"Jackpot."

"It was him all along, conniving wretched man" Ivan cursed.

"The lights are on Prince Owen, someone is up" Ian reported.

"Looks like he just got back. Right on time I say. You two" he whispered to the two other soldiers. "One to the back, one stake outside the gate, Ivan stay here and Ian come with me."

"Yes your highness" they chorused.

Prince Owen and Ian rushed into the house, bursting the door open as they did.

Right in the living room was the twelveth man, Mr Greg clutching close to his chest a bag, with the frigid movement of his body one could hear the jiggling sounds of coins in the bag.

Prince Owen stared at him with unbelieving yet amazed eyes.

"It was you."

There was fear etched on his face at tge mention of that statement. "Your highness, no... I–Ittt iis no–tt as it–it seems" his voice betrayed him as he stuttered.

"Really? Then explain why these flowers in your yard was at the window rail of Mr Brandon some moments ago and why you are clutching so close to that bag of money."

"I didn't steal anything your highness, it is mine" he got up from his seat and took several steps back.

"Hand it over now" Prince Owen said as he stalked close to him.

Mr Greg stood shaken as he bucked his knees, his feet would give wag any minute now. He was in a deep mess and what could he do to save himself.

He was caught and how was he going to explain his way out of this one? One could boldly see the fear in his eyes as he clutched onto the bag for dear life.

"Ian" Prince Owen called out to his personal guard.

Ian nodded, seeming to understand the wordless message of the prince. He put his hand in his mouth and blew a whistle. Within seconds, Ivan rushed in followed by the other two soldiers disguised as guards.

"Your highness" they chorused.

"Seize him" Prince Owen commanded.

"Nooooo" Mr Greg screamed and that alerted the whole neighborhood.

The soldiers and guards outside, rushed towards the sound and entered the compound.

A woman slowly emerged from inside the one of the rooms. Her face was pale white, her eyes down and weary, she arched her back as she supported her weight on the door frame.

She was his wife, her son's illness had taken a toll on her and now she looked sick as well. Slowly her eyes scanned through the scene before her till it landed on her husband and the two men holding him aggressively.

Her knees gave way and she fell with her knees to the ground as her brain processed the situation.

"No, please do not harm m–my husband" she lifted one hand up, trying to reach out to them, tears flowed down her cheeks as she begged the men.

"Please leave my husband alone" her raspy voice came out stronger this time. "Your highness, please he is innocent."

"Woman, we should seize you too, you must have known that your husband was the culprit, he was the thief all along" Prince Owen shouted at her.

The soldiers and guards entered the house and met the scene before them. The captain walked up to Prince Owen and bowed.

"My Prince we heard screams coming from here and arrived here just now."

"Call off the search captain, we have our culprit."

"Yes your highness."

"No your highness, I am innocent, please believe me" Mr Greg begged frantically.

"Okay then. Captain, take some men with you and ransack this house, search carefully and Ian open the bag with him and let us see its content" he dished out his order and everyone swooped into action.

Ian grabbed the bag from the man's arms and peered into it, for a moment there, shock was etched on his face but as quickly as it came, it disappeared. He walked up to Prince Owen and showed him the bag.

"It is as you suspected your highness" he said holding the bag so Prince Owen could look at its content.

There s.h.i.+nning in the gleam light, were a lot of silver coins. Prince Owen dipped his hand into the bag and brought out some silver coins.

"What say you?"

"I–I–I... It is mine your highness, please believe me" he tried pleading his cause.

"Believe you? You know what I believe! I believe that this was the same bag of money that was safely kept in Mr Brandon's drawer a couple of minutes back. How then did it find its way here and in your arms."

"I really do not know."

"Please your highness, my husband is innocent" his wife begged.

"Silence or I would have you arrested as an accomplice."

"Please leave my wife out of this, she is innocent."

The captain and his men returned with ten bags in their arms and ten robes of various colours.

"Your highness, look what we found" they presented the items to the Prince.

He inspected the bags carefully and each were filled with silver coins, he looked at each robe in turn, shook his head and walked towards the man.

"Your highness, it is not wh... " before he could complete his sentence...

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