Page 105 of Between the Lies

When Joshua made a strangled sound, his eyebrows hitting his hairline, Cheryl rolled her eyes. ‘Not them, exactly. It’s a long story, but I can help. I just need someone to get them to the meet-up location.’

Robert turned to Billy. ‘Can you use Daisy and Candace’s help to retrieve all these women? I know it’s a lot?—’

‘We can’t do that in one night!’ Candace spoke for the first time.

Billy laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘We can. I know some folk. They know the custody suite well, but they have more decency in their little toe than your Dickheadson does. These men don’t stand for violence against women. I’ll give them a call.’

Finn pushed off the table he’d been leaning against. ‘Are you sure about this contact? These women need IDs – fake IDs – if they’re ever going to stay safe in this country.’

Cheryl nodded. ‘We might need your skills for it. Are you up to helping us?’

‘Aye, I am.’ Finn crossed his arms. ‘And I’ll do the best damn job I’ve ever done. But how are you going to bring Anne down?’

Robert grinned, motioning to his grand battle plan. ‘Oh, I’ve got some fun in mind for her.’

CHAPTERFIFTY-TWO

The text from Billy beeped. ‘All in position.’

After twenty-four hours of planning and organising everything down to the last second, this was it. Robert exhaled a long breath and stared at the building in front of him. Soon, this nightmare would be over.

Robert flexed his fingers, then lifted the camera dangling around his neck to snap a picture. The flash illuminated the dark corners of the building. The structure still bore signs of the fire, appearing as deserted as it had the evening Robert and Nina had come here to investigate. And aye, just like that evening, adrenaline and determination pumped through his body, only now mixed with a tinge of rage.

He stalked across the road, the tapping of his footsteps echoing in the alley. With every step he took, he neared the inevitable.

A whoosh had Robert pivoting and thensmack. Something solid cracked against his face. Robert stumbled, his feet slipped on a wet drain lid and he landed on his arse.

His attacker stood under the rain, grinning. ‘That feels good.’

Dickheadson.

Robert grinned even as blood pooled in his mouth. ‘Oh aye, it does.’ He leaped to his feet. ‘Is turning up late to our wee meetings your newmodus operandi?’

Dickheadson held up the plank of wood he’d hit Robert with. ‘You’re minced meat.’

Robert flashed the man his teeth – probably soaked in blood – and took on a fighting stance, then beckoned Dickheadson with his fingers.

The arsehole surged forward, all anger and no strategy. Robert ducked out of the way, then doubled back and kneed him in the behind. Dickheadson stumbled, almost face-planting on the ground.

Robert spat the blood from his mouth. ‘You’re going to have to do better than that.’

Dickheadson faced him, snarled and flung the wooden plank at him. Robert leaped out of the way, but the wood caught his raised forearm, and pain zapped up his elbow. But instead of crippling him, it pumped another dose of adrenaline into his blood.

Robert advanced on Dickheadson, but the man scampered back. ‘Don’t just stand there!’

They emerged like the dead in a cemetery – men holding various weapons: a few knifes, clubs, batons.

Ah, he’d been expecting thugs. But he’d assumed Anne would have sequestered herself somewhere else, meaning she’d have a set of thugs protecting her. And with their attention divided between Dickheadson and Anne, Robert hadn’t expected to fight so much muscle. One thing was for sure: going against them with nothing but his hands would mean inevitable failure. He wasn’t 007, and this wasn’t a fucking movie.

A scream pierced the air, petrifying the breath in his lungs.Nina.

Another figure appeared from behind Dickheadson – the silhouette belonged to a man at least twice as broad as the DCI and a foot taller. Nina squirmed in his arms, thrashing to get away, but her jabs probably felt like punches from a toddler.

Oh fuck!

‘Didn’t think we’d leave your sidekick hiding behind a car, did you?’ Dickheadson clicked his fingers. ‘Get him. The boss would like a word.’

His plan had hinged on Nina staying hidden. As his secret weapon, she’d been tasked with co-ordinating their entire operation, from the safety of their car.

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