Alex watched his brother. Zack worried, was sometimes over cautious, liked to stick to what was known, preferred his routine and things not to change too much. He’d also become a protective bear where anything to do with Sorrell was concerned.
Alex got it. He got it before Abby had been followed after work and even more now.
“Here you go.” The pint was almost slammed down in front of him. “Are you going to tell her to stay elsewhere?”
“No.”
Easy answer.
“But…”
“Zack, do you know who she really is?” He felt his chest take a pounding from his heart, knowing he was about to disclose something that wasn’t really his to share.
“Abby Walker. Lived here for about two years. Barmaid and Sorrell’s assistant manager. Other than that, I don’t know the first thing about her. Abby might not even be her first name.”
“It isn’t.”
Alex waited. He knew that when he told Zack who Abby had been before she came here, Zack’s head would spin. He’d followed her blog, and, if Alex remembered correctly, had even won a competition she’d set up for some climbing equipment.
“Who is she then?” Zack frowned.
Alex grinned. “Amelia Hope.”
“Fuck no.” Zack sat back, his glass thumped onto the table. “No way.”
Alex took a long drink of his beer.
“Millie Hope. But Millie Hope had dark hair.”
“You realise that people can dye their hair, Zack, don’t you?”
“Fuck off. What’s Millie Hope doing here in Severton?”
“Looking for her sister. Who got in with some bad people. Sister’s still missing. Abby was trying to keep a low profile here.” The cliff notes’ version.
Zack was quiet again, but his eyes had softened. He picked up his drink and looked out of the window. “I never recognised her. But then she was always smiling in the pictures on her blog and wearing climbing gear. Now you’ve said it, I can see it.” He paused. “Alex, is this the right place for her to be?”
“I don’t know.” It was the truth.
“You’ve never had a woman stay over like this.” Zack looked away. “You don’t get involved and when we met one of your girlfriends, we all knew it was only temporary. Why do I feel like this is different?”
“I don’t know.”
“Does Abby have something to do with the cult?”
“Not directly.” He inhaled and mussed his hair with his fingers. “You know that the cult’s always been a front for one of the Mobchester gangs?”
“It was always the theory. Right back from the sixties.” Zack shook his head. “You think one of the Manchester gangs has Abby’s sister?”
“Possibly. That’s why Abby ended up here.”
Zack nodded. “I get it. But if someone involved in whoever took her sister knows who Abby is, that means she’s not safe, which means the people she’s with aren’t safe, including your sister-in-law and niece. Wouldn’t she be better in some form of witness protection or something?”
“It doesn’t work like that, Zack.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t, but here – Alex, there’s too much at stake. Couldn’t she stay in London with Gran’s granddaughter or something while this blows over?”
“And what if it doesn’t blow over? What do I do then?” Those words made it too fucking obvious to him that this wasn’t just about keeping Abby safe.
