Tina enjