Page 15 of Stripped

Chapter 9

The sun glared through the windshield in blinding rays as it began its descent in the horizon. Pim shuffled through her purse for her sunglasses. The day had taken its toll. Seeing her grandfather dead in the coffin made it real. It was like she was reliving her father's death all over again. Her mother had been absent from that viewing also, feigning a migraine. It had been her grandfather who held her hand that day. Now, he too was gone.

"You okay?" Wraith asked, turning onto the main road.

"I told you I'm fine," she said sharply. Finding the glasses, she put them on.

"Can I ask you something? I don't want to upset you, but it might help with the case."

"You won't upset me." She hesitated, then added, "And I wouldn't quite call this a case. I'm still not convinced he was murdered. Graham said nothing to me about foul play and he was my grandfather's closest friend."

"Will you tell me about your father's death?"

She looked at him, taken aback. He kept glancing back in his review mirror. "There's nothing to tell. He was mugged."

"Is there anything else you remember?"

She stared out the window. Wasn't it enough she was helping him with her grandfather? She wasn't going to discuss her father with him. "I'm not talking about this right now. I need a drink." Wraith turned the car right on Great Western. "You've turned the wrong way," she said.

His eyes skimmed the mirror again. "We're being followed."

"Followed?" She started to turn around to look, but his hand came across her chest, stopping her.

"Don't. They'll see you." He sped up.

She looked in her side mirror. A silver BMW was closing in behind them. "How do you know they're following us?"

"I just do. They pulled out of a side street when we left the funeral home and have been on us ever since." He pushed a button on the steering wheel. "Call Gabriel." A number popped up on the touch screen on the dash.

"Calling Gabriel,"a female voice said. The sound of a phone ringing filled the car.

"Wraith," a deep voice answered.

"Gabriel, I'm not alone." His eyes brushed past her before looking in the rearview mirror. "We're being followed right now. I need you to run a check on the number plate. SG68 FTH."

"Give me a minute."

Wraith veered across two lanes of traffic, making a sudden right turn.

"They're stolen plates," Gabriel said. "Let me pull you up on GPS. I'll help you lose him." He paused briefly. "You're coming up on a round-a-bout, take the second exit and then turn on your first left. I'll switch the signal to red right before you go through."

Wraith floored the accelerator, weaving in and out of traffic as they flew past other cars. The round-a-bout loomed ahead, and Pim held on for dear life as Wraith approached it at top speed. The tires squealed as he braked, and at the last second, he exited. The BMW kept up with him, matching his moves. He turned left. The light up ahead was already yellow and the car in front of them began to slow. Wraith swerved around it, barely making it as he blew through the now red light. The sound of screeching tires and the crunch of metal could be heard behind them. Pim turned around. The BMW sat in the middle of the intersection, demolished, after hitting a light pole. A stocky man exited the smoking car and fled down the street as they continued to speed away.

"We've lost him," Wraith said. "Thank you, Gabriel."

"Anytime, mate."

"Did you see the text I sent over regarding the report?"

"Aye, I'll have it to you as soon as I can."

"Roger that." Wraith ended the call. He put his hand on Pim's thigh. "Are you all right?"

"What in the hell was all that about? Why was someone following us?" She turned in her seat, facing him.

"I told you, your grandfather knew he was in danger. He was worried about you too."

"You think they were following me?"

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