And she couldn’t even look at Alex after kissing him.
Impulsivity had been her middle name until she’d left everything behind to come here. Two and a half years ago, she’d been at Base Camp on Everest, about to start the ascent. When she’d arrived in Nepal four weeks later, she’d received a call from the British police telling her that her sister had been reported missing.
The climb up Everest was the last report on her blog, the one that had gotten her sponsorships and contracts. A book deal had been suggested. It hadn’t happened, wasn’t likely to.
It wasn’t only her sister that had gone missing that day. Amelia Hope had too.
“The key should be here.” Abby pointed to the pot where it was kept, not touching anything like she’d been instructed.
“Let’s have a look.” Mia photographed the pot, a cheap blue things Abby had picked up from a market months before. Then she tipped it out, photographing the contents. No key was there. “Locksmith needed.”
Abby turned around, seeing that Mia wasn’t looking at her. Alex stood in the doorway, his expression serious.
“I’ve let Rayah know,” he said. “She’s Abby’s landlord, Mia. She’ll sort the locksmith out and I’ll ask her to get CCTV put at the front and back.”
“That’s expensive,” Abby protested. She didn’t want one of the few people she could kind of call a friend to have to pay out cash because of her. “I’ll sort it.”
“It’s Rayah’s property and it’s better being done anyway. You need to pack a bag – grab what you need for at least a week.” His words sounded firm. “If you need to get anything else, that’s fine, but I’ll come back with you. Not on your own.”
Abby took a sharp breath in, aware that Mia was watching her and Alex with interest.
“I’ll ask Scott if I can stay above the bar.”
“Not on your own. I don’t think it’s safe, but you probably know more than me.” His eyes flickered, looking darker than they normally did. They’d been that dark since she’d jumped backwards from him, a few seconds after she’d pulled him into a kiss.
It had been the first time she’d touched a man since she’d left Nepal. The first time she’d touched anyone, other than the obligatory hugs for New Year’s Eve and birthdays, or when someone was drunk and either over-affectionate or upset. Alex knew. He knew she was lying about who she was and had been for some time and she didn’t know how much else he knew. And it seemed he cared, but Abby knew that anyway because the man was Mr Good and Wholesome, looking after the community, treating people with respect, making sure everything was okay.
She couldn’t tell him the truth, could she?
He answered to Chief Inspector Garrison, a man Abby knew had more information about her sister’s disappearance and had it because he was dirty.
“But it might not be safe for whoever I stay with.” She forced the words out, noticing that Mia’s expression remained calm.
“We can take turns on the sofa. I don’t have any night shifts for another two weeks.” He folded his arms again and she felt his eyes burn into her.
His sofa. His T-shirt. Sleeping in his bed. The one man she’d crushed on hard in two years and he was offering to be her protector.
He just didn’t understand what she needed protecting from.
“Stop offering to pay for the cameras.” Rayah Maynard’s voice was not what you could call quiet. “With bat-shit-crazy over there organising some stupid festival, extra security around here isn’t a bad idea any way.” She glared at her brother and wagged a finger at him. Rayah Maynard was not known for being tactful.
“There won’t be any extra crime, Ray,” Jake said. “It’ll all be about peace and love.” He gave a huge grin that possibly meant he was going to get a pint of beer thrown over him. Abby had seen it before.
“I’m going to employ someone to do security too.” Scott slowly patted the back of his baby daughter who was in some sort of sling over his chest, finally asleep. If she continued with the same sort of power her lungs had displayed when she was older, she’d probably be able to surpass her father’s singing talents. “The bar’s busier than it’s ever been; the town’s growing and Rayah’s right, we are going to get idiots here more often if we’re having bigger events.”
“You’ll be thanking me when the profits roll in.” Jake looked completely non-plussed, his hands behind his head and eyes closed, face to the sun. “Bad news though.”
“What’s that?” Zack put down his pint. His own tiny baby was currently being fed by his wife, Sorrell, the occasional content murmur coming from under the large T-shirt she was using as a screen.
“The Elder farm’s been sold before I could put a bid in.” Jake looked slightly less sunshiny. “Some woman who’s going to use it for horses and equine therapy or something like that.”
“You’ll have to give up your ideas about being some old-fashioned land-owner then, Jake,” Zack relaxed. “I really thought you were going to tell us something terrible.”
Jake shrugged. “It is terrible. Just not on the same scale as what happened to Abby. Do you have any idea who it could’ve been? I could use some new fertiliser for the south fields.”
Alex shook his head and glared at his cousin. Abby wished the earth could open up and swallow her for the next few minutes.
She had every idea and if she was right, then someone other than Alex knew who she was, which meant she hadn’t been careful enough.
Was a lie needed here? If the people who had taken her sister knew where she was, she needed allies and she couldn’t trust the police. At least, not Garrison or anyone close to him.
Her eyes landed on Alex. He’d been quiet, as usual, listening to his cousins and brothers voicing concerns and gossip, occasionally glancing at her with a look in his eyes that was demanding she trusted him.
“I think it might be someone trying to track me down.” The words fell off her tongue and her shoulders felt a fraction lighter.
“Who?” Jake sat up. “Because seriously, I have a lot of heavy implements, a pig farm and the need for fertiliser.”
“You need to stop saying things like that because if someone does turn up dead you might end up being Alex’s number one suspect.” Rayah elbowed her brother in the ribs. “We know nothing about where you came from, Abby. What happened?”
Abby shook her head. “I don’t know what else I can say.”
She felt glare on her. “Not being funny, but if you’re in some form of shit I do need to know,” Scott had taken Eden out of her sling and was rocking her in his arms. “If someone comes looking for you, they’re going to find me. And Keren. And Eden. I’m not saying I don’t want to help, but I need to know what to be prepared for.”
The mob. That was what he needed to be prepared for. Organised crime and two gangs who were tearing Manchester apart. Her sister, Matilda, had managed to get herself involved with a member of one of them while Abby was away, travelling. Six months later, Tilly had disappeared.
Abby looked at Alex and shook her head, just a little.