Free The Butcher of St Peter's: (Knights Templar 19) by Michael Jecks Page A

had wanted to help him. And perhaps too it was the damage wrought on Henry in his
     attempt to help Est that had spurred Estmund to live on. He had a responsibility again, someone to look after.
    Just as Henry had too. He felt that he had a reciprocal responsibility for Estmund.
    Reginald stared. ‘Look, Jordan, I don’t know how to get hold of a man to do something like that, and I’m not sure I’d want
     to, even if I could. It’s a serious—’
    ‘Don’t say “affair”,’ Jordan le Bolle said. ‘This is just business, after all. We have to stop this man.’
    He was tall, with the calm assurance of a man who knew that he would get his way. That was a mark of his position and control:
     he always got what he wanted. His eyes were calm and unworried. There was never any need for him to be anxious, after all.
     There was no one in the city whom he need fear.
    Such was not Reg’s own state of mind at that moment. Reg was filled with an overwhelming dread. At any moment, he felt sure,
     the other person who used that door would knock and enter, ready to throw herself into Reg’s arms or onto his bed. It was
     truly appalling. Reg knew that his partner was perfectly capable of murdering people – it had been necessary when they had
     first got to know each other, and the years had not altered the reality of their relationship.
    ‘Killing him would not be easy, Jordie,’ Reg said feebly. He didn’t hold out much hope for an argument of that nature. Jordan
     was too adept at debating his position. Reg had known that from the first moment.
    ‘Any man will fall when he’s hit hard enough in the right place.’
    ‘That’s easy for you to say. You’ve had practice.’
    Jordan smiled. ‘And we’ve both benefited, haven’t we?’
    Reg hated to see that easy grin. It was as though Jordie didn’t care about any other lives. Sometimes Reg wondered whether
     he’d even miss Reg. Perhaps he’d shed a couple oftears, but there was no guarantee that they’d be genuine. Then he caught sight of the expression in Jordan’s eyes.
    ‘We’ve lived this long without having to kill him, Jordie. Why risk everything now?’ His thin smile felt more like a grimace.
    Jordan le Bolle ignored the interruption. ‘Yes, we’ve both benefited. I’ve taken many risks to bring in our profits, Reg.
     Now it’s time you helped. I think Daniel is getting too close to me. Far too close. There’s a risk that soon he’ll throw caution
     to the winds and try to take us on properly. And you know what that would mean, don’t you? If he comes in and stops our work,
     it’ll be the end of our easy life. The end of all this,’ he said, waving a hand nonchalantly at the chamber, encompassing
     the hall, the wine, the food …
    But it wasn’t only that. Reg knew he was including everything, the chamber in which he slept, the bed where Michael lay sleeping
     … Michael himself, even. Reg felt a cold, clammy sensation about his breast, as though his own destiny was pressing a
     firm hand over his heart. His blood was racing already; this additional feeling was enough to make him feel slightly sick.
    ‘Jordie, I don’t see why we have to kill him now. It’s just a—’
    ‘Because I have warned him. I told him, Reg. I said that if he didn’t leave me alone, I would destroy him. I said I would
     kill his children and his wife and him.’
    ‘All of them?’
    ‘He even told his wife. Can you imagine that?’ Jordan frowned. ‘I wouldn’t tell my bitch about business like that. Why would
     he have told her?’
    ‘Jordan, there’s no need to kill them. We’re all right still. There’s no need to hurt any of them. Maybe we can leave things
     as they are.’
    ‘If we do nothing, Reg, all this would be at risk. Consider that.’ Jordan stood and eyed him, but this time it was not the
     friendly look of an old comrade and partner, it was the cold, intimidating stare which Reg had seen him use on others when
     he was about to strike.