Joshua
I take a sip of my cointreau and a drag of my cigarette as I sit and watch the red dot on my screen flash on the map. She’s leaving work. I run the side of my pointer finger back and forth over my lips as I think, my eyes riveted to the screen. I am in my darkened hotel room feeling very unbalanced. I bugged Natasha’s phone and handbag weeks ago when I found out about Coby Allender. I need to know she is safe and that I can find her if something were to happen. Coby Allender didn’t get off, his case has been adjourned for five weeks and it is a huge relief. Until yesterday I hadn’t turned it on but now I find I can’t turn it off. I am putting myself through torture by watching what she is doing, but I need to know. A knock sounds at the door and I close my eyes in frustration. Go away.
It knocks again. I am not in the mood.
“I know you’re in there,” Cameron’s voice rings out. I shake my head in frustration as I minimise the screen and answer the door.
“What?” I sigh as I open the door.
“What are you doing?” Cameron snaps as he barges past me into the room, followed closely by Murph and Ben.
“What does it look like, idiot?” I snap.
Cameron and Murph throw each other a look. “Well, seeing you are drinking and smoking in your room alone and it’s…” he looks at his watch, “3.00 pm on a Tuesday, I’m thinking something is up.”
Adrian flops onto the bed and Ben opens the curtains and the sliding door.
“Do you mind?” I snap.
“Not at all,” he answers.
“What’s going on with Tash?” Adrian asks.
“Nothing.”
“Is that the problem?”
I screw up my face. “What are you talking about?’
“Ben said you didn’t stay there last night—are you fighting?”
I throw Ben a dirty look. “No,” I snap. “Keep your nose out of my business, the three of you!”
“Why have you taken all of our guards off Natasha and replaced them with stand-in ones?” Cameron asks.
I narrow my eyes. “Get out, Natasha has a right to privacy you know. I could use some myself at the moment. Leave us alone.”
“Max has stayed with Natasha.”
My eyes flick to Ben in a question.
“He refused to leave her,” he replies.
I nod in relief. I took my guards off Tash and replaced them to give her some room to breathe, but I have been worried ever since. At least I know she is safe with Max watching over her.
“Turn that music down for god’s sake,” Adrian sighs.
“I like this song,” I reply as I light another cigarette.
“What is it?”
“Arctic Monkeys, Do I wanna know,” I reply.
“Yeah, on repeat I’m not so sure,” he sighs
“Get out then.”
“Get dressed. We are going to the gym,” Ben snaps.