Page 76 of Between the Lies

‘Searching.’ For anything that would give them a lead before they brought Finn in.

Rooting around the bag, Robert pressed down on the polyester covered cushions. He spread the mouth of the camera bag wide to study the inner lining. Despite the low light, the silvery polyester gleamed.

Robert let the bag go and fumbled in his pocket.

Nina sat up. ‘What is it?’

He handed her the phone. ‘Flash the torch.’

When she angled the phone’s torch on the camera bag, Robert resumed his search. He checked the lining again, even scrutinising the crevices between the padding. He kept an eye out for tears too. Nothing stood out to him. He didn’t find any secret compartments.

‘It’s weird how clean it is. I mean there isn’t even a scrap of paper in there.’ Nina frowned at the bag. ‘I didn’t peg Jonas as OCD or even particularly neat.’

Robert unzipped the pockets on the side of the bag. ‘It’s also strange how the camera’s charger is missing. There is plenty of space to store it in here.’

Once more he studied the extra pockets. Then he tilted the bag to look at the bottom. Just a sturdy base that would protect the camera from a fall.

Still… Robert pressed a hand to the bottom of the bag, then pressed down from the inside. His heart rate kicked up.

Nina was still frowning at him, shining the torch light. ‘What are you looking for?’

Robert turned the bag towards her. ‘Press down on the side of the bag and see how large the cushion is on the sides.’

She did as he said, then shrugged. ‘Two centimetres thick? Maybe three?’

He dropped the bag. ‘Now check the bottom.’

The moment she tried what he had, Nina’s jaw dropped. ‘Hold on.’ She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip.

Like the call of a siren, Robert’s member stirred. He squeezed his fingers, digging his nails into his palms.Not now, you fucking eejit!

Nina’s hands were still rooting around, her face tilted up towards the night sky. She kept muttering to herself until, ‘huh!’

A ripping sounded through the quiet Merchant Square, then Nina held up two chits of paper.

‘What—?'

Nina slapped the paper down. ‘There’s a Velcro at the bottom.’

How come he hadn’t?—

Nina wiggled her fingers. ‘Small does the trick.’

Oh aye, she did for him, certainly.

Clearing his throat, and hoping to clear his dirty mind, Robert pulled the chits towards him. They were cards, the sort people handed out to new contacts. One was in bright orange, almost like the colour of the Outer subway line. And ironically, the other card was grey like the Inner.

Robert studied the grey one first. In yellow lettering, it said, ‘Greyscale Cameras.’ The address on the card located this business on Buchanan Street.

And the other card?—

Nina snatched it from him, her lips moving as she read the name. ‘Beck’s Storage.’

Robert tilted his head. ‘On High Street.’

Nina smacked the card on the table, her eyes wide. ‘Where the lockers are. Fuck, Robert, did we just connect Jonas to Anne?’

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

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