Page 75 of A Story of Love

“She was alive when Carey brought her to Moreland. But he hasn’t seen her since delivering her several weeks ago.”

“Did he say where Moreland was holding her?”

“He doesn’t know.”

Fast shifted his jaw from side to side, his mind racing. “You think he’s keeping her to get Jensen to hand over the confession?”

“I don’t know, but Carey claims he didn’t find anything in Garcia’s rooms. And yes, before you ask, I do believe him. So that confession is still out there.” Gregg shoved a hand through his thick ash blond hair. “Damnation but I wish we’d been able to talk to Garcia. I wonder…” he trailed off and shook his head. “No. It is too farfetched.”

“What?”

“What if Garcia took that letter from Jensen before we even left Majorca? What if he didn’t just tell Moreland about it, but showed him and that is why Moreland is willing to kill to get his hands on it?”

Fast pondered the notion for only a few seconds and then shook his head. “Jensen would have sent a letter if he’d been robbed. If not because the bargain he made with me, then because he would be worried that the killer might seek out his mother and sisters.” He scowled. “Which is exactly what Moreland did.”

“But Jensen couldn’t have sent word if Garcia killed him when he stole the confession.”

Fast blinked, stunned that he’d not considered that possibility. “Good God!” he said, lifting his eyes to Gregg. “If Joe Jensen is dead and his brother’s confession is missing, then…”

“Then you don’t have a signed confession or a witness to attest to it,” Gregg finished for him.

Fast felt as though somebody had punched that air from his lungs. This simply could not be happening! Moreland could not evade justice.

If you can’t bring him before a jury of his peers, then you will simply have to seek justice yourself.

“It doesn’t matter if I don’t have evidence,” Fast said. “Because I’m going to kill Moreland.” He would use his own two hands, and he would enjoy it. He would do it slowly. He would—

“What about the girl?”

“Girl?” he repeated, his chest aching with the effort of containing the anger that was roiling and swelling and pulsing inside him.

“Ellie.”

Fast forced himself to concentrate on something else besides squeezing Bevil’s neck until it snapped. “Do you think she is still alive?”

“I don’t know. There is far too much we don’t know.”

“You’re saying I shouldn’t kill him.

“Er, maybe not yet, my lord.”

Fast flexed his hands. “No, you’re right. I can get some answers out of him first.”

Gregg leaned toward him and opened his mouth.

Fast raised a hand. “Let me guess. I can’t kill him or beat answers out of him.”

“Not yet, sir. We might still find the evidence you need to see him face justice. Isn’t that what you want for your brother? Justice?”

“Killing Moreland will be justice.”

“It will also make you a murderer.”

“That doesn’t bother me one iota.”

“And what about your grandfather? Will it bother him?”

Fast ground his teeth. “That is a low blow, Gregg.”