“I started seeing someone new. He’s wonderful. He treats me so well. He spoils me and he’s so caring.”
As she listened, Lovelyn brought out a laptop from her bag, a flower pattern on the decal. She unlocked it and opened an app. “He sounds perfect. What’s the catch?”
The woman made an unhappy sound. “I have a two-year-old son. He’s the sweetest, happiest, most trusting boy. My little blond angel who everybody loves. I protect him fiercely.”
Lovelyn sighed. “And your wonderful boyfriend who’s oddly estranged from his family with no close female friends has volunteered to take the burden of motherhood off your hands? Maybe do bath and bedtimes or sleepovers so you can get somerest? Or did he randomly buy a car seat to take your baby out so you can get your hair done?”
Silence held on the other end of the line.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
I had no idea what they were talking about.
Lovelyn tapped the screen of what appeared to be an official database. “All I need is a name, my lovely.”
“I snuck a look in his wallet. It’s a different name to the one he uses.”
“Well done. That’s exactly what I need.”
She typed it in and ran a search. My curiosity was only growing, but I tried to keep my focus on the road. We were closing in on Leith, the journey having passed far quicker than I’d expected.
Lovelyn clucked her tongue and began to read. “Sentenced as a minor for child abuse. Fairly typical of serial abusers to have been victims themselves. His second conviction was at twenty-three. He was released a year ago from a third.”
“I… I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If it helps, your instincts were on the money. You’re a good mother and you’ve protected your baby. Now, I need the name the man is living under and where he’s staying.”
Her caller gave over the information then disconnected. Lovelyn stowed the laptop then wrote out a text.
“What is that, a public-service hobby?” I asked.
She darted her gaze at me but didn’t answer.
I tried again. “How did the woman know to call you? How do you publicise that service without risking your neck?”
Finally, her eyes met mine. An electric touch that raised the fucking hair on my arms.
“Risking my neck is all I seem to do.”
I had to drag my focus back to the road. We’d reached central Leith, and to add to the busy traffic, roadworks on Salamander Street held up the queues.
I’d got stuck on her hotline. What a fucking stupid thing to do. What an insanely admirable service to offer. If any one of those predatory boyfriends found out, they’d come after her. If one of the women betrayed her, she’d be in danger.
It made sense why she had been so jumpy earlier today. She’d been scared of a stranger in the street, and with good reason.
“The guy you were hiding from near your home, is he one of them?” Anger played out in my voice.
Lovelyn stiffened. We’d stopped again at traffic lights. Our route had taken us into the busiest part of town, just a couple of streets from where I’d grabbed her barely twenty-four hours ago, and outside the car, a group of men entered a pub, the supermarket opposite busy with people food shopping after work. I wasn’t sure where she’d parked, but I also wasn’t ready for the conversation to finish.
“Oh my God.” Lovelyn pointed across the car to my side, her eyes wide in fear.
I twisted to scan the faces, searching for what had scared her. I had a knack for finding danger. For taking action.
But on this occasion, I was way too slow.
The click of a seat belt came a second before the door popped open and Lovelyn dived out. In the heartbeat it took me to turn back, she’d slipped into the crowd and was out of sight.
She’d purposefully distracted me.
