‘On it, guv,’ Jacob replied as they drove away, leaving the party behind. Gina glanced back and saw Steven standing outside. Maybe he had just heard what had happened and was about to leave too.
‘Am I in trouble, Chris?’
He didn’t answer.
Forty-Two
Gina followed Briggs through the station. Jacob, Wyre and O’Connor headed straight to the kitchen to grab some coffee, ready for debriefing. Gina followed Briggs until they reached his office. The door creaked as he pushed it open and flicked the light switch, illuminating the messy paperwork that was strewn over his desk. ‘Take a seat,’ he said as he pulled the window too, blocking out the traffic noise from the road outside. He fell into his chair.
‘Are you angry with me?’
‘I don’t know is the answer.’
What didn’t he know?‘I had no idea Rex was going to be there, none whatsoever. If you want to penalise me for going on a couple of dates with a friggin’ idiot then go ahead.’
He stood, removing his damp coat and hanging it on a peg as he passed her. ‘You are all over this case and it worries me. You know one of the suspects, Steven, you told me that – actually it goes further than that; you used to be related to him. Then it turns out you know one of the other people at the party and, not only that, you’ve been dating him.’
‘But, sir—’
‘Wait. Don’t interrupt me.’
She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she closed her mouth and waited for him to continue. This wasn’t the right time to argue back with him.
‘Then, only then, it comes out that this man seems to be almost harassing you. He turns up at your place, sends messages when you’ve told him to stop. You said there wasn’t a problem, that all was fine in your life. This doesn’t sound fine.’
‘Is this about him or us?’ Gina knew he’d been ruffled by Rex. Rex wasn’t bad looking, scrubbed up well in his smart coat and, strangely, the hat had suited him.
He slammed his open hand into the side of the filing cabinet. ‘This is about me caring about you and you not being able to see when you need a friend. How long was he going to keep messaging you and harassing you until you spoke to someone, maybe me?’
‘I was dealing with it fine on my own.’
‘You were until tonight. Your professional life has now well and truly crossed your personal life and I don’t know how much longer I can keep it to myself.’
Gina paced towards his desk then back towards the door. ‘You know I need my work. You know how much it means to me.’ Another tear slid down her face as she looked up at him.
He passed her and fell into his chair once again. ‘Don’t disappoint me again. Your chances are running out, Harte; do you hear me?’
She sniffed and gave him a little smile.
‘And talk to me. What’s on your mind? I heard what that Rex said. Talk to me. That is one of the conditions. I need to know that you’re not losing it.’
She could understand. She wanted him to trust her but how much was she about to give him? More than she had to or just enough to keep him happy?
‘You know I received chocolates at work, sir?’
His brow arched as he waited for her to continue. ‘I sensed you weren’t happy about them.’
‘I messaged him. Telling him not to send me anything again. You heard what he said tonight. He didn’t know anything about the chocolates or the flowers.’
‘Okay, Gina.’ A warmth flooded through her body as he said her name. ‘Someone else sent you chocolates and flowers, but who?’
‘I thinks it’s him still. He turns up at my house, he messages when I’ve asked him not to.’
‘You’re a detective. Keep it in your own time but find out if it’s bothering you. It clearly is bothering you.’
He was right. She needed to sort Rex out once and for all. Now he was embroiled in her case, things had just become even more complicated.
‘And Harte?’
