Ed was visibly shaken. ‘Tom turned up at Maria’s? How would he know about her? About that?’
‘Apparently he’s been worming his way into the scene, through those munches at the Plough. I’ve told Maria a hundred times she shouldn’t be involving herself with the riff-raff. It’s too dangerous. Nobody knows where those people are from.’
‘How did Tom know to go to them?’ asked Ed, now pale, taking off his glasses and twiddling with them in a compulsive manner. ‘How would he know that? He must have found something out about you.’
‘I wonder if Ell…is it Ellie? Or Ella?’
‘Ella,’ I said dully.
‘So you lied about that much,’ said Keane. ‘As I was saying, I wonder if Ella here can help us with that.’
Well, I could, but I wasn’t going to.
‘I don’t know,’ I said.
‘Liar!’ exclaimed Keane. ‘You’re in cahoots with him. He turned up last night because you told him the address. Don’t try and pretend otherwise.’
‘I didn’t tell him the address,’ I said, which was the truth. ‘That’s not what happened.’
‘But you’re working with him, aren’t you?’ said Keane. ‘It can’t be a coincidence.’
‘No,’ said Ed. ‘I have heard some office gossip that puts the two of you together.’
Damn, had he? I’d have thought he’d be above that kind of tittle-tattle. Obviously not.
‘Oh, well, isn’t that nice?’ sneered Keane. ‘Don’t try and tell me he didn’t put you up to this.’
‘He…didn’t,’ I said, but it was so clear they’d made up their minds about the situation that it seemed pointless to argue. Perhaps I should just tell all and let the axe fall where it would.
‘I tell you what,’ said Keane to Ed, ‘we aren’t going to get anything from her here. I suggest an extraordinary meeting at my place.’
‘Oh, I’m not sure I can leave the office just now,’ said Ed nervously, but Keane was adamant.
‘This is urgent,’ he said, crashing his fist down on the desk and wincing straight afterwards.
Ed was convinced.
‘Well, all right. I can’t be too long though.’
This sounded like very bad news. The absolute worst place for me to be right now was on Keane’s territory, with no back-up. What on earth were they going to do to me? Torture me? Kill me? Where was Mia? What had happened to Mia?
‘Please don’t,’ I breathed. ‘I’m not going.’
‘Oh, but you are,’ said Keane grimly.
Chapter Eleven
‘There’s witnesses,’ I blurted. ‘Tons of witnesses. All my friends. They’ll see me leave with you.’
Ed blinked rapidly.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. Come on. It’s just a meeting. Better coffee at Keane’s house, anyway. He has a housekeeper.’
This wasn’t reassuring, but I had no option but to leave the office, flanked by the two men, while everyone on the floor looked on. At the water cooler, I passed Tilda.
‘Call Tom,’ I mouthed at her, hoping neither of my escorts would notice. ‘Please.’
She looked shell-shocked for a moment, then nodded rapidly.