Page 84 of Tattered Huntress
For one long, strange moment Humphrey froze, seemingly suspended in time. Then he uttered a single, surprised word. ‘Oh.’
He pitched forward, face first onto the gleaming wooden floor. I grabbed Eleanor and yanked her out of the way before reaching for Gladys and pulling her towards me. She slid out of Humphrey’s body with a wet smack while the dangerous black smoke dissipated as if it had never existed in the first place.
The doormen jumped towards Humphrey and turned him over. He was gasping for air, still alive. Becky reached for her phone to call for an ambulance and the police.
I crouched down next to Humphrey and Hugo joined me. ‘Idon’t think I hit any major organs,’ I told Humphrey cheerfully. ‘You’ll be fine in no time to face trial.’
‘It was an inelegant move, Daisy,’ Hugo said. ‘You could do with some sword lessons.’
I eyeballed him. ‘I did considerably better than you. It’s thanks to me that he’s down and nobody’s dead.’
‘Beginner’s luck.’
I pulled an irritated face but then Humphrey wheezed and we both returned our attention to him. ‘You … won’t … get … the gold,’ he managed in a strained whisper. ‘You’ll … never … find … it.’
‘Don’t be so sure,’ Hugo growled. ‘You forget who I am.’
‘Even … you … won’t … be able … to locate … it.’
Yeah, yeah.
Humphrey smiled to himself then his eyes rolled back into his head as he finally passed out. I checked his vitals until I was satisfied that he was unconscious and not dead. I could already hear the sirens in the distance.
I turned my head to check on Sir Nigel, who was still surrounded by Primes. ‘I’m alright,’ he managed. ‘I’m going to be alright.’ He blinked blearily in our direction. ‘Humphrey really did steal the Loch Arkaig treasure?’
‘Yes,’ Hugo said.
I grinned. ‘No.’
Everyone looked at me. I curtsied in return as Hester and Otis peered nervously towards us from the doorway. ‘Is it safe?’ Otis called in. ‘Because there’s a delivery guy at the front door.’
Bang on time. My smile grew. ‘Let him through.’
The two doormen glared at me. ‘Hey!’ snarled the taller of the two. ‘That’s not for you to decide!’
‘Do it,’ Sir Nigel ordered, watching me carefully.
Hugo nodded. ‘Let him in.’
It didn’t take Billy long to trundle in with three heavy boxeson a squeaky trolley. He grinned and waved. ‘Hey, Daisy! How’s things?’ His gaze dropped to Humphrey’s unmoving body and he whitened. ‘Uh…’
‘Don’t worry about him. Paramedics are on their way.’
Hugo had folded his arms. ‘Who is he?’
I beamed. ‘This is Billy. He’s from SDS. They deliver,’ I chanted in a sing-song voice, ‘when it counts.’
Billy looked up from Humphrey. ‘We don’t only deliver,’ he said faintly. ‘We do pick-ups as well.’
Hugo glowered at him suspiciously then strode forward and reached for the first box. He ripped away the cardboard; within seconds, the ancient, warped wood of an old chest was revealed.
‘Uh,’ Billy swallowed and shot me a nervous glance. ‘I’m supposed to deliver these to Sir Nigel Hannigan,’ he said. ‘Not you.’
Sir Nigel raised a weak hand from where he lay on the floor. ‘That’s me. It’s alright. Hugo can open them.’
‘I’ll need a signature,’ Billy said.
Hugo didn’t look up. Instead, he fiddled with the chest lid and flipped it open. He gazed at the contents then glanced at me. ‘What is the meaning of this, Daisy?’
