‘He started to ask me where The Index was. I use the word “ask” but he was pretty violent. I told him I didn’t know, but, of course, he didn’t believe me. Then, after days of him getting no leads, he dumped me down here.’ In the gathering darkness they saw him shake his head. ‘I think he’s insane.’
‘Yes,’ said Dan unhappily. ‘That about sums up Guy.’
‘This is Dan Hayward,’ introduced Jake. ‘He and his mother and sister used to live on the de Courcey estate before it was given to the National Trust. Dan knew about the old castle, and the site of the old chapel. Dan, this is my boss from work, Gareth Findlay-Weston.’
‘So you knew Guy de Courcey when he was a child?’ said Gareth.
‘Unfortunately,’ said Dan bitterly. ‘I did my best to keep out of his way. He was three years older than me, used to take pleasure in bullying me. He’s cruel. Vicious. He liked hurting people for fun.’
‘And he looks like he’s found a gang of like-minded bullies,’ said Lauren.
‘The street crew.’ Gareth nodded. ‘Yes, he’s very proud of them. He took pleasure in telling me how he’d found them.’
‘Found them?’ queried Jake.
‘They were all living together in a squat at the back of King’s Cross. Runaways, orphans.’ He shook his head. ‘OK, they seem dangerous, and a couple of them certainly are, but I don’t think they had a chance. If there ever was a safety net for kids like these, they fell well and truly through it.
‘Guy stepped in and offered them a way out. And not just a way out, he offered them affection.’
‘Affection?’ said Dan sarcastically. ‘He’s a vicious bully!’
‘He also knows how to manipulate people,’ said Gareth. ‘I’ve seen him at work with these kids. He handles them with a mixture of fear and warmth. And the bottom line is he’s offered them a permanent home here, and lots of riches.’ He sighed. ‘Affection. Money. Security. It’s a winning combination.’
‘I don’t understand it,’ said Jake, bewildered. ‘When I first met Guy he’d only just arrived in England from Mexico. He wouldn’t have had time to set all this up!’
‘I’m afraid to disillusion you, Jake, but your friend Guy is a liar.’
‘Always was,’ put in Dan miserably.
‘Just because he told you something it doesn’t mean it’s true,’ continued Gareth. ‘As far as I can gather, Guy was back in England some time before he killed Alex Munro, putting together his plan.’
‘Guy killed Munro?’ echoed Jake, stunned.
Gareth nodded.
‘I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it,’ he said. ‘Guy likes to boast about how clever he is. But how did you get here?’
‘Like we said, Dan knew about the site of the old chapel,’ said Jake.
‘Jake worked out that if The Index and the Journal had been hidden anywhere, then the old chapel was the most likely place,’ added Lauren.
‘Impressive!’ said Gareth. ‘And did you find anything?’
‘We found the Journal in a hiding place under one of the flagstones,’ said Jake. ‘We didn’t have time to look any more, because Guy turned up at that point, with a gun.’
‘Yes, our friend Guy has a fondness for guns,’ murmured Gareth. ‘And I gather he is quite a good shot. He must be, to have killed Munro the way he did.’
‘Why did he kill Munro?’ asked Lauren.
‘I’m still not sure. He said something about it being part of his plan. I feel that Guy has delusions of grandeur about being some master criminal. And he has no compassion, which makes him a very dangerous person.’
‘He’s always been a dangerous person,’ muttered Dan. ‘I think the old earl was glad when he left the country. In fact, I think he was actually frightened of him. I know everyone else was.’
‘If he was so dangerous, why didn’t anyone spot it before and do something about it?’ asked Lauren. ‘Like, at school.’
‘He’s clever,’ said Dan. ‘And he can be very convincing.’
‘That’s true,’ sighed Jake ruefully. ‘He had me convinced.’ He fell silent, then said, ‘I wonder what he plans to do with us next?’
Chapter 21
For the next few hours nothing happened. They sat on the damp earth floor in the cell and listened to sounds happening upstairs, but they couldn’t hear any voices, just the odd banging noise, or footsteps.
‘We’ll be OK,’ said Dan. ‘Remember, I texted Gemma to tell her where we’d gone. If she goes home and finds I’m not there, she’ll come looking for me here, and when she sees my motorbike parked, she’ll know I’m here.’