“I was reporting on the multiple bomb blasts on the London Underground. That’s my way of saying I'm too old for you.”
Rosie grinned. “I like older women.”
“So do I.”
Rosie shrugged. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
Despite all that, Mattie had found herself asking about Rosie’s career plans and then offered to mentor her. Rosie had been so ecstatic that she’d bounced across the kitchen like Tigger to hug her. Playing the age card, along with needing to recharge her social batteries, were acceptable reasons to bow out of a gathering like the one Rosie had invited her to. Or were they excuses? Probably. And then Nell had left so abruptly, the tension from their brusque exchange earlier still unresolved.
Mattie slapped the iron railings, and the dull vibration shuddered through her hands. The humidity was irritating her. This situation irritated her. She was even irritating herself. Shona was right: she was crap at staying away from work. Why was she making this so complicated? The blaze had derailed her. It was time to simplify things and remember why she was here.
So take a step back. Smell the damn roses. Do something fun. Go on the steam train. Paddle in the sea. Forget all about Nell and her prejudice.That was easier said than done, especially when she was wandering around the busy harbourat Torquay and heard police sirens in the near distance. She needed to go somewhere remote and away from all of this, somewhere that would both distract and interest her. She found the answer at Kents Cavern. Not only was it fascinating to walk among four-hundred-million-year-old rocks in the extensive labyrinth of caves, but the temperature underground had also been a constant fourteen degrees. That was pure bliss next to the heat and humidity of the day. She hadn’t suffered an anxiety attack either, despite her worry that being in enclosed spaces might trigger one. Thankfully, Monday’s episode appeared to be a one-off lapse, nothing more.
What next? A cream tea in the cafe. Mum had always enjoyed the oven-fresh scones, and they used to argue good-naturedly about the merits of jam or clotted cream going first. A bittersweet wave of nostalgia washed over her as she sat at a small table tucked in the corner. She switched her phone on, and it went crazy with alerts and notifications. She’d only been underground for an hour. She followed the link sent to her by the news desk.
No. That couldn’t be right.But the reality was playing out on her screen: Nell speaking to the cameras, leading a police appeal to help find the man in the photo.Herphoto. And Nell hadn’t had the courtesy to so much as let her know. How dare she use it without including her? Mattie stabbed at Nell’s office contact details on her phone. The call went straight to voicemail. No, she didn’t want to leave a message. She wanted to speak to the bloody chief inspector in person. She rang the main switchboard and learned that Nell was off-duty until tomorrow. Tomorrow wasn’t soon enough. Fuming, she called for a cab. She’d try Nell at home.
The journey took much longer than it should’ve done, thanks to a malfunctioning red light that had snarled up the traffic. At Nell’s house, Mattie leaned on the doorbell for the thirdtime, hell-bent on forcing Nell to answer. She had to be home. Her black Honda was parked on the driveway and various downstairs windows were open, something a security-conscious person like a cop wouldn’t leave in such a way if they were out.
“Finally,” Mattie muttered as she heard footsteps. “So much for keeping me in the loop,” Mattie bit out the moment Nell opened the door.
A furious look crossed Nell’s face. “There is a time and a place for this conversation. Here and now isn’t it.”
Mattie stood tall. “It’s as good a time as any.”
“I’m off-duty, and I’m at home.” Nell’s voice was measured. “I won’t discuss this with you on my doorstep.”
“Invite me in, then.”
Nell’s lips pursed. “That’s not what I meant.”
Mattie stared at her, unwilling to relent.
“Two minutes. That’s all you’re getting.” Nell pulled the door open wide enough for Mattie to come in.
Only then did Mattie clock Nell’s attire of skimpy pyjama shorts and a faded vest top that showed off her midriff. Nell tugged the vest down as she stalked along the narrow hallway, but it was ineffective. Mattie dragged her eyes away as she followed her into the kitchen. “You said you’d keep me updated.”
“I said I would try. The investigation moved quickly, and time was of the essence.”
Mattie snorted. “Clearly you didn’t try very hard. You didn’t even let me know about the press conference. I would’ve liked to have been there.”
Nell’s jaw tightened. “Your news desk was informed. In an ideal world, I would’ve contacted you personally. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world. My priority is in apprehending this man. I don’t owe you anything, Mattie. You were witness to a crime, and you had evidence, which you handed over. That’s theend of our relationship—our connection,” she said as if she’d misspoken.
“Connection?” Mattie scoffed. “Failing to keep me in the loop was minor in the grand scheme of things, but I had you down as being honourable, despite your frosty veneer. Obviously I was wrong, and I’m pissed off that my instinct let me down.”
Nell jabbed her finger at Mattie. “You have the cheek to come into my house and have a go at me? To invade my privacy? This is my house, my safe place. Only people I trust and who don’t threaten me are welcome here. You need to leave.”
“You’re right when you say our ‘connection’ is over.” Mattie spun on her heels, and each footstep slapped on the floorboards like a hammer as she strode down the hallway and let herself out. She closed the door with far more force than was necessary.
Going back to Cove House wouldn’t work. She’d feel caged in. She needed open space. She marched to the stony track at the edge of the low cliff. Her sliders scuffed against the dry earth and grit snuck between her toes. She glared at the sea. It barely rippled, unlike her turbulent mind as it replayed what’d just happened. Seeing Nell dressed in such skimpy clothing with all that delicious bare skin on display had almost derailed her. And then Nell’s oh-so-restrained blowout. Not once had she raised her voice. How did she manage to argue without yelling?
Mattie fretted back and forth along the track, hands sunk deep into the pockets of her cargo shorts. Nell might not have shouted, but she’d sure as hell been defensive. And that line about her home being her safe place? What was that about? Nell seemed more upset that they were having the confrontation in her home rather than the row itself. Mattie stopped dead.Fuck, fuck, fuck. Nell had every right to be angry. Mattiehadcrossed a boundary as far as Nell’s privacy went. Normally, she’d never dream of rolling up at a police officer’s house in the name of a story. What the hell had she been thinking? She paced again.Pain shot through her big toe as she stubbed it against a sharp stone. Tears burned her eyes. She slumped to the dusty ground, yanked off her slider, and clutched her throbbing toe. The top of her nail was broken, bent back by the impact. Stupid stone. Stupid story. Stupid her. Nell was right: she didn’t owe Mattie anything. But Mattie owed Nell the hugest of apologies. She’d fallen well below her usual standards of professional integrity, the very thing she’d been trying to prove to Nell that she had. Mattie cradled her injured foot and stared morosely at the sea. She’d properly blown things. There was no way of making it up to Nell, but at the very least she had to own her screw-up.
Fuck.
Chapter 10
Mid-morning sunlight sliced at Nell’s fragile eyes as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Her head pounded and her stomach grumbled queasily. A fog of self-loathing and malaise descended. “Classic hangover symptoms. What do you expect?” she muttered.
