Page 67 of Joker in the Pack

“Will she be willing to talk us?” Nye asked.

“She’d talk to a shop mannequin if she didn’t have her glasses on. Your problem will be getting her to stop. I still know someone who’s a native of Lower Foxford, though. I’ll get him to give Carol a call and let her know you’re coming.”

“Thanks, Ems, much appreciated.”

“No problem. Give me a shout if you need anything else.”

Nye hung up and scrubbed a hand through his mahogany-coloured hair, leaving it gorgeously messy.Dammit, concentrate on the task at hand, Olivia.

“Emmy didn’t really hurt Henry, did she?”

“Knowing her, it’s extremely likely.”

“I feel I should bake her a cake or something.”

“She’d love that. Emmy’s got a sweet tooth and a militant nutritionist, and they’re constantly battling over the amount of junk she eats.”

“If I ever meet her, I’ll be sure to take cookies.”

He chuckled. “I need to work this evening, but I’ll come back tomorrow morning, and we can speak to Carol.”

“You’re going to work? At this time?”

He shrugged. “Yeah.”

“But it’s almost five o’clock.”

“Scum doesn’t keep office hours.”

“Is it safe, going after those kinds of people?”

“I’m careful.”

“What about dinner? Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’ll pick something up.”

“I can make you a sandwich if you like? It’s the least I can do.”

He looked as if he was about to say no, but then he shrugged again and one corner of his lips flickered. “Thanks. That’d be good.”

I needed to do a grocery shop, but there was enough in the fridge for cheese-and-ham sandwiches, and I set them out on a plate with crisps and two big slabs of my own-recipe flapjack. Nye devoured the lot in record time.

“Would you like some more flapjacks to take with you?” I asked.

“Do you have spare?”

For Nye? I’d give him every sweet treat I had to see that half-smile again. “I’ll bag them up.”

Outside the cottage, Nye settled astride his sporty beast of a bike, and the roar when he started it up turned my insides into a tumble drier, all hot and churny.

He hesitated, helmet in hand. “I don’t like leaving you alone here. I’ll have a car do a drive-by a couple of times overnight, just to keep an eye.”

“I’m going to Tate’s this evening. I won’t be back until late.”

A black look flashed across his face, but it was only for a second, and I could have imagined it.

“Just be careful, okay?”

---