“No, nothing.” Helen looked at her wrist watch. “Are we done now?”
“Not quite. We spoke to his wife.”
“Hiswife!”
Nazir smiled. “Didn’t you know he was married?”
“Obviously not.” All the daydreams Helen had ever had of her and Jaxon—running their own cybersecurity company, living here at the cottage—crashed and shattered, each splinter poking into her, ridiculing her girlish fantasies.
God, she’d been stupid.
“His wife thinks he was having an affair.”
“Not with me, if that’s what you’re thinking. Nothing ever happened between us. Just work.”
Oh, god, she really had been so bloody stupid.
Nazir stared at her. “If Jaxon contacts you—”
“He won’t.”
“We have reason to believe that he might, and you are legally obliged to inform us if he does.” Nazir stepped forward and handed her a white envelope. “As we were coming to see you, we thought we’d drop this off. There’s been a change to your community service placement.”
Helen flipped the letter between her fingers. “Do you usually run errands for the probation service?”
“We like to help out occasionally. The world goes round a little easier when people give each other a hand, don’t you think?” Nazir walked back to her car, DI Sheldon following. “My number is on that envelope. I’ve also texted it to your mobile. Call me if you hear from him, and Hobbs?” Nazir pulled her car door open. “You’ll be in deep shit if you don’t.”
Chapter 7
Stuckbehindhisdeskat Get Living’s new offices, Seb disconnected another call and turned back to the incoming emails pinging on his laptop. He’d been kept so busy since Evie had been taken to hospital that he’d lost track of time. The press call would start soon and he still hadn’t told Brenda about Cassie.
This morning had been a whirlwind—Seb had reached the hotel just as Evie’s ambulance had pulled up outside. He’d sprinted up the stairs to get Mikey’s kids out of the way in case they got freaked out by paramedics taking their mom away.
Seb had then played and played with the kids for what felt like days, until Evie’s mom had come to the rescue.
He’d been sitting behind this desk ever since. Mikey had handed everything over to him and Brenda so he could devote all his time to his family. Evie and the baby were out of immediate danger for now, and later this evening, they’d be transferred to a clinic near their home, an hour south of London. Brenda was now the driving force of the campaign, and Seb was the front man, the public face.
“This is a redraft of the speech Michael was due to give this evening.” Brenda handed Seb a sheet of paper. “What time are you meeting Cassie?”
Seb glanced at his speech. It was time to explain there’d be an empty seat next to him at the table tonight.
“There’s something I need to tell you about Cassie.” Seb paced to the window. “We … She’s …”
There was a sharp knock at the door. Freddy, the campaign coordinator, came in. “The first journalists are gathering downstairs,” he said. “Shall I show them through to the library?”
“Yes, please.” Brenda turned back to Seb. “Is everything all right?”
No, it wasn’t.
“I’ll tell you later.” He gave her an easy smile. “Let’s get this press call over with first.”
Downstairs, in the freshly painted lobby, Grice stood bang smack in the middle of the reporters. Seb groaned inwardly when the slimeball leered up at him.
“Good to see you again, Clarke,” Grice said, his hands in his pockets. “Thanks for the invite today.”
Seb towered over the little prick. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Pleasure’s all mine.”
