of von Hagen’s head. Von Hagen’s eyes rolled back and his body went limp. Anthony lay still for a moment, then painfully shook off the other man’s dead weight.
He could hear shouts and footsteps on the stairs, but they seemed to be in another world. All he could think of was Josette sprawled on the floor, her dress stained with blood. ‘Josette?’ Anthony knelt beside her and reached for her hand. ‘Josette?’
Her eyes flickered open. They were glazed and sightless. Her lips moved as she tried to speak, then her head fell back and she died.
The door opened and he knew someone had come into the room. He tore his gaze away from Josette and, still kneeling beside her and holding her lifeless hand, looked at the chauffeur and Keegan.
‘Jesus,’ said Keegan softly.
‘Watch him!’ warned the chauffeur as Keegan walked across the room, but Anthony didn’t have the strength to resist. Keegan hauled him to his feet and Anthony slumped into one of the flimsy chairs.
Keegan picked up the gun and covered Anthony with it.
‘Tie him up,’ said the chauffeur. ‘Use your belt if you have to. I want the swine safe and sound.’
Anthony made no resistance. He couldn’t have moved to save his life, but Keegan pulled his hands behind his back and tied them at the wrists. His injured arm screamed a protest. Dimly, Anthony knew it was hurting like hell, but even the pain seemed far away.
The chauffeur stooped over von Hagen, shaking him awake. Von Hagen stirred and groaned.
Von Hagen lifted himself up and, with the chauffeur’s help, got to his feet. He steadied himself for a moment, looking first at Josette and then at Anthony. He flexed his muscles, walked across to the chair, drew back his hand and walloped Anthony across the face.
Anthony’s head crashed back and the chair went over. Again, it hurt, but he was so numb he hardly felt it. Anthony knew von Hagen was barking instructions, but he couldn’t make out what he said. His whole world centred on Josette and that ghastly stain on the front of her dress.
Anthony was made to stand up and the gun was thrust in his back. His legs trembled with the effort of walking and he nearly fell down the stairs. He was led outside and, with the gun in his back, he stumbled across to a tree and sank onto the ground.
It was dark now and the chauffeur brought the paraffin lamp from the sitting room, resting it on the old wall.
‘Keep watch,’ said von Hagen to Keegan. ‘I’ll go and take care of things inside.’ He turned to the chauffeur. ‘Start the car.’
Anthony slowly started to put coherent thoughts together. Why had they left his ankles free? Of course. He was going to get in the car.
Von Hagen paused before he went into the house, looking at Anthony in the dim light. ‘You will pay for what you have done,’ he said quietly.
Anthony didn’t answer.
Leaving Keegan to keep watch, the chauffeur went to the car. Even though Anthony felt utterly beaten and wearily detached, he couldn’t help notice what was going on.
The first was that the chauffeur started the car.
The second was that he felt a hand touch the back of his wrist.
It was utterly unexpected. The hand squeezed his tightly and it was as if strength flowed into him from that touch. With the touch came back sensation. First, pain from his arm and his face and then a slow, steadily growing anger.
He felt the cold metal of a knife work through the leather belt and, feeling the warning pat of the unknown hand, stayed exactly as he was, as if his hands were still tied. He felt the knife being put into his hands and, as he grasped the handle, another pat of approval came from the hand behind him.
Anthony tensed himself to creep away but he was brought up short by a commotion from the cottage.
There was the sound of running feet and von Hagen stormed out of the house in a towering fury. ‘She’s gone!’ he shouted. ‘The woman’s gone!’
Keegan snapped his head round and the chauffeur got out of the car. ‘She can’t have gone, boss,’ he stammered.
‘She has,’ ground out von Hagen. He marched up to Anthony and stood, hands on hips, glaring at him. ‘Where is she?’
A deep fear gripped Anthony. She could only be one person. ‘I don’t know,’ he said with as much conviction as he could muster.
Von Hagen started forward. Anthony