“That sounds fun. Are you sure your family won’t mind? I got the feeling that Scott was a little pissed at me.” She took another sip. “The time off at this point in summer makes no business sense.”
Alex looked at the menu. He knew exactly what she meant. “I think it’s two-fold: you needed some time away to sort yourself out – anyone would after what happened; and he’s worried that if someone is looking for you, they’ll end up at the bar. Since Keren had Eden he’s become like an overprotective bear. He’s well on with getting some more security put in. That’ll put everyone’s minds at ease.”
“I've caused such a problem by being here. Maybe I need to move on…”
“No.” He didn’t snap the word. Instead, it was uttered quietly, with control, because he’d kind of known she was going to get to this conclusion.
“If someone’s looking for me, Alex, they’re going to find you and Sorrell and Keren and Rayah. Me being followed and then having my house ransacked wasn’t a random coincidence. We both know that.” She sounded rational and he knew she’d given this some thought.
“I probably know more about what’s going on at the manor than all but two other people. If you stay here, I can keep an eye on you and you could be useful. We know someone involved with the Mobchester gangs is connected up there and has been behind at least two deaths and we know people higher up than me are trying to cover it up. If the threat gets really bad we can look at you going into witness protection, but I don’t think it will.” And he didn’t want her to leave.
She shook her head. “I’m scared, Alex.”
“I know. And you have every right to be. But you will get your life back. Are you going to write about the climb today?” He took out his phone. “Here.”
He’d managed to take a photo, one of her climbing up the rock face, her hair loose and blowing around her, covering enough of her face to give her a slight disguise.
“I’m pretty pleased with that picture.” He watched her face for her reaction, hoping she wouldn’t mind.
“It’s good. Do you mind if I use it? If I decide to upload something then this would be great to go with it.”
“Sure.” As long as she didn’t mind him keeping it too.
They droveby Abby’s home on the way back, checking in to make sure that everything was as they’d left it. Alex went in first, looking for small disruptions, a change in the air, open windows, mail that might’ve been moved.
There was nothing. Everything was as they’d left it. A quick check on an app he’d installed on his phone showed that the newly installed cameras had picked nothing up other than a cat stalking something in the garden and a fox shimmying past.
“I could stay here. Now we have the cameras. And it’s unlikely someone’s going to be back this soon.” Abby hovered near the front door. “You have work tomorrow, Alex, and you’ve no spare bed…”
“We’ll share it. We’re adults. And in my professional opinion, I don’t think you should be going back until we get some idea of who it was and what they were after.” He had no doubts that they could share it, he just wasn’t sure he’d get any sleep. “You can take the sofa if you want, but I will be up early.”
“How early?”
“Five.”
She looked pained. “You’re sure you don’t mind me staying?”
He shook his head and opened the passenger door for her to get back in. “Abby, if I minded I’d have sorted something else out.”
He closed the door and got in himself, not starting the car immediately.
“Do we need to talk about what happened this morning?” He’d spent the rest of the day trying to pretend it hadn’t happened. He’d focused on the PI, her sister, the climb and at not looking at her bottom as she’d climbed up Windgather.
She shrugged. Awkwardly. “I feel embarrassed about it now. I know it shouldn’t have happened.”
“Why shouldn’t it have happened?” He stared out of the windscreen, not able to look at her.
“Because I practically threw myself at you and it’s the worst time – you don’t need me fangirling around you.”
“Fangirling?” He knew the term but didn’t understand what she was getting at.
“You must know I’ve liked you for a while and at the first opportunity I get I – you know, someone might think it’s all a set up to get into your pants.” She held her head in her hands.
Alex started the car and drove the two minutes back to his house, his mind trying to work out what his response should be and not necessarily the one he knew he should give, but the one that got across what he actually felt.
“Let’s talk when we get in.”
“Sure.”
