by Clare Revell
He smiled at her. “How are you feeling this morning?”
Abbie shrugged, slowly sitting down. “I hurt. Ellie’s sleeping. She woke me with a nightmare. But I guess it’s time to get up anyway.”
He took her over a glass of juice and sat next to her. “You sure you’re OK?”
“Yeah. Ellie was talking in her sleep. She does that a lot.”
“I learnt a lot of my brother’s secrets like that,” he said, winking at her. “Learn anything interesting?”
“Other than a lot of weird stuff? She’s scared of someone called PJ. Kept saying she didn’t want to do it.” She paused. “And she mentioned you as well.”
He raised an eyebrow, and picked up his coffee. “Really?” He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, but still knew Elle wasn’t telling him everything. DI Nemec was flying in today. Hopefully, his intel would fill in some of the gaps in this operation. Patrick swallowed the hot coffee and replaced the mug. “Do I want to know what she said?”
Abbie grinned, her newly-cut hair making her look like a pixie. Elle had restyled it at her request. “She wanted you to kiss her. Or was she scared of you and wanted this PJ guy to kiss her? Could be either.”
He pulled a face at her.
She tilted her head. “Do you like Ellie?”
“I always have, but it’s up to her who she sees and who she doesn’t. And anyway, I’m working right now. Have to keep the two of you safe.”
“Why? Because of the bad guys after her?”
“Yes. If she wants to carry on seeing me after we’ve caught and locked them up, then that’s up to her.”
“But do you want to see her again?”
“I’d like to know that, too.” Elle’s voice made them both look up.
Patrick grinned. He put a hand over his mouth to shield his words. “I think we’ve been sprung,” he said in a stage whisper.
Abbie returned the gesture. “Oops.”
Elle winked at her and sat down. “Well, I’m waiting. I mean, it doesn’t matter what I want, if you just want to run away and hide once this is over.”
“I’m not the one who ran away,” he teased. “But yeah, I’d like to keep in touch. Tea?”
“Sure.”
He got up, giving his hands something to do. “I still feel the same as I did all those years ago. I never stopped loving you, Elle.”
Abbie wolf whistled.
Patrick grinned as Elle shushed her. “But, like I told Abbie, the balls in your court.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Did you sleep OK?”
She nodded slightly. “Didn’t expect you to have a double bed though.”
He laughed. “I always have done since I got my own place. I prefer the room. Sides, it makes it easier when I have guests sleeping over like I do now.”
Abbie stiffened. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
“Nope. I just like lying diagonally across the bed, which I can’t do on a single one.”
“No, cause you’d fall out or your head and feet dangle off the edge.” She paused “But then you’re so tall, you’d fall out anyway.”
He chuckled. “Exactly.” He brought over Elle’s tea. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
He sat and winked at Abbie. “So, once we’ve run around the block, what shall we do?”
“Neither of you are running anywhere,” Elle said shooting him a fierce look that had Abbie doubled over with laughter, before it turned into a wince and a gasp of pain.
“I’m OK…”
“Fine, no running for you,” Patrick said, unable to hide his huge grin. “Being serious for a moment, can I add my mobile number to Abbie’s phone? That way she can contact me should the need arise.”
“Sure.”
“Cool.” Abbie pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’m almost out of credit though.”
“I’ll top it up for you.” Elle put the cup down.
Patrick took the phone and scrolled to contacts. He added his name and number. “OK, send me a text so I can add you back.”
Abbie tapped rapidly. “OK, sent.”
Patrick winked at Elle. After a couple of seconds his phone chimed. ‘I’ve got a text and you can’t see it.’
Abbie screamed with laughter. “Oh, send it to me.”
He grinned and added her number to his phone. “Or do you want this one.” He pressed a few keys and his phone screamed incoming, pnueeeeeeeeeewwww, banggg.
“Oh, that’s brilliant. Can I have them both?”
He laughed. “Sure.”
Then her face grew serious. “Can you grant wishes as well as save people?”
“What kind of wishes did you have in mind?”
“If Ellie’s going to be my stand in mum, I want a dad, too. Only I’d like one like you.”
He tilted his head. “Like me? I’m not perfect, you know.”
Abbie nodded. “I know that. But you’re tall, you have the same color eyes as I do, the same blood type, and you make me feel safe. And now I don’t have a mum or a dad. Just Ellie.”
He didn’t know what to say. What could he say? Patrick held Elle’s gaze for a moment. “Well, now you’ve got my number, any time you need me you can call. I’ll be your stand in dad for a while. How does that sound?”
“Sounds good.” Abbie smiled at him.
Elle smiled. “Abbie, go do that English assignment your teacher sent over. Let me talk to Patrick for a few.”
Abbie stood and took her juice from the room.
Elle’s expression changed to ice. “I don’t want you making any false promises to her.”
“I meant what I said. She needs someone and I’ll be there. And that goes for you, too.” He rubbed his fingers over the back of her hand. “Don’t hide any more. And you don’t need to run from me anymore, either. Let me in, Elle. Let me care for you and Abbie. She’s my daughter…”
“Shh.” She put her fingers over his lips. “I haven’t even told her about me.”
