Abby looked at the floor.
“That’s probably worse, isn’t it?” Than her being alive. Because Alex knew what these gangs would do, and he was pretty sure Abby had done her research.
“Yes. Kind of. Tilly was a good student. She didn’t do drugs or even drink that much. She was probably going to come out top of her class for her degree.”
“So why was she with him?”
“Because everyone loves to love a bad boy. And she was young. There was the glamourous side of it too – the night clubs, mixing with celebrities. I tried to shelter her a lot and I think with me away travelling so much she was easy prey and interested.”
“It isn’t your fault.”
“I know. But I need closure.” Her eyes were huge and blue as they finally looked at him.
“Truth or dare: will you hand over to me what you’ve found out so far?” He should be stepping away from her. As far away as possible. Take her information, make sure she was safe and carry on with the job he had without Garrison getting interested.
“Truth. Yes.”
She moved to sit next to him, her hand going onto his shoulder.
“I get the feeling this is putting you in an awkward position.”
He nodded. “I need you to lie.”
“I’ve gotten pretty good about that over the last couple of years.”
“I need to you to make up a stalker and that’s why you moved over here. There needs to be a reason for your break in and being followed.”
“Because of Garrison?”
Alex nodded. “You can’t be on Garrison’s radar. This needs to be sorted by the local coppers.”
“Will you help me find out what happened to my sister?”
He couldn’t help it. His hand went up into her hair, fingers moving lightly across her scalp. She leaned her head into him and he saw her expression soften.
“Yes. I will.” A plan was starting to form, one which he was going to have to be hesitant about. “Tomorrow we need to talk. I need to see what you’ve got on Alfie Fletcher and Kenny Gallagher.”
She moved her head away. “Sure. Should I try to get in touch with my PI? Find out why he hasn’t been responding?”
“Is that where your money’s been going?”
She nodded. “I left my money from my career in those accounts. Most of my wages from the hotel has gone to the investigator. I never realised how expensive it was – but I couldn’t ask those questions in Manchester or hack into anything so I suppose he’s paid for the risk he takes.”
Alex inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. “How much information did he manage to get for you?”
“A little. He sent me some photos that could’ve been Tilly but they were blurred. It was a woman coming out of a club – owned by Drew O’Malley – a few months ago. And he kept saying he had a lead, he just needed to check it out.”
“What was the PI’s name?”
“Brian Hargreaves.”
“Okay. I know Drew O’Malley. I haven’t heard of your PI. Where did you find out about him?”
“Online. An ad. I’ve been had, haven’t I?” She looked tearful.
Alex never knew what to do when a woman cried. Rayah had never cried, so he hadn’t had that practice.
“I don’t know. The private investigation industry isn’t regulated.” He acted on instinct rather than intelligence and pulled her closer to him, feeling the warmth of her body. It had been a long time since he’d had a woman in his bed – with him anyway.
She curled into him, pulling the blanket over them both. It was past midnight and it had been a long day. He could feel how tired she was and although part of him wanted to tell her to get out the correspondence she had from the PI, he knew it was better left until morning. Most things were better left until morning and for the clear light of day.
Alex was woken by a knock on his door. A loud one with a familiar rap to it. He’d managed to swap his shift, clearing the day so he could look a bit further into what Abby had gotten herself involved in.
She was still wrapped around him, her head tucked under his chin, an arm flung across his chest and one leg over his. Her hair smelled of summer flowers and for a moment he ignored the annoying knocking (knowing damn well it was Jake) and pretended that they’d found her sister living on a Caribbean island somewhere and that both Alfie Fletcher and Tony Jones had been incarcerated.
All the problems were solved, meaning he could wake up the woman lying on him in the most pleasurable way he knew how, because yes, his mind had been going there intermittently throughout the night.
One problem was definitely still there though: Jake.
Alex carefully lifted Abby off him and managed to place her back down on the sofa without properly waking her. He’d figured that she’d been living off anxiety and nerves for most of the last two years and having someone sleeping in the same room was making her feel safe.
He didn’t feel safe.
There was every chance this woman could hurt him more than Garrison could.
Alex had rid himself of his sweats early on in the night. The days were warm and the nights sticky. His T-shirt had followed soon after, leaving him in just underwear but he was pretty sure Abby wouldn’t notice – she’d been too deeply asleep.
Jake however, did notice.
“What the fuck?”
His lovely, subtle cousin dropped his eyes down to where Alex’s dick was just calming down.
“How the fuck did you know it wasn’t Gran or one of the Coven at the door? They’d have pounced on you if they saw that!”
Alex chuckled. “Quiet your mouth. Abby’s still asleep and I knew it was you because of the knock.”
Jake’s eyebrows raised high enough to hit the sky. “Abby’s still asleep. And you know this how? She could be reading in bed or plotting how to escape your mucky paws…”
The glare Alex produced was enough to shut Jake up. “Why are you here at some godforsaken early hour? Don’t you have an alpaca breeding program to oversee?”
Jake smiled. “It’s Friday. End of the week. I’m having a family barbecue tomorrow. Bring Abby. And beer.”
“Abby’s working.”
“No she isn’t. Scott’s giving her some time off. A week, or at least a week where she isn’t working the evening shift. And she’s owed holidays from the hotel. Apparently she hasn’t taken any in eighteen months.” Jake beamed.
Alex remembered again how much Jake had always liked knowing more than anyone else.
“That’s good. At least, if she sees it that way.”
Jake grew serious. “Do you need me to do anything? Joking aside, I can tell something shitty is going on.”
Alex folded his arms. “Want a coffee in the garden?”
“Always. But please would you put some clothes on? You’re giving me nightmares.”
Jake somehow ended up in the garden without going through the house and Alex didn’t ask how. Some things were definitely better off not being known.
He pulled on the sweatpants and nipped into the bathroom, brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face. Showering could wait until Jake had buggered off to his alpacas.