Page 62 of A Simple Mistake
Gareth took a step back.The man at his feet moaned and tried to curl out of the way.Gareth stopped the movement by planting a boot on his chest.“Don’t worry.I’m not that merciful.”If rumours were true, child rapists didn’t thrive in jail.
“Horwood’s rubbing off on you.”
“I don’t see your opponent faring any better.”Aidan was making quick, thorough work with a handful of zip ties, and he wasn’t gentle.“In fact, he’s bleeding rather more than this one here.Which is a shame.Maybe I should drop my knife and accidentally castrate him…” He grinned at the choked-off noise coming from Aidan’s direction.“In self-defence, of course.I expect you to get that point across to the jury.”
“I’d rather join you in the dock,” Aidan growled as he straightened.“It would be more satisfying.”
The sudden silence was disconcerting, though the adrenaline rush eased as Gareth stared at the squirming man at his feet.The urge to let the knife slip from his fingers and do damage was strong.
“Here.”A rag sailed towards him, and he plucked it from the air.“Better clean up before we call the boys down from the roof.They’ll be rattled enough.”
Aidan’s opponent was the source of most of the gore, while Aidan had remained near spotless.If he tidied his hair back into its customary tail, he’d be fit for polite company, while Gareth was a blood-spattered mess, as if he’d dished out the violence he’d only contemplated.
“Gareth?”
“All clear, Nico,” Gareth soothed the breathless question immediately.He snagged a hoodie from the coat rack by the door and zipped it to his throat, hiding his gory T-shirt.“You can come down if you want.”
“We’ll stay on the roof,” Nico answered after a long moment.“Will you call the police?”
“They’re on the way,” Aidan cut in.“Any alarm from here goes straight to them, remember?”
Gareth listened with half an ear while he surveyed the mess in the back hallway.Blood spattered the walls, glass crunched underfoot, and Gareth groaned.“Jack will have a fit when he sees the back door.Maybe I should get a carpenter in here on the double.”Then a fresh surge of adrenaline hit him.“Shit!Jack’s flight is about to land.He’ll go ape when he turns his phone back on.Daniel, Nico—keep calling Jack’s mobile.Make sure you get through to him before he can read his messages.”
“We can auto-dial him,” Nico said, and Gareth sighed in relief when he heard Daniel’s voice, too.
“Do it.Anything to make sure he doesn’t get himself arrested.”
A wail of sirens rent the air, and Aidan stepped outside to welcome the arriving officers.Gareth didn’t move from his vigil.Despite the shattered door and the two trussed-up men at his feet, the house felt oddly peaceful and safe, as if he hadn’t just been taught—again—that safety was an illusion.
House on Edge
Thesteadyhumofthe plane’s engines changed to a drone.Travellers folded blankets and stashed books and e-readers, getting ready to disembark.Jack followed suit, shutting down his laptop and unplugging the two tablets he’d set up beside it.Flying business class from London to Tokyo had been a novelty—the pod-like seating offering elbow room along with the illusion of privacy.The return trip in First Class—which Tempest had insisted on—was another step up in terms of space, and Jack had taken full advantage.
He’d scrutinised code while listening to Tempest’s songs, enjoyed the wine, and pondered the last few weeks.Neither finding common ground with a rock star, nor working with Max again had featured on his to-do list when he’d set out for Tokyo.And unravelling the old kidnapping case had been little more than a pipe dream.
Jack yawned and stretched.He’d packed a lot of work into four weeks away.And he’d even made it back in time for his birthday barbecue—British weather permitting.
The plane angled down to begin its descent, and Jack couldn’t wait to be home.
They made it to the tarmac without incident.The hum of conversation in the cabin ramped up a notch, and then the captain’s voice crackled over the intercom.
“Can all passengers please remain seated.”
This wasn’t the usual taxi announcement.The aircraft had come to a stop with the jet bridge connected.Movement near the front of the cabin caught Jack’s eye and the sight of two uniformed police officers boarding the plane gave Jack an odd sense of déjà vu.When they stopped in the aisle beside his seat, he wasn’t even surprised.
“Dr Horwood?”one asked, his tone authoritative but not hostile.
“Yes.”
“We need you to come with us, please.Now.”
Around them, passengers murmured and shifted.Jack felt the weight of their gazes, the speculation and judgement, and wondered who was pulling his strings this time around.Making a scene wouldn’t help him get out of this situation and home where he belonged, so he grabbed his carry-on from the overhead compartment and followed his escort.
The two officers led him onto the jet bridge and Jack stiffened when he spotted Raf Gallant under the sign directing passengers towards baggage claim.Unease grabbed him with cold hands, urged him to run, get to Raf, demand answers.The officers kept an even pace, and Jack gritted his teeth and dug the nails of his free hand into his palm.
The riot of pings, chimes, and alerts as his phone connected to the network had every person in the vicinity turn towards Jack.He dug the phone from his pocket, but before he could check it, Raf was beside him and stilled his hand.
“Everyone is safe,” he said.“This is the reason we got you off the plane.You don’t have to read all this crap when there’s no longer an emergency.”
