“How long?” Gunn asked, his voice low.
“Pardon?”
Flanked by Nicholas on one side and Alexander on the other, Theodore looked like a frightened lad.
“How long have ye been stealing from me? Doona e’en try to lie about it. I ken, I just want to ken if ye’ll confess to it.”
“I, no’, er.” He gulped air like a fish out of water. “No’ long.”
Gunn felt his anger rise. “I told ye no’ to lie to me.” He grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, hauling him to his feet, so they were nose to nose. “I trusted ye. And as soon as I left, ye started pilfering my coffers.”
The man was shaking under Gunn’s fists holding him upright. “That is no’ true.”
Gunn pushed him away with such force that he stumbled back into the table in back of him. He clutched the back of thechair that nearly toppled over for balance and shook his head. “Ye’ve no proof,” he spat.
“Nay?” Gunn questioned. He retrieved the list of transactions that Jocelyn had uncovered and threw the papers at Theodore. “’Tis all right there.”
Theodore picked up the papers, his eyes glancing over the amounts, his eyes round in surprise. “Ye ne’er review your books. How?” Then his brows raised as it dawned on him. “’Twas that lassie, wasna it? She put ye up to it. She wanted the money for herself. I warned her to mind her business.”
In an instant, Gunn’s fist met Theodore’s jaw, a disgusting crack rent through the air and the man howled in pain.
“Dinna e’er, and I mean, e’er mention Jocelyn when ye speak. More importantly, dinna try to place the blame on her for your deception.”
Gunn backed off, walking around the pub, taking it all in while Theodore whimpered on the floor.
“Here’s what’s going to happen. Since I have funded most of this establishment, the deed will be signed o’er to me.”
Theodore spat blood on the floor. “I willna.”
Gunn spun in his direction, approached him. “Nay? Then mayhap I shall go to the authorities and give them the evidence I have uncovered regarding your endeavors. I am certain debtors’ prison will do ye some good.”
“Ye wouldna,” Theodore said in disbelief, his words distorted.
“Nay?” Gunn circled him, as if he were a lion stalking his prey. “Those are your choices. Your only choices.” He pulled his watch from his pocket and checked the time. “Ye have sixty seconds to make your decision. The clock is ticking. Will it be option A or B?”
Nicholas pulled him up off the floor and roughly sat him down in the chair at the table.
“All right!” Theodore threw his hands up. “Keep your hands off me. Your grace,” he added snidely.
“What is your decision?” Gunn asked.
Theodore’s face was swelling, and Gunn was pretty sure he’d broken the man’s jaw.
“Well?” He kicked the leg of his chair, causing Theodore to jump.
“What do ye think? I canna go to prison. I will sign it o’er.”
“Where’s the deed?” Malcolm asked, pushing back from the table. “We’ll settle this today.”
Theodore glowered at him but mumbled. “It’s in the back room. Right side desk drawer.”
Malcolm left to go find the paper.
“Once ye’ve signed it, ye will leave this place at once and ne’er step in it or in the Thistle & Pig again. I dinna want to see ye in town again. I dinna care where ye go, but ’twill no’ be here. Understood?”
Nicholas leaned into Theodore, leering at him, and Theodore shrank back, nodding his head. “I got it. Ye willna see hide nor hair of me again.”
Gunn smiled, clapping him on the back.
