Private Princess

Chapter 37

Peter Knight looked at what had become of his office. His map of the United Kingdom and the carefully placed pins lay crumpled and torn on the floor. A chair lay on its side by the door. The pens, photos and paperwork from his desk had been tossed like confetti.

“Are you calm now?” he asked the woman who had trashed his office. Fearing for Eliza Lightwood’s safety more than his own, Knight had taken her down with a self-defense move and was now sitting on top of her, exerting just enough pressure to keep the woman pinned.

“I’m sorry,” Eliza wheezed out.

“I know you’ve had a shock, Eliza, but I can’t let you up if you’re going to do that again.”

“I’m good, Peter, honestly. I’m sorry. That just all came as a shock. It... it really threw me. I’m sorry. I just lost it for a moment.”

Knight could understand why: hearing that your friend was responsible for blackmailing your father into suicide was not something that could be taken lightly. Still, it gave Knight pause for thought. If Eliza’s temper was as violent as this...

He hadn’t revealed to her that Sophie’s body had been found, but could Eliza already know that the blackmailer was hanging in a Welsh forest? Could she have been the one to put her there, during her absence that she claimed was a drive to the south coast?

He had more questions than answers. He expected he wouldn’t learn much more by keeping Eliza pinned to his office floor.

He stood.

She got up slowly, red with embarrassment and exertion as she took in the devastation she had caused. “My God, Peter... Send me the bill. Whatever it is. Redecorate the entire floor of this building and I’ll pay for it. I’m so, so sorry.”

“That won’t be necessary, Eliza. You’ve had a rough time recently. It’s perfectly understandable.”

“Thank you, Peter.” She sighed. “You’ve been so amazing throughout all this... Do you have a bathroom I could use? I’d like to clean myself up before I go.”

“Of course.” Knight smiled, and showed her the way.

As soon as she was out of sight, he pulled out his phone and wrote a text message to Hooligan:

“Thanks for waiting, Peter.” Eliza smiled as she emerged from the bathroom.

“No problem.” He smiled back, walking her out to the front of Private’s building and waving her goodbye.

Then, as Eliza opened her umbrella and blended into the pedestrian traffic of London, Knight began his tail.