Page 27 of The Last Knight (The Cursed Kingdom #5)
Chapter Nineteen
A ubrey was at BreYea. The studio had been bustling with activity all day, brimming over with the excitement of those attending their first classes.
Although it was gratifying to see and to sense the positive ambience, sadness circled her, and she allowed it, doing her best to put on a happy face when it was required.
Aubrey blew her nose and wiped her tears from her cheeks.
Looking into the mirror, she carefully removed the last remnants of her mascara away.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and walked out of the bathroom, a smile in place.
It wouldn’t do for the owner of the newest hot spot in the village to be seen with swollen eyes.
It had only been five days since she’d returned from the other realm, and the ache in her chest felt as fresh and raw as if it had happened moments ago.
The first two days had passed in a haze, her body present but her mind still caught between two worlds.
Upon reappearing in the garden and being spotted by Erin, her cousin had whisked her to the castle, where she recounted every painful detail to the five knights and their partners, each word like tearing open a wound that hadn’t had a chance to heal.
When she spoke of Gunther…when she said the words out loud, that he was gone, her composure shattered, and she was unable to keep from crying.
The men listened without emotion, not showing one bit of empathy.
Her voice had cracked when she lashed out. “You may not care what happened to him, but I do. He was kind. He protected me. Until the end.”
Tristan, bless him, had tried. “It is clear Gunther was a valiant man,” he’d said gently. “None of us wished that fate upon him.”
Someone else, she didn’t even look to see who, had murmured, “At least his death was swift.” As if that was supposed to bring her peace.
Only Erin had cried with her. Her tears spilling over as she reached out and gripped her hand. “It’s not fair,” she whispered. “After all those years…he was never truly free.”
That struck like a bell in a still room. The truth of it silenced everyone.
And in that hush, Aubrey felt it, that quiet, aching realization in their eyes. Not regret, maybe, but recognition. Of how cruel fate had been to a man who had once dared to love, to fight, and in the end, to sacrifice everything.
The last beginners’ yoga class ended, and people began passing by the front desk on their way out. Some stopped to make small talk, but most of them continued on with nothing more than a wave.
Matt, the new yoga instructor appeared next, a bag over his shoulder. “Gotta run, my boyfriend is taking me out to dinner.” He gave her a kiss on both cheeks and hurried out the door.
Within moments, the studio was empty, the only sounds the serene music and gurgling of the tabletop water feature.
Aubrey jumped when her phone rang.
When she answered, a no-nonsense voice replied. “Is this Aubrey Maguire?”
“Yes, who’s calling?”
“This is Detective Sergeant Willerton from Livingston CID. I need to speak to you. Are you available? I am about ten minutes from Linlithgow.”
Aubrey paced the length of the reception area in the yoga studio, racking her brain, trying to figure out why the police needed to speak to her.
She’d called Erin to ensure all was well, then her parents.
Not wishing to alarm them, she used the excuse of planning a dinner at the estate.
Everyone was thankfully unharmed, so the police coming to visit was troubling.
A woman approached the entrance and Aubrey unlocked it, letting her in.
Just a bit shorter than her, at first glance one could call DS Willerton to be an average looking woman.
But one look at her sharp eyes and everything changed.
The woman commanded attention. She wore blue slacks, a button-up white blouse and a light blue zip-up jacket.
Aubrey guessed they were about the same age, early thirties.
Willerton’s brown hair was cut bluntly at jaw level, a cut that flattered her square face.
“Miss Maguire?” She held up her credentials. “Detective Meg Willerton.”
“Yes please come in, sit down. Can I get you some water? A cup of tea?” Aubrey motioned to the two chairs on the left side of the studio. The blinds were closed so they would not be easily seen from outside.
“A cup of tea would be great,” the detective replied. Her cell phone rang, and whilst Aubrey made the tea, the detective took a call, replying with one word, two at the most.
“Yes.”
“I know.”
“Will do.”
Aubrey placed two cups of tea on a small table between the chairs, then went and fetched creamer from the small refrigerator and a sugar dispenser.
The detective added cream to her tea, nothing else. Aubrey added extra sugar to hers, hoping it would calm her nerves.
“What is this about?” Aubrey asked as the detective took a sip of tea and sighed contently.
“Thank you, I needed it.” She straightened and met her gaze. “An injured man was discovered at a nature walk in Livingston Tuesday morning. He was badly beaten and unconscious. He’d also been stabbed.”
