“Go on then. Hit me with it.” She expected him to ask something about Tilly or why Severton.
“Truth or dare: do you want to kiss me again?”
She wasn’t expecting that.
Four
Alex knew he wanted to be a police officer when he was fourteen and trying to explain to Jake exactly why it was a bad idea to take his dad’s car out for a drive without a licence or insurance. Jake had made the right choice, deciding instead that a horse was a better idea and had wreaked havoc in the nearby farm of a girl he liked, but no one had been injured – including Jake’s ego which had been a shame.
It was around that time there had been a huge hunt for a murder suspect in Leeds, the case fascinating Alex, especially because the inspector who was always interviewed by the media was youngish. Alex wanted to be him.
It was then he’d realised that there were professional boundaries. If he wanted to be a cop, then he had to be the sensible one of his family, because any official trouble meant he could be screwed. He’d gone to university because it was a Maynard essential, studied criminology and psychology and got straight into the force. He was a good cop, one who kept his personal and professional life separate, although that excluded a quick fling with a couple of his non-attached colleagues, all very discreet.
Because that was Alex. Discreet. Played by the rules.
Most of the time.
Because today he hadn’t played by any rules. He should’ve told Ste, who’d ended up being the officer looking at the break in, about Abby, that she had a different identity and was likely in up to her neck with something. He shouldn’t have offered to have her stay with him.
And he definitely shouldn’t have kissed her back.
Which meant he shouldn’t be bringing up kissing her again. Not when she was sitting in his lounge, a sweater hanging loosely off one shoulder, having had probably the shittiest day in a long time, telling him about how her sister was missing,
This was not what good cops did.
“Truth or dare: do you want to kiss me again?”
He was hoping the answer was yes. Abby had intrigued him since she’d started working at Scott’s bar. Secretive, quiet and she noticed everything. Plus, she was beautiful. Too skinny at the moment, and he figured she wasn’t looking after herself properly, but she had the sort of athletic figure he’d allowed to star in his fantasies.
He’d kind of known she had a bit of a crush – he could pick up on people’s behaviours – and it had made him feel like a hero.
She sat up straighter. “Truth.”
He saw her cheeks pink over but he didn’t make a move, knowing it was making him look like an arrogant arse.
“But I’m not sure I should. Things are complicated as they are.”
She was right, but the words did not sit well.
“My turn.” Her eyes hadn’t left his. “Truth or dare: do you want to kiss me?”
“Truth.” He didn’t even pause to think about his answer. “Yes. But you’re right, it’s complicated enough.”
Silence settled between them. She clutched her tea. Alex fiddled with the fur on Hansel’s head.
“Tilly was in a relationship with Kenny Gallagher. I don’t know if you know the name.”
It was information that fell from nowhere. She was starting to trust him.
“I do. He’s one of Alfie Fletcher’s associates. Pretty low down the pecking order and wanting to rise up. He’s been quiet for the last few months. Lying low.” Alex knew more. This was his current assignment. Severton. Gangs. Big cities where there was a drug war brewing, or rather boiling over and it had been known for some time that Severton’s religious organisation – or cult, as Alex preferred to call it – was used as a front for money laundering for one of the gangs.
“I think Kenny’s rivals might’ve had something to do with Tilly going missing.” Her voice was quiet but the worry in it was deafening. “That was why I came to Severton.”
“To track her down?”
“I thought someone who worked for Tony Jones might’ve taken her.”
Alex didn’t say anything. Tony Jones and Alfie Fletcher were the men he’d been trying to dig up enough dirt on to at least trigger an investigation. Only Garrison kept dusting that dirt away. He also knew that if Abby was digging around, she’d be on their radar and that wasn’t a good place to be. In fact, it was a dangerous place to be.
