‘We need to get out of this car and take a closer look,’ Gina said as she grabbed her trench coat off the back seat. She exited the car and pulled her hood over her head. ‘We need to find out who Trilby is.’
Briggs nodded and grabbed his coat off the back seat then radioed Jacob to tell them they were leaving the car.
The back door of the house opened and four people came out and lit up cigarettes. As Gina and Briggs followed the trees, they could smell weed in the air. Trilby came out through the French doors and stared out at the river as he sucked on a spliff and sipped from a champagne flute, oblivious to the spitting rain.
‘Gina, not too close,’ Briggs whispered as he parted a cluster of branches and crept forward, grabbing her arm.
As he pulled her back, one of the party was alerted to their presence. ‘What did you do that for?’ she whispered back, knowing that he’d caused her to make a sound as he tugged her arm.
Her heart began to pound as she saw Steven walk over. He dragged on his smoke one last time, threw it to the ground and stepped on it as he wandered towards them.
‘Abandon,’ Briggs whispered in her ear as he held her close.
‘Not now, we can’t.’
Steven pulled the branches away. As he did, Briggs grabbed Gina. Their eyes met for no more than a second and she nodded. They kissed hard under their respective hoods. His firm lips pressed against hers and drew her in further.
‘Oops, sorry,’ Steven said. ‘Didn’t know you were already getting some action but, hey, have a good time.’ He dropped the branches and hurried back to the French doors, before heading back inside.
‘That was close,’ Briggs said as his hand dropped from the back of her neck, leaving a faint tingle behind. ‘Sorry about that, I didn’t know what to do and—’
‘Shh, it’s okay. We got away with it. All is back on track.’ The subsequent silence that followed made the tiny gap between them feel slightly awkward.
An hour had passed and nothing much was happening at the party. People still drank, they occasionally came outside for a smoke and the music still played. Various jazzy numbers boomed out. Steven and Dawn were still the only people they recognised. The tingle on the back of her neck, where Briggs had held her as they kissed, still tingled. Not once had Rex or any of her other lovers made her tingle.
‘Trilby is walking towards us,’ Briggs said as he turned the radio off. ‘He’s seen the car. Play it cool.’
They both got out and he held her hand, leading her to the river’s edge. Trilby would walk over, see that they were just a couple out for a walk and he’d head back inside with the other partygoers. Briggs pointed at the moon’s reflection in the rippling water below. She needed to see who he was. Gently, she turned as Briggs played his part so well. As soon as her eyes met his, she felt her heart blocking her throat as it boomed away. With blood pounding through her head, she wanted to faint, to throw up, to shout or scream at him.
‘Fancy meeting you here, Gina.’
‘Rex.’
‘Anyone might think you are following me,’ he said with a laugh.
‘That’s good coming from you. The man who turns up at my house uninvited when I’ve told you to leave me alone. The flowers, the chocolates, the texts, they have to stop.’
He removed his hat and shook the rainwater from it. ‘You’re a flipping loony. I haven’t been sending you anything. Maybe it’s Tinder date number whatever over here.’ He pointed at Briggs.
Her cheeks burned and pricked. Now Briggs knew everything. She was sure her cover had been blown.
‘What would a copper be doing here? Are you watching me? Maybe you’re harassing me.’
She had no idea what she’d ever seen in Rex. Her instincts about him had been right. She was nothing more than a conquest seeing as he turned up to sex parties. Briggs gripped her hand, tightly.
‘I think you should leave her alone,’ Briggs said in a controlled tone.
‘Do you. Good luck with that one!’ He put his hat back on and walked away, back to the house.
‘I am so sorry, I had no idea it was him,’ Gina said, feeling choked up.
‘You had no reason to know. We have to abandon this mission though. Too many people have seen us and he may well go back to the party and discuss seeing you outside.’
‘He knows my real name. If he talks and Steven knows I was here, he’ll put two and two together—’
‘Shh, let’s go now. He may not say anything but if we stand out here much longer, it’s only a matter of time before people really get suspicious.’ His hand unravelled from hers and she followed him back to the car. ‘We’ll talk about this when we get back to the station.’
As they fumbled for their seat belts, Gina switched the radio back on and spoke to Jacob. ‘Abandon. Smith’s now at the window, give him the wave.’
