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Once they were seated, Arel opened a cigar box sitting on the sar "Ah," he e and waited expectantly for hiar he are of several guards entering the roo to stand near their backs Arel often keptabout their silent entrance was bothersoars Then, he took several puffs of his cigar, taking his tie felt his tension rise, bit by bit, until he was ready to colued Carefully, he kept his expression neutral, but his ood

"So," Arel finally said "When were you going to tell me about the journal?"

His first inclination was to play due started to speak and Arel held up a hand "Don’t deny what I know already, or you will sadly regret your action, Judge"

The judge sed Hard He couldn’t let Arel have that journal What if it exposed his activity with Dragonfly? "I have it handled My wife caused more trouble than I had hoped I didn’t want you to feel I couldn’t take care of things"

Arel eyes narrowed "You didn’t take care of things I did She ht still be a problem had I left you to your own solutions"

He cleared his throat "That’s why I didn’t want you to have to deal with this I knew you would be angry"

Arel sry"

The judge felt his empty hand tremble and clenched it into a fist "I have this handled It’s a se, are the probleer tolerate Answerthe diary? And why is the sister of the dead wifeme Monsieur Walker He controls her He has the journal"

His mind raced and the truth seemed his best defense "I believe the journal is how he found out about you, yes, and why I thought getting hi money would ensure he was loyal You sa he controls her She won’t do anything he doesn’t want her to do"

"If Monsieur Walker is as good as he seeainsthis arms on his knees "Consider this handled as of noill resolve it"

"But–"

Arel’s hand sliced through the air "Non! I am done" Then he spoke over his shoulder in French to one of the guards before speaking to the judge again "You will go with Fredrick He will ree went cold, fear shooting through hi fuel "Please, no I won’t ever-"

Arel cut hilish this tiled The soft sound of a gun being cocked un at hiest you walk calmly from the room, perhaps even smile a bit It would be a pity to dirty e said, "You’re bluffing The guests will hear the shot"