. “It has worked well with the cottage,” he said calmly. “That is until your boyfriend messed it all up. Ben and that friend of his have been poking their noses into all sorts of things. It’s about time they were made to stop.”
“So pointing a gun at me stops them, does it?” Jess shifted and braced herself.
She didn’t like the look that swept over Lloyd’s harsh features and suspected that if he were going to make a move, he would soon. She studied the area around them surreptitiously while she tried to decide what to do if he did launch an attack.
“You are perfect bait,” Lloyd murmured smoothly. “Get over here.”
“Go to Hell,” Jess snarled.
She threw herself to one side, and onto her knees. Immediately, she was swallowed up by the deep undergrowth that had once been the front garden. Once there, she clambered on all fours deeper into the camouflage. She glanced back, but couldn’t see anything except for bramble and bushes. She knew exactly where Lloyd was, though. His footsteps grew louder as he ploughed his way through the unrelenting branches.
Panicked, Jess patted the ground until she found a heavy branch that had fallen off one of the trees. Testing its weight, she clasped it tightly and stood up.
Lloyd was busy studying the trees, and never knew what hit him on the back of his head. He went down without a murmur.
Jess watched him fall, and immediately released her hold on the branch. She picked up Lloyd’s pistol and then, with tentative fingers, began to pat Lloyd down in a search for more weapons. Once he had been tied securely with his own jacket, and his boots removed to prevent him from running away, Jess settled down to keep watch over her captive and wait for Marcus to come back.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Marcus eventually got the advantage he was needed. A small meadow appeared up ahead through which ran a small river. It would be impossible for Sayers to get across the water without having to slow down. It was the golden opportunity Marcus needed to put a stop to the man’s escape.
Once Sayers was clear of the trees, Marcus ceased chasing him. His breath came in short pants, and made his arm tremble, but it was imperative that he had a clear shot. He sucked in a huge breath, rested his arm against the solid bulk of a tree. Now that the man was out in the open, Marcus took aim and shot Sayers in the leg.
The only sound of his downfall was the loud splash his body made when it hit the water. But Marcus had only shot his leg. Sayers was still armed.
“Put the gun down,” Joe shouted as he bolted out of the trees and raced toward the stricken criminal.
Sayers dragged himself onto the opposite side of the river bank but didn’t appear to have the strength to pull himself free of the water completely. Once his upper body was on the grass, he flopped down and pointed his gun at Joe.
Kieran sudden broke free of the trees, and immediately shot the gun out of Sayers’ hand.