“Don’t you think you should?”
“I know I should, but what do I tell her?”
“The truth. She deserves that.”
She took a deep breath. “I will, just not today. Once she’s better, I promise.”
“So, shall we spend the day doing nothing, then? As we can’t go running.”
She laughed. “Go help Abbie with her English. I’m going to go have a bath. She can bring it in here and do it at the table.”
He stood, and kissed her cheek before heading from the room.
****
Elle watched the two heads bent together. They’d passed the morning with Abbie’s school work, doing first her English assignment and then doing her online maths homework. They’d eaten a sandwich lunch on the floor on a rug. Now Abbie listened as Patrick read aloud from the novel her literature class was reading. One dark and the other fair, but both with matching eyes and senses of humor.
Lord, is it presumptive of me to ask a favor of You? I love him. I always have. Please, work things out so we can be together. I’ll do whatever it takes. The first thing being to stand up to Zeke and tell him no more. Make him listen this time. And find out from PJ the truth about Dad. I know that’s really Patrick’s job, but I’d rather him not know. I’ll go in tonight. Tell PJ no more deliveries as well as give him the package back.
The chapter finished, Patrick smiled up at Elle. “Your turn.”
“To do what?”
“The maths homework we couldn’t do for a start. Then you can read the next chapter. Or… Oh, I know, you could write something.”
Abbie nodded. “That’s a way cool idea, Ellie. Write a song for Patrick.”
Elle sighed. “I told you both, I gave up writing a long time ago.”
Patrick winked. If she didn’t know better, she’d say it was a conspiratorial wink. “Maybe she’d agree to write one for you instead, Abbie.”
“Why me?”
“Because, squirt, A comes before P.”
Abbie laughed. “Pl
ease, Ellie. Write me a song.”
Elle put her hands on her hips and pretended to be shocked. “He called you squirt and got away with it. How come I can’t do that?”
Abbie shrugged. “So write me a song.”
“Agent Page he had a squirt…” Elle began to the tune of old Macdonald, then broke off laughing realizing what she’d just said.
Patrick threw a cushion at her. “Way TMI,” he complained in between laughing.
Abbie held her good arm across her stomach as she giggled. “Please a proper one, a song to sing in church.” She tilted her head. “I know you worked it out with God. You settled things, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” When had Abbie gotten so astute?
“Then write one for Him, that we can sing in church when I’m better.”
“OK, I’ll try.”
“Do it to the tune of Danny Boy and I can play that on my flute. Shall I show you?”
“I’d like to hear you play.”
Patrick stood. “I’ll go and get your flute.”
Abbie waited until he’d left the room before gripping Elle’s arm tightly. “He’s nice. You really should date him.”
“What is it with you and dating today? Patrick and I were together a long time ago.”
“He likes you.”
“He likes you, too, Abbie.”
“Yeah, I know but...”
Oh, she was her father’s daughter to a tee. “But?”
“I saw you kissing in the hospital. He really, really likes you. Go ask him out. Or are you chicken?”
“Noooo.”
Abbie clucked like a chicken and flapped her arms like wings.
Elle grinned and threw a cushion at her. “Not chicken.”
Patrick came in with the flute case. “Who’s chicken?”
“Ellie is.”
“Oh really? I like chicken.”
Elle sighed. “I’m being ganged up on.”
“Ask him.”
“Ask me what?” Patrick asked, handing Abbie the flute.
“Can I speak with you? In the hall?” Elle poked her tongue at Abbie and went into the hall.
Patrick followed her. “What’s up?”
“Abbie saw us kissing in the hospital and has it in her head that we should go out and said I should ask you.”
Patrick grinned and put his hands on his hips. “And are you going to ask me?”
“No she won’t, cause she’s a chicken,” came Abbie’s voice from the lounge.
“Abbie…” Elle started to shut the door.
Patrick took two steps towards her “Kid sisters tease all the time. She’ll get over it. So ask away.”
Instead she grimaced. It wasn’t her place to ask him out and she needed to sort everything else out first. And it was better to just out and say what she had to quickly. “I need to go to work at some point tonight.”
The smile left Patrick’s face instantly and Elle’s heart sank. Then she steeled herself for a fight. She had to do this.
****
“Why not just call in? Tell them what’s happened.” A red flag went up in Patrick’s mind as he spoke and he went into agent mode. What would make her need to go to work? With Abbie on the brink of major surgery, he needed to keep them both inside and away from danger as much as possible.
“It’s not feasible. I have to go in. It’s better to do this sort of thing”--she waved her hands in agitation--”in...person.”
“We squared it away with the library on the phone. Besides they close at five, you know that.”
“No, I need to go to the club.”
“You realize I cannot protect you and Abbie in two different places.”
“So get Shay to stay a bit later tonight and keep an eye on Abbie. Please, I wouldn’t ask if this weren’t important.”
“Do you need the money that badly? I can pay child support or whatever you need.”
“It’s not the money. Please just let me go tonight. It’s important.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other telegraphing her unease. “There’s a lot depending on this.” She added.
