Free Heart of Courage by Kat Martin Page B

know she had money.
    She glanced down at the gaming table. She had played hazard with Rudy—scandalous as it might be for an unmarried young woman. Now she was glad. She placed a bet, lost, groaned as if it were more than she could afford, lost again and moved back from the table.
    A serving maid in a scandalously low-cut blouse worked her way round the room, encouraging the men’s lewd remarks and allowing them liberties that made Lindsey blush. For the first time, it occurred to her that the Blue Moon was likely far more than a gaming hall. Odds were, it was also a house of ill repute.
    The serving maid arrived and Lindsey ordered a tankard of ale. Elias’s eyes riveted on the pair of bulging breasts threatening to burst free of the woman’s flimsy garment.
    â€œYe want to touch ’em, luvy?” The wench gave him a lusty wink and Elias grinned.
    Lindsey elbowed him in the ribs and he quickly shook his head. “No, thank ye.”
    â€œBring him an ale,” Lindsey said gruffly. “We’d also like a word with the manager. Where might we find ’im?”
    â€œMr. Pinkard’s in his office. I’ll tell him there’s a couple of gents who want to talk to him.”
    â€œThank you.”
    A few minutes later, Pinkard walked up, a gaunt man with deep-set eyes and black hair. “You wanted to see me?”
    â€œWe’re friends of Phoebe Carter…the woman what was murdered just down the next block. We was wondering if you or someone here might ’ave seen her that night?”
    â€œMaybe she was here—I wouldn’t know. I didn’t see her and neither did anyone else.”
    â€œThere was a party upstairs that night. There’s a chance she was there. Maybe you or one of your employees—”
    He grabbed her by the front of the coat. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re through asking questions.” He tipped his head toward a couple of men who materialized out of the shadows. One looked like a walking tree trunk, the other was equally tall though not quite as heavy, and bald as a billiard ball.
    The bald man caught her arm while the tree trunk grabbed hold of Elias, who tried to jerk free.
    â€œHey! Whatcha think yer doin’?”
    The big man just laughed, tightened his grip and dragged him forward.
    â€œWe’re leaving—all right?” Lindsey said, fighting against the forward momentum, but the men didn’t stop, just hauled them toward a door at the side of the building and out into the alley. It was tar-black outside except for the flickering light of a torch stuck into a holder beside the door.
    â€œHand over the pouch,” the bald man demanded.
    Her stomach tightened. So the men had seen her coin purse. Lindsey didn’t argue. Her hand shook as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the leather bag of coins. Her heart was racing, trying to pound its way out from between her ribs, and Elias’s eyes were big and round.
    She handed over the pouch, but as she tried to pull away, the man caught her hand. In the torchlight, her fingers were slender and pale, not the sort that belonged to a man. Lindsey stiffened as the bald man reached up, jerked off her woolen cap, and her hair tumbled down.
    â€œWell, ain’t this just our lucky night, Jocko, me boy? A little extra blunt and a piece o’ tail to boot.”
    The blood drained from Lindsey’s face. She started to struggle and Elias went wild.
    â€œLet her go!” Straining frantically at the thick arms wrapped around him, Elias fought to break free.
    â€œTake the money and let us go!” Lindsey pleaded, but the bald man just leered and the tree trunk just laughed.
    Elias struggled harder, managing to free one of his arms and swinging out wildly, landing a surprisingly solid blow. The huge man growled low in his throat, spun him around and hit him, once, twice. Lindsey screamed as Elias went down. The man hauled him up