Aubrey couldn’t fathom who it could be. Was it Marcus? She’d not seen her ex all week. “Who is he?”
“He claims to know you. His name is Janssen, Gunther Janssen.” The detective pinned her with a pointed look. “When was the last time you spoke to Mr. Janssen?”
The cup rattled on the tabletop when she put it down, her hand shaking. “Gunther? Are you sure? Is he blond with bright blue eyes, about six feet three? Muscular build?”
The detective’s brow furrowed. “Yes, that describes him perfectly.”
Her stomach threatened to revolt. Her heart pounded in her chest so hard; she placed a hand over it. “How is he? Where is he? What happened?”
Willerton let out a breath and eyed her tea. “He is recovering at St. John’s intensive care. I am trying to ascertain what happened to him. Who is responsible for leaving him for dead?”
“Dead? Oh my god.” Aubrey ran both hands down her cheeks. “I need to go see him.”
“Can you answer my questions? Perhaps drink more tea,” the detective suggested. “You need to calm down. When was the last time you saw Mr. Janssen?”
Aubrey could barely breathe. There were too many questions whirling in her head. She acquiesced and took a long draw of her tea.
“I saw him last on Monday.” He was dead…she left unsaid.
“Where was this? How did he seem to you?”
What could she say? “He stopped by my home. I live at Ashcraig Hall, outside the village.”
“And what was his state of mind?”
Aubrey inhaled sharply. She’d been holding her breath. “Fine, I suppose, normal.”
“What is the nature of your relationship?” Detective Willerton asked. By the look of expectation, Aubrey surmised Gunther had answered the same question.
What had he said?
“We are friends…er, close friends. We haven’t defined our relationship, I would say.” Aubrey lowered her eyes. “I really must go see him.”
“Do you know of anyone who’d wish him harm?” the detective pressed on.
“No, he isn’t from here. It had to be random, robbery?”
Finally, the woman seemed to relent. “He was found without a wallet, no watch. Even his shoes were taken.”
Aubrey sipped more of the overly sweet tea, hoping the woman would leave so she could go to the hospital. “Is that all? I really need to go.”
“For now, yes.” Detective Sergeant Willerton stood, and Aubrey followed suit. “I have your information in case I have more questions or if any of his personal effects are found. Will you bring him to your home then?”
Where else could he go? “Yes, of course.”
Following the woman to the door, Aubrey grabbed her purse, ready to lock up. Outside the door, the detective met her gaze.
“I must warn you to be prepared. Mr. Janssen was badly beaten. Although he is recovering, he remains swollen and badly bruised.”
Once in her car, Aubrey wasn’t sure if she should call someone. Erin was the first person to come to mind, but she wasn’t sure her cousin would keep the information to herself.
Secondly, she considered her mother, but this was not the time to tell the entire story of how she’d come to know Gunther. Eventually, she planned to sit with both her parents and tell them about everything that had occurred in the last year and a half. However, now was not the moment.
Finally, she dialed Erin who picked up on the second ring.
“How are you holding up?”
“Still very sad. Now I’m very confused,” Aubrey said and then hurriedly explained everything to Erin, who interjected with exclamations of surprise and confusion.
Aubrey took a breath. “I am not sure what happened, but I have to find out. I’m headed to St. John’s.”
“What if…” Erin began. “The darkness…”
“I have my suspicions as to how he came to be here,” Aubrey interrupted. “If what I think is true, then we don’t have to worry about any evil being attached to him.”
“But how will you know for sure? I insist you wait and not go alone. Padriag should come with you.”
She wasn’t about to sit around and wait for Padriag. It would mean having to explain the new situation and then field more questions.
“You can tell him if you feel you have to. I am heading there now and, when he’s released, I plan to bring him to the house.”
The drive should’ve taken twenty minutes.
It felt like fifty. Every red light was a personal affront, and by the time she reached the hospital, her nerves were coiled tight.
The parking lot was a nightmare. She circled again and again, heart pounding louder with every pass.
Finally, a set of brake lights blinked ahead.
She hit her turn signal and slid into the spot the second the other car cleared it.
Her hands trembled as she pulled the keys from the ignition. Get it together, she told herself, but her stomach churned with nerves. What if she couldn’t get in to see him? If Gunther was in the Intensive Care Unit, would they even let her in?