Inescapable

Seth shook his head. “I’ll be gone forty minutes, maybe less.” He had that assessing look in his eyes. “Can I trust you two to stay inside and out of view?”

“Yes, of course.” He was trying to picture where they were in Wales. He’d visited Cardiff, but he didn’t know this area at all. How far away was the nearest town?

Seth lifted three cups out of a cupboard and opened the tea caddy. He glanced back at Adrian while he did so. “Should I be apologising to you, about Lily?”

Adrian was surprised, and amused. He resisted the urge to chuckle, and stared at Seth, deadpan. Shrugging, he waited expectantly. After a moment, Seth put the tea caddy down and raised his hands, a tea bag rather comically clutched between the fingers of one hand. “Look mate, I’m sorry, it just sort of happened.”

Adrian laughed. “I’m kidding…although I have to say it is good of you to apologise.” He smiled. Seth relaxed, visibly. He really had been worried. “It’s not the sort of thing that anyone can orchestrate,” he added. “It just happened. As you said, it took all three of us to agree to it. Lily was up for it, I enjoyed it, and if it hadn’t been for your presence it might never have happened.”

“It would have happened,” Seth responded. “She was ready for you when she arrived at your office.” He shook his head. “Man, was she ever ready.”

Adrian paused before replying to that one. “I’m not going to lie, I do wish I had been the one who opened the door, but things might have taken a very different turn. As my secretary is always telling me, we have to believe in fate sometimes, especially when it deals us out such a bloody good hand as this one.”

“Agreed.” There was respect in Seth’s eyes.

“I’d be climbing the walls here if it wasn’t for Lily, what with the case pending.”

Seth nodded.

The black clouds on his horizon crowded in again. “I don’t want to regret agreeing to give evidence, but I have to say, it’s doing my head in right now.”

“It’s natural. Think about how you’d feel if you hadn’t come forward. You’d still be at his beck and call, and that would only escalate once he got a hold on you.”

“That’s true.”

Seth had been with witnesses before, many times. This kind of stress would be something he’d be familiar with.

“Thanks.”

“Any time, really. If you want to talk, I’m here.”

“There is something I’m curious about. Why did you change the location? Not that I’m complaining, mind you. This place is great, very comfortable. I’m just curiou

s.”

“The attempt,” Seth answered, simply, eyes downcast. “Just wanted to be doubly sure.”

Silence hung between them for a moment, and then Adrian reached out and put his hand on Seth’s shoulder. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for my safety, mine and Lily’s.”

Seth gave a lopsided smile. “It’s my job.”

Lily wandered in. She was wearing one of the T-shirts Seth had offered, socks, and not a lot else. As she joined them she looked the pair of them over, a bemused smile took up residence on her face. “I’m not interrupting a special moment between you two, am I?”

Seth frowned. “Huh?”

“You two seemed to be getting so much closer…should I be jealous?” Her eyes rounded and then she winked. “I mean, you will still need me at bedtime, right?”

“No way, you can’t be serious.” Seth laughed. “I don’t mind sharing, but it’s this I’m after.” He spanked her firmly on the bottom, and Lily jolted and then moaned, audibly, eyelids lowering.

“Whereas me, on the other hand…” Adrian said, adopting a deadpan expression again. He waited until they both looked his way. Lily looked fascinated, Seth wary. “I’ve always wondered what it would feel like, to make another man come.”

Seth looked seriously disturbed, and then Adrian laughed.

Seth reached again for the cereal packet, shaking his head. “You’ve got a seriously warped sense of humour. You’re ganging up on me, the pair of you.”

The clouds had gone again, at least for the time being, and Adrian preferred it that way.

* * * *