Ghost of Christmas Past Read Online Free PDF

because
Rupert had secured the entire floor for the men from the Star
Elite. It was going to take the inn keeper several minutes to run
to the nearby houses and find someone who would be of any use; even
if he could wake them up.
    “ You may as well give up, Laurent, there is nowhere you can go
now,” Luke growled. He knew that Rupert was engaged in his own
fight for survival inside his room, but Luke was at a distinct
disadvantage because he was out in the open hallway. Anyone could
creep up the stairs and take him out without Luke even being aware
of their arrival. He daren’t take his attention off Laurent, not
even for a second. Although the man’s gun had been discharged, Luke
was aware of the wicked looking blade that Laurent had tucked in
his boot. He cursed and dodged the charging Frenchman, and listened
to the loud bangs that came from inside Rupert’s room.
    Rupert
heard Luke order someone to get help but knew that it was a futile
request. Even if someone did wade into the fray, they would be in
incredible danger. Dubois may be fat, but he was ruthless and knew
how to use his weight to overpower his victims. He also knew that
his gun was now useless and so dutifully dropped it over the side
of the bed as Rupert instructed. The clatter of the metal barrel
against the wooden floor was loud within the square room but its
presence on the floor did little to assure Rupert that he was
winning the fight. Dubois had a knife secreted on him somewhere, of
that there could be no doubt.
    “ Stand up.” He motioned with his gun for Dubois to get to his
feet. “Turn around.”
    Dubois
merely smiled and revealed a blackened row of almost non-existent
teeth that was the reason for the man’s fetid breath.
    Rupert
heaved a sigh when the Frenchman made no attempt to comply with the
last instruction. “I know you can understand me. Your English has
been taught well.”
    “ You cannot stop us,” Dubois smirked arrogantly in perfect
English. His heavy jowls wobbled as he spoke in a thick French
accent. “There are more of us than you think.”
    “ Dubois, you and I both know that your chain of command has
collapsed. That is why you are here in this nondescript little
place. Beaulieu, Petit, Moureau and Legrand are all now dead.
Rousseau is languishing in jail and as for your associate here,
well, let’s just say that if this is the best the French have to
offer there can be little wonder why we have closed you down as
easily as we have. The game is over, Dubois. The sooner you accept
that, the better it will be for your future chances of survival.”
He sighed as though he was bored, but it was a theatrical gesture
that was completely at odds with the tension that really thrummed
through him. “Now, I am tired, hungry and want to go to bed. I am
sure that even you will understand when I tell you to hurry up and
make your choice whether I shoot you here and now, or cart you off
to jail. Either way, if you don’t decide soon, I will be left with
no choice but to make the decision for you.”
    “ You know nothing about my chain of command.”
    “ We know about your safe houses; they are now owned by the
king. We know that your boss recently failed to secure the beach at
Cragdale Manor that you planned to use to get out of the country.
You have very little in the way of funds, and the contacts you have
tried to request assistance from have failed to reply to your
demands. It’s mainly because they are all either dead or in prison
awaiting trial, but it has left you in a rather precarious
position.”
    Rupert
knew that he had struck too close to home when the glare Dubois was
giving him turned hateful. Undeterred, Rupert continued. “I am
afraid that whatever happens, you won’t return home to your mother
country.” As he spoke, he wondered what was taking Luke so long to
bring his opponent down and hoped that his colleague hadn’t been
injured. Nevertheless, he kept his attention firmly focused on the
man before him.