Page 5 of Touch in the Night

“Just hang on one second,” Jesse said, stepping between them. “She said she wants herdad.”

“Mr. Truelove,” the woman said, her thin, dark brows drawing together in a sharp frown. “Please, step aside.”

“Where’s her dad, lady?”

Dimity was clutching her glass tight, a small frown of defiance creasing her forehead. “I want Daddy, Aunt Helena.”

Helena’s face flushed. She glared at Jesse. “I regret to say my niece has no father, Mr. Truelove. And she ran away from her minders today when they took her to the Minster for the carols.”

“I wanted to go to thelights,” Dimity said, her face screwing up. “Daddy was supposed to be there.”

“She seems pretty sure,” Jesse began, but the woman nodded to her security men, who hustled forward and manhandled Jesse out of the way. Dimity burst into tears, and a diminutive, somber-clothed woman came forward to take her hand and drag her from the booth.

“At least let the lass finish her milkshake,” Daisy put in.

“Dimity does not eat such things,” Helena said as the little girl was steered toward the exit. The police stepped aside to hold the door open.

“Hey, wait.” Jesse moved to follow them, but Helena stepped into his path.

“Again, we thank you for your assistance,” she said, producing a leather wallet from her oversized handbag and extracting out two fifty-pound notes. “We can take it from here.”

“I don’t want your money, lady—just to know the lass is okay.”

“She’s fine,” the woman insisted, holding out the notes. “She is back with her family now, where she belongs. Take it. I insist.”

Jesse took the money with numb fingers, and the woman swept out of the cafe without a backward glance. She exchanged some brief words with the police officers before they doffed their caps, climbed into the police cars and drove away. One of the security staff held open the back door to the big black car to allow Helena to climb inside. Jesse caught a glimpse of Dimity sitting in the back with her stony-faced minder before the door was closed and they drove off.

“Poor wee thing,” Daisy said, shaking her head. “Guess the rest of that milkshake’s yours, lad,” she added to Oliver.

“No, we’d better go,” Jesse said. “Olly? You done?”

Oliver nodded, his face strangely solemn as he watched the black car disappear from view. “Do you think she’s okay, Uncle Jesse?”

“Yeah,” Jesse lied. “Yeah, I’m sure she’s fine. Here,” he said to Daisy, laying the money on the counter. “You take this.”

“Oh no, honestly.” Daisy waved it away. “Jesse, that’s yours.”

“I don’t want it,” he said, shoving it toward her. “Put it toward your Christmas staff booze-up or something.”

Daisy smiled an uneasy smile and took the money. “Okay, I’ll do that. Thanks, Jesse.”

“See you around,” he said, taking Oliver’s hand and leading him outside. He heard Daisy lock the door behind him and stood looking in the direction the car had gone for a long moment until a yawn from his nephew reminded him how time was getting on. He steered them back toward the river then over the road bridge and back toward Heworth.

Chapter Two

Jesse stood in the overheated, over-decorated living room, glowering at the designer rug rather than meet his brother’s eyes.

“I just cannot believe you took him, Jess.”

“I take him every year.”

“Notthisyear. I specifically said I don’t want him anywhere near thatthing.”

Jesse fought a sigh. “That’swhyI took him, Ant. The poor sod thinks there’s avampireliving up the road.”

“Thereis.”

Jesse gave him a look. “Perhaps you should try getting your info from somewhere that’s not Facebook.”

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