Inescapable

“Thank you. I assure you that it’s standard procedure and it’s done with your safety in mind. Now, I can show you your room, or if you’d like to take a seat in the sitting-room, I’ll organise some tea and sandwiches. Your rooms will be on this floor, and the radiators will have them warned up in just a few minutes. Meanwhile, let’s relax in front of the fire.” He looked back at the woman. She was his main problem.

She pulled her coat closed around her. “I’m tired. I’d like to go to my room now.”

Seth studied her. She didn’t look tired at all. In fact she looked wired. Was this because she’d embarrassed herself, or was there another reason? There was only one way to find out—give her a little bit of leeway and she might relax enough to talk about it. He nodded at her.

Gesturing at the nearby doorway for room number three, he selected the room that was almost opposite the sitting-room. He could keep an eye on her from there, just in case she had any dubious plans of her own. “Oh,” he said, when she began to move in the direction of the doorway, “please don’t attempt to open the windows. The alarm is set to go off if anyone enters…or leaves.”

When she reached for the door handle, she flashed him an annoyed look.

Seth turned away. “Let’s get you into the sitting room,” he said as he put his arm around Adrian’s shoulders and lifted him bodily from the chair. “I think there are a couple of walking sticks in the office, I’ll fetch you one later. Right now I want to get you comfortable.”

“Cheers mate,” Adrian said, and hopped alongside him.

As they passed room number three, the door closed.

While Seth got Adrian propped up on a sofa with a bunch of cushions holding his leg up, it occurred to him that the knee injury would keep this one exactly where he wanted him. Lily, the woman was not going to be so easily grounded. He flicked the TV on and then nodded at Adrian. He looked a bit washed out but not too much worse for wear. There was a bit of discoloration where he had knocked his forehead, but it could have been way, way worse. “I bet you could use a cup of tea?”

Adrian smiled. “That would be great, thanks.”

As Seth wended his way to the kitchen, he made a mental list of what had to be done. First up he had to find out the nature of the relationship between these two. Secondly, he had to get the woman on board. Then he had to figure a way to let his boss know about Lavonne, without revealing their new location. He couldn’t risk it leaking in the office. He didn’t know Emery Lavonne well enough to be sure of his next move, but Seth could guess. If Emery knew that he’d been spotted, he’d been even more determined to do the job and cover his tracks. That was why he had to let his chief know they had a mole in their midst, but he had to do it carefully.

* * * *

“Tea up.”

Adrian groaned as he woke up. He’d dozed off in the armchair and now Seth was holding out a mug of tea to him.

“Thanks.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine. Just tired.” It was a lie. He hurt like hell. His head throbbed and his knee had seized up. Every slight move was painful.

“I’ll fetch you that walking stick, then I’ll get you some painkillers and make us some food.”

“Got any whisky? Or brandy?” He seemed to ache everywhere and his knee was shot to hell, pain burning up the length of his thigh.

Seth, the witness protection officer, nodded at the back of the room. “We do indeed have access to a small bar here.”

Adrian glanced over the back of the sofa. In the far corner of the room he saw a hand built oak bar. There were shelves on the wall filled with bottles, a rack of wine bottles and a couple of kegs of beer. Adrian beamed. “Ace. You didn’t mention that when you were trying to talk

me into this. That would have made your job a whole lot easier.”

Seth gave a dry laugh. “It’s a small residential hotel. The place is shut up for the winter, but it’s secluded. That comes with pros and cons.”

Adrian put his hand up. “The bar is a pro. Don’t bother me with the cons right now. It’s been a long day.”

Seth nodded, and drank his tea. After a moment he nodded his head at the door to the hallway. “What’s the situation with you and the woman?”

Adrian shook his head. “Shit, I feel so bad about Lily. I’d completely forgotten she was due to arrive.”

“Blind date?”

Adrian frowned. How did he know that? For all he knew they’d already discussed it. He’d been fading in and out all evening. “Kind of. Well…put it this way, we hadn’t met before this evening.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair, mentally kicking himself that he’d forgotten.

Seth nodded. “Is she involved in any way with Carlisle? Is that how you met?”

Adrian half sat, amazed that the officer had even thought that. “God no, not at all. We’ve known each other for longer than that.”