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Like a fatal dagger, the deut Inadvertently, she took a step backward, dreading the reaction she was about to elicit “Lord Pembourne turned it over to Armon”

Silence

Nervously, the housekeeper wet her lips “I’ve never known Ar quite so stupid”

“On the contrary—his plan was brilliant” A rustle of ed from the shadows “Quite brilliant ’Tis a pity he’ll never enjoy the fruits of his labor”

With that, the black cloak brushed by and ed up by night

Dartmouth was silent, the crude road adjacent to the wharf deserted

Uneasily, Ar himself that the cove where the Fortune awaited him was nearby, safely within view All he had to do was hand over the diamond, pocket the three hundred thousand pounds, and sail off to his new life—far away froland

He hurried toward the alley that was his custo He alhenever Ar And in this case, the fence had probably slept in the alley the night before Just knowing he’d soon be receiving the black diamond—a treasure worth e—hell, Gried out of his head when he’d read the e

Ar around the bulky shape of the diamond, as if for comfort The bloody stone was enorht Well, whoever wanted it elco offered in exchange

With a relieved sigh, Ar the wall, he eased halfway down the alley, noting the dark silhouette fifty feet away “Grimes?”

“Sorry, Arent business for Grimes Thus, he was detained”

All the color drained from Armon’s face “I…”

A bitter laugh as the footsteps closed in—and halted upon reaching their prey “Why, Armon, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were disturbed by my visit”

The barrel of a pistol glinted in the night

Ar for a nonexistent means of escape