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It was clear from the way he moved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Carruthers that he was a colleague of some sort.
    Marcus mentally groaned and took a long drink of his ale in an attempt to hide his disgust.
    “We know it is you,” the new arrival murmured.
    “Lloyd, you know nothing. I ain’t done nothing wrong,” Ben protested.
    “So, why were you seen in the woods last night? When most people are tucked up in their beds, why are you out and about?” Lloyd poked a finger into the lad’s chest.
    “It’s nothing to do with you,” Ben countered. “I am not under kerfew. I do not have to explain my comings and goings to you, and you know it.”
    The conversation was starting to draw the interested gazes of several of the locals. The noise within the busy tavern dimmed as everyone listened and watched what was happening.
    “Don’t threaten me, or my sister,” Ben warned.
    “What are you going to do about it?” Lloyd demanded.
    It quickly became evident to Marcus that Lloyd was the magistrate, and Carruthers was his assistant. However, he had little doubt that they were both as corrupt as the man Marcus had spent the better part of last night following.
    Thankfully, Joe chose that moment to appear beside him. Marcus met his colleague’s gaze but, rather than acknowledge him, he took a sip of his ale and pointedly turned his attention to the argument that was brewing.
    “I ain’t stolen nothing from nobody, and neither has Jessica. You leave her alone. I know about your visit. You have no business going around to the house to bully her. It’s not fair.”
    A few cries of ‘here, here,” went up around the tavern. The atmosphere suddenly grew tense and expectant.
    “Stay away from me, Lloyd, and don’t threaten me,” Ben instructed.
    “If I catch you stealing game from the Priory, I will put you behind bars, Parkinson,” Lloyd countered. “That’s my job.”
    “It is also your job to work within the law so don’t pester innocent people.”
    One again, another cry of ‘here, here’, rippled through the crowd. Everyone turned accusing eyes on the magistrate and waited to see what he would do.
    Clearly furious at being shown up as a corrupt official, Lloyd turned and stalked out of the tavern. The loud slam of the door behind him warned everyone he was angry. With the main source of the discontent gone, everyone turned to stare at Carruthers. He turned a glare on Ben but, before he could speak, the lad shook his head.
    “Shut up, Carruthers.” He abruptly turned away, effectively dismissing him as insignificant.
    When Carruthers remained where he was, Ben downed his ale in one gulp and stomped out of the tavern without a backward look.
    Marcus finished his ale and followed, throwing Carruthers a disinterested look as he left. Shaking his head at the complexity of the problems before him, he made a mental note to write to his boss, Barnaby Stephenson, to inform him that he and Joe would be in Smothey for a while. Hopefully, Barnaby would come to help. He suspected that he would need all of the available Star Elite men to pitch in if he wanted to get to the bottom of Ben’s crimes. The most important of which was transporting the gems for Bamber to the Smothey.
    Once outside, Marcus walked casually toward the lodging house. As expected, he managed no more than twenty paces before the magistrate fell into step beside him. 
    “Evening,” the magistrate said amiably enough.
    “Evening,” Marcus replied in a tone that didn’t invite conversation.
    “You are new to this area,” Lloyed began. It was evident that the man expected Marcus to stop and talk to him.
    Marcus didn’t slow his pace. Rather than go to the boarding house with the magistrate in tow, he took a random route around the village. He didn’t even speak to the magistrate again before he took the opportunity to get rid of the man, and crossed the street. He dodged around a passing cart as effectively as he had avoided conversing