Inescapable

On the top floor of the building his parents had their private living accommodation. He jogged up the next set of stairs, locked the door to that part of the building, and added the key to his fob. He’d done the best thing under the circumstances. Brooding on it, he wrapped his hand around the back of his neck. Pieces of a jigsaw were falling into place. His department had lost the last two high profile witnesses under protection. It had been devastating to their team, and now Seth knew why it had happened. Lavonne was a turncoat in their midst. It made Seth’s gut knot with anger.

He could try to get word to his boss, when the time was right. He knew what Stephen would say, he would tell him that his priority was his witness, and the woman who could finger Lavonne. That’s why he had fast-tracked to a new plan. There was no way that snake Lavonne was taking these two out, no way. And if he knew she could ID him, he’d want the woman as much as he’d want Adrian Walsh, because she could identify him. And me. He’ll have to take me out, or be exposed.

Each and every protection duty was life and death to Seth Jones, but this one had now become a challenge and a duty above and beyond everything that had gone before. He put his hand against the locked door to the private apartment at the top of the house. This was home, this was off the radar, and this location was entirely unknown to Lavonne. If they kept their heads down, they were safe. He’d done the right thing.

Patting the door, he smiled to himself. Thanks Mum, he thought, before he headed back downstairs.

By the time he got back down to the ground floor Lily had bandaged Adrian’s leg and had his foot raised up on a footstool. She was kneeling beside the chair and they were deep in conversation. Seth slowed down as he approached and tried to catch what was being said.

“No, I arrived there maybe a minute or so early. When I got to your office there was a bloke hanging around in the corridor. He gave me a really filthy look, but then he went out of the window and I assumed he was a maintenance man. Obviously not.” She looked at Adrian, and he s

hook his head, his expression overcast.

Seth noticed then how they were with each other, conversing like old pals. It was odd because there was a suggestion of closeness, and yet they can’t have met before because Lily had thought he himself was Adrian. Intriguing.

“I knocked…” She paused and glanced towards the staircase. When she saw he had returned, her cheeks flushed and her eyelids lowered. “And your friend answered the door.” She nodded her head in Seth’s direction. “Then I heard gunshots and I was pulled inside the office.”

Seth stifled a smile. She’d rather conveniently abbreviated her story to cover her error. He watched her, but she didn’t look back at him.

Adrian reached out and rested his hand on her arm, squeezing it gently. “It’s my fault you’re here. I am so sorry you’ve got mixed up in this.”

“I’ve put the fire on in the main sitting-room,” Seth interrupted. “If you’d like to convene in there, we’ll run through some ground rules.”

The woman, Lily, was on her feet in a flash, pulling her short coat around her as if readying to leave. “I don’t want to convene anywhere.” She spoke tersely, but that embarrassed flush was still on her cheekbones. “How long are you going to keep me here?”

“At the outside, until Adrian gives evidence at trial.”

“When is that?”

“Two weeks.”

Her eyes rounded. “I can’t stay here for two weeks!”

Seth noticed how sexy she looked when she was outraged. Would she look that way if he reminded her about their first encounter? The idea of it turned him on. He had to stifle a smile in order to concentrate on getting her on board, which was the number one priority right now. Anything else could wait a while. “Unfortunately you’ve seen too much. None of us want to be here, but there’s an issue of safety and justice involved. Adrian is giving evidence at a trial. He’s in danger, and now you are too, because of what you’ve seen.”

“I could go home. Nobody knows me or where I live.”

Seth looked at her. He hated to see anyone this uncomfortable with the set up, but there wasn’t a choice. Lavonne’s status was his burden. Trying a different tactic, he shrugged. “Adrian here is a friend of yours, yes?”

Maybe that wasn’t a good move. Heat flared in her face and she shifted uncomfortably. He had to get to the bottom of this. It set a thread of doubt loose. What was it with these two? Was it anything to do with Carlisle? He had to know, and soon.

“Yes, we are friends.”

That was carefully worded. “Consider how he feels. He doesn’t want to be here either, this is a stressful time. Your support would be helpful.”

She glanced at Adrian and quieted. Adrian lifted his hands in a silent apology.

“Adrian is my charge,” Seth continued, “but you have inadvertently become a secondary witness and you can ID the man who made an attempt on Adrian’s life.” He looked at her to gauge her understanding. She seemed to be taking it in. “My duty is to protect you both until the danger has passed.” He gestured towards the sitting room door and gave her an encouraging smile “If you’d like to come this way, we can have a chat and get settled in.”

She didn’t return his smile. Instead, she shook her head dismissively. “Do I have my own room here?”

He’d made a slight inroad with her, but she was still reluctant. “You do, but before I show you to your room, I need to request you hand over your mobile phones to me. Both of you.”

Her eyebrows drew together and her lips tightened.

This was the worst part—people and their mobile phones were inseparable. It was their last little bit of independence and it was always hard for them. “It’s for your safety. The house phone is also disconnected.”

Adrian rummaged in his trouser pocket. A moment later he handed his phone over. Seth took it and put it on the sideboard that stood against one wall in the hallway. The guest ledger was there, and he closed it as he put the phone down. He put out his hand to the woman. She had a small bag over her shoulder that rested on the opposite hip. It was large enough for a phone and a wallet, maybe some make up. She glared at him for the longest moment, then reluctantly opened the bag and handed her phone over. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered.