A third man stepped back out of the tunnel: Rodrick Fitch, longtime associate of Braden’s. Fitch was slightly shorter than Graeme, but as broad. He was known as an accomplished athlete, a man who favored bare-knuckle fighting inside the ring.
“I heard the Stone of Destiny was stolen from Westminster,” Braden said.
“A fool has wasted his time and efforts,” Graeme said.
Braden bowed slightly. “Naturally you would believe that instead of recognizing that bloody thing had been sitting under your nose the entire time.” He glanced around at their surroundings, then took a few steps forward.
“What are you skulking about these caverns for?”
“A simple exploration,” Graeme said.
“Coincidence. That is precisely what we are about.” Braden smiled. “Isn’t that right?” he asked, eying his companions.
“Absolutely,” Fitch said, his deep voice vibrating off the cavern walls.
Sam grinned, though it looked more like a sneer. “We’d best be getting on with that exploration.”
Graeme still blocked any view of Vanessa with his body. There was no need for the men to know she was even there. He’d never known Braden to be violent, but these other men might have more dangerous appetites.
But Graeme was tired of skirting around the subject at hand. “What do you want with the Loch Ness treasure?” he asked.
Braden’s brows rose, and then he and Fitch exchanged glances.
“I heard you,” Graeme explained.
“Wealthy client’s obsession,” Braden said with a shrug. He eyed Graeme a moment and then slowly smiled. “Solomon’s sent their dogs here to protect it?” But the man didn’t wait for an answer. “We have bigger foes to worry about.” He motioned to Fitch to return to the tunnel they’d started down. Sam reluctantly followed.
“Watch your step, Braden,” Graeme said.
“You just stay the hell out of my way.” Braden turned and disappeared into the darkened tunnel.
CHAPTER 11
“Who were those men?” Vanessa asked.
Graeme faced her as they stayed hidden inside the tunnel. “Filthy scavengers,” he said, unable to keep the disgust from his tone.
“You mean like pirates?” Vanessa asked.
“I suppose you could call them that. They’re treasure hunters for hire,” Graeme said.
“And you know them?”
Graeme shrugged. “More or less.” Solomon’s, on principle, did not approve of men who earned their living hunting treasure for profit. A life like that tended to lead to greed, and greed fed the need for power, which only caused greater problems.
“Do you believe they’re working with your cousin?”
“No, I don’t. Niall isn’t the sort to hire help for his own search. He knows more about this damned treasure than anyone.” Graeme looked out in the direction that Braden and Fitch had retreated. “Something doesn’t fit.”
“Should we follow them?” Vanessa asked.
“No. We aren’t prepared in case things become less friendly. Besides, I suspect we’ll see them again,” Graeme said with a shake of his head. “I want to venture down where we were yesterday. Investigate a little more of what Niall has been working on.”
“This is becoming quite the puzzle,” Vanessa said. They walked through the central chamber and back around the way they’d come.
Graeme agreed, but said nothing. Niall wanted the Loch Ness treasure, but his efforts in the last month had created concern among the men of Solomon’s. Braden and his two cronies were also after the Loch Ness treasure. Too much interest in a single treasure in a short amount of time might have triggered Jensen’s concern, especially when that treasure was a part of the Kingmaker.
The individual stones posed no threat, but when combined, they could potentially create trouble for Her Majesty. But why would Niall have changed his course, changed his focus from simply craving the Loch Ness treasure, to wanting to possess a dangerous artifact like the Kingmaker? Niall had more money than most men, and he’d never been particularly ambitious. So why the sudden interest in a relic associated with great power?