Page 117 of Carbon

As we walked back through the house, she elaborated. “He knew more about her in the meeting this morning than anyone, which means he was talking to her last night as well. I think he likes her.”

“Gideon? Really?”

She chuckled. “Yeah, I’m surprised too. But don’t worry. He may be a cad, but he won’t hurt her.”

“I’m not worried. I just never imagined a man like him...” I trailed off because I didn’t want to insult either of them.

“With a girl like her? Don’t be fooled by his charms and the fact that his dress sense is sharper than James Bond’s. He’s a snake underneath, but he also understands people. He’s got a way of digging out your thoughts without you even realising it.”

I recalled Sofia’s words from this morning, about her therapist taking advantage. “And how will he use that information?”

Emmy thought for a minute. “With her, I reckon he’ll use it the right way.”

Ben was in the kitchen with the other men and Sofia, sitting at the table eating a croissant. When he saw me, he held out an arm, and I stepped into his protective embrace.

“How are things?” I asked.

“Okay.” He searched my face, a little wary. “We’ve made a plan.”

Why did I get the feeling I wasn’t going to like it? “Which is?”

“We know Leroux’s in South London, but it’s hard to get a bead on him. Gideon reckons his father’s connections are helping him out.”

“Bloody politicians.”

“He’s rotten to the core from what we’ve seen, and his son’s out of the same mould. Anyway, we’re going to try and draw Leroux junior out.”

“How?”

“I’ll ask a few questions of people we think he might know. Rattle some cages, that sort of thing.”

The meaning of that dawned on me, and anger welled up inside. Anger at Black, who I bet came up with that stupid idea, and at Ben for agreeing to go along with it.

“They’re using you as bait? That’s your plan?”

“The longer he’s out there, the more chance he’ll hurt somebody else. I got close when he was with Roxy and look what happened—we got into a fight, and he stuck a knife in her thigh. He gave me the choice of going after him or saving her, and there was only one decision I could make. What if he tries that again?”

That sick bastard. “He might not.”

“We can’t take that chance. Black and Gideon both want him off the streets as soon as possible, and I agree with them.”

“How did you find him the first time?”

“Women. Leroux can’t keep away from them, and he doesn’t play nicely. I asked around the red-light districts until I found an area where three girls had got hurt in the last month by a man matching his description.”

“And then you found Roxy?”

“Five minutes too late. I showed a picture of Leroux around, and one of the girls Roxy worked with said she’d just left with him.”

He clenched his fists, and the shudder that ran through him said he blamed himself.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“He only came to England to find me.”

“From what you’ve said, he hurts girls wherever he goes. If not London, it would have been Paris, or Strasbourg, or Cannes. How did he trace you to Sandlebury, anyway?”

“It must have been through my bank account. That’s the only way I can think of. I went to the branch in town to pay my wages in every week or two, and he must have followed me back.” He closed his eyes for a second. “I thought I saw him once, only for a second, but I figured paranoia was getting to me because he was supposed to be in the secure hospital. Gus, I’m so sorry I brought him into your life.”

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