Page 58 of The Last Knight

“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.