Page 16 of Captive Hearts
‘No. This isn’t going to be for you, not long-term. This is a pitstop.’
‘Wow, you’ve got my number then?’
‘You said yourself, this isn’t your thing. One way or another, you’ll move on soon enough,’ Ashley told her.
‘One way or another? That kind of sounds like a threat,’ Gina said, mouth hitched up at one corner.
Ashley glanced at her. ‘You’re my fourth cameraperson. I’m under no illusions that I’m easy to work with.’
‘Maybe I like a challenge,’ Gina suggested.
‘Do you?’
Gina considered. ‘No, not especially. I tend to go where the tide takes me.’
Ashley, still watching the barrier and the street beyond it, said, ‘Well, I’m a salmon swimming against the current. So this could never work as a pairing, could it?’
Ashley thought that would be the end of the conversation. But Gina replied, ‘That sounds tiring.’
Ashley was getting annoyed now. Why wasn’t Gina getting the hint? There was no point trying to be chummy. It wouldn’t be the start of a friendship. If anything, it would push Gina out that much sooner. As soon as Ashley let people in, they tended to get confused, annoyed, downright angry. ‘Really, you don’t need to do this.’
Gina tutted and sighed. ‘OK, I officially quit trying to get to know you as a human being. Happy?’
‘Ecstatic,’ Ashley said, though she wasn’t at all. Because she was starting to wonder about the carefree camera operator who drifted wherever the wind blew her and filled out a pair of jeans like nobody’s business. But Ashley knew how these things went.If Ashley started talking,reallytalking, Gina would be turned off by her utter inability to dress up the ugly truth as something prettier. Just like everyone else.
That’s why she was terminally single. The last date she’d been on pretty much summed it up. Ninety minutes in and it was going alright. Only her date had consumed four glasses of red in that brief time. Ashley didn’t understand why she was going quite so hard. So she’d attempted to clarify. ‘Hey, are you getting sloshed because you’re nervous or because you’re going to try to have sex with me later and you’re one of those people who can only do it hammered?’ The date hadn’t answered. She’d just muttered, ‘Bloody dating apps,’ picked up her bag and waltzed out.
So here she was, under no illusions that she was good at the whole ‘personal relationships’ thing. It was sort of nice that Gina had tried with her. But Ashley thought it better that she learned not to bother.
‘Hey, is that… Is that the copper with the bullhorn?’ Gina suddenly asked.
And here she came, DI Conway, walking toward the barrier. Right through it, actually, headed for the van. Ashley watched her gesture to her to get out. She jumped out quickly, smelling something. Opportunity.
‘Hi. DI Conway, is it?’
‘Yes, and you’re…’
‘Ashley. Ashley Quick.’
‘Right. Er, can we talk for a minute?’ she asked, far more polite than their last interaction. In fact, she had a look of contrition that suggested to Ashley that she was about to ask for a favour.
‘Of course,’ Ashley said. ‘What’s up?’
‘Did I imagine it earlier or did you mention working for local news?’
Ashley nodded. ‘Yes, I’m from KTN. Did you want to give us an interview?’ she asked hopefully. Though the timing seemed odd. Right in the middle of whatever the hell was going on. Probably not. But Ashley was Ashley, and she had to ask.
‘No,’ DI Conway said plainly. ‘But I do need… I do need you to interview someone.’
Ashley raised an eyebrow. ‘Who?’
DI Conway coughed into her hand, and then said, ‘Erm, well… the gunman.’