What aren’t you telling me, Elle? He was still on this case until Thursday, or until the boss pulled him off it. He could still wrap this up. The agent in him had to let her go...
But the man who was in love with her wasn’t going to let her go… not without a fight. And on his terms.
Patrick scowled. “I’ll set it up.” He headed into the kitchen, letting the door shut firmly behind him.
Shay looked up. Worry creased her face. “What’s up?”
He crossed his arms and met her gaze.
“Can you watch Abbie for a couple of hours, while I escort Elle to work at the club? She’s insisting on going despite how sick Abbie is.”
“I’m sorry?”
Shay read the situation as he had. And as much as he hated to believe it, Elle was involved in this investigation.
“That’s what I thought.” He’d lowered his voice so only Shay could hear. “There is something going on. Something she’s not telling me.”
“You know protocol.”
He nodded curtly. “That’s why I’m going to put a bug in her bag and let her go in alone.”
“Alone? You know what this man can do.”
“I’ll be in the bar, but she’ll have to go into the office on her own—assuming he wants to see her tonight. When we leave have someone sent to guard the front and back door. Oh, if DI Nemec gets here before I get back, make him coffee. His plane landed at two, and I’m hoping he’ll come here tonight.”
“Will do.” Shay reached into her bag and pulled out a listening device. “Here.”
Patrick grinned. “Girl scout in a former life, huh?”
Blinding afternoon sunlight filtered in the kitchen window and Shay pulled down the shade. “Of course.”
Patrick crossed to where Elle’s bag sat on the counter. He unzipped it and stopped short. He pulled out the package. “What on earth is this?”
Shay’s gaze met his. She didn’t need to say anything.
Drugs
Patrick picked up a knife and slit the package open. Several small packets fell out, each containing white powder. He closed his eyes. Lord God, what do I do now?
He picked up two of the packets and handed them to her. “Get them to the lab. I’m going to put the rest of this in the safe.”
“Pat—”
“Until she has been to the club, and I know how far she’s involved in this, no one else is to know where they came from.” He pushed a hand through his hair, feeling as if he’d just been punched in the stomach.
Shay looked at him long and hard. “If it were anyone else asking me this, I’d refuse. But I’ll agree on one condition. If we have to arrest her—”
Patrick swallowed hard. “We’ll do it. But after the surgery. Not before. Who she is, isn’t going to stop me doing my job and upholding the law.” He wired up Elle’s bag and then went over to the larder. Swiftly he pulled everything from the right hand side of the lower shelf.
“Your safe is in the larder?” Shay snorted.
He rolled his eyes. “Last place you’d think of looking. And it’s a little less obvious than behind the family portrait over the fireplace.” He winked. “Or in the knicker drawer.”
Shay snorted again. “Darn, now I have to hide the family heirlooms and my passport someplace else.”
With the package hidden, he went to find Elle.
Elle sat with Abbie.
“It’s all set. Let’s go then.”
She looked at him. “Everything all right?”
“Fine,” he said curtly. “Sooner we go, the sooner we get back.” This had to end and end now. If this meeting didn’t further his investigation, he was going to confront Elle tonight.
Elle turned to Abbie. “I won’t be long. Just going to the club for a bit.”
“What about my song?”
“I’ll write it when I get back. You be good for Shay.”
/> “OK. Can I watch what I like on the TV until then?”
Patrick crossed the room and turned on the TV. “Nope. You can have…the kid’s channels.”
“Oh, wow. Thank you.” She took the remote and settled back happily to watch.
“Since when have you had the kid’s channels?” Elle asked him. “I didn’t think you needed them.”
“I upgraded to the full package this morning. Figured it’d give her something to do the next few days.”
“And when we leave here?” she whispered.
“Then I cancel them.”
21
Elle felt Patrick’s hand on her lower back as he hurried her into the club. The rain, which began as a drizzle when they left, had turned into a downpour. Patrick’s umbrella had saved her to some extent but he looked like a drowned rat. A very angry drowned rat. She had the feeling she’d done something to upset him, but despite her best efforts to draw it out of him, he’d just grunted and ignored her.
He led her through the back.
“You’ll need to wait by the bar,” she began.
“I’ll wait where I want to,” he snapped. “Let me get you to your dressing room.”
Zeke stood by her dressing room door. “Where have you been?” he snarled. “You’re not answering your phone, either home or your mobile. And what’s he doing here?”
“He drove me in. You know my mother died a few days ago. And Abbie’s been in the hospital. You’re lucky I’m here —”
“We start recording tomorrow at six in the morning. The car will pick you up from your place at four thirty.”
“I’m not doing it. I have Abbie to look after.”
Zeke jerked his head at Patrick and lowered his voice. “I’m sure lover boy here could look after her.”
“No.” She would not sing in a bar or for either of those men again.
His hand tightened on her arm and he pulled her to one side. “You will do it,” he hissed.
“No. Zeke. I quit. No more.” She tugged free and went back to Patrick, gripping his hand tightly.
“Lisa, if you quit, you leave now. No money, no recording contract, no nothing.”
She nodded grateful Zeke had used her stage name not her real one. “Suits me fine. Patrick, take me home, please.”
