Page 31 of Between the Lies

Robert unfroze from his spot. He’d be damned if she got away again.

The sea of people gaping at the howling Shah parted for Nina.

If he’d been just a few inches shorter, Robert would’ve missed her, especially under the dancing shadows the lights cast. But towering over most people like he did, Robert spotted Nina’s head bobbing as she zigzagged her way through the crowd.

Forgetting about Shah – someone would deal with him, he was certain – Robert commanded his feet to move. Unlike Nina, he cut across the crowd, calling for people to give way. Nina wasn’t Finn, and this time round, Robert was prepared. Before standing out in the cold handing those damned leaflets to people, he’d first warmed up his body with a bit of exercise, and that stood him in excellent stead right then. His feet lapped up the distance, closing in on Nina.

When she was just a shop distance away, Robert spotted a splash of neon yellow. Police. Of course someone had given them a call after Shah had pulled that blade.

If Nina stayed and the cops took her in for an interview, she would have the opportunity to escape after they let her go. And if she escaped now, she would certainly go to ground, never to be heard from again.

Robert dove for her, clutching her by the shoulders and pulling her against his body. She tumbled into his arms, her breaths puffing out in pants, her chest heaving.

For a moment, they just stood there, her back pressed against his front, her sweet floral scent tickling his nostrils, beckoning that sexual haze again.

His hands tightened on her shoulders.Focus, Robert!He took a breath and followed his own order. ‘There are two cops on our right. If you keep running, they’ll spot you. Follow me.’

He wove their arms together and tugged her to the left, towards a side alley. A service van lingered at the end of it, someone loading and unloading a few cardboard boxes.

Apart from that and the pieces of wrappers and cans littering the floor, the alley was empty. Someone had used it as their personal lavatory, but Robert didn’t care.

Nina snorted, trying to tug away. ‘Aren’t you a cop?’

Robert shot her a side glance. ‘Aye, but not at the moment.’

He pulled her along, urging her to walk faster. Not being able to keep up with his pace, she jogged a bit. Again, he didn’t mind. Robert had one goal in mind – to get her away. And he needed someone to check out her wound. If it wasn’t deep, it might’ve already stopped bleeding. He gave her a once-over. Nina was jogging – not the hallmarks of someone feeling dizzy or in pain. In fact, she wore a scowl, her brain clearly working through some conundrum.

‘Why are you interested in getting me away?’

Robert didn’t respond. ‘Less talking, more moving.’

The van driver shot their little walk-jog a glance, then turned away when someone said something from the doorway he was unloading goods into.

‘Hey!’ A shout from behind halted them. Oh no, no, no!

Nina’s feet stuttered; she hadn’t realised Robert had stopped. A gasp slipped from her parted lips, then she turned and saw who’d stopped them. Now her dark eyes grew wider. Apparently, she wanted to avoid the police as much as he wanted her to avoid them.

For now, of course. Eventually, Robert planned to lead her behind bars, and to do so, he’d need help from the police. But if they took Nina now, she would be the victim, not the criminal.

As Cheryl had screamed at Robert last night when she’d found out about his little plan to trap Nina that they didn’t have a lot of evidence against her. But he would find the damned evidence.

‘You need to stop there, mate,’ the police officer said.

One look at him and Robert pegged him as a new police constable – his boots were shiny and too stiff to have been broken in.

Robert tightened his hand around Nina. She was now tugging at their conjoined arms harder, wanting to break free. ‘Aye?’

The police constable jogged closer. ‘We need to bring you in for questioning.’

Nina made a sound, something which sounded like a strangled gasp. Her hand rose to cup her throat. Was she choking?

Robert pulled her closer, hugging her from the side.

‘Let me go!’ she whisper-yelled.

He cupped her chin and tilted it upward to check the wound. To the police constable, he said, ‘I’m PC Robert Muller. She needs to see a medic.’

The police constable paused, then thrust a thumb over his shoulder. ‘The paramedics are that way.’

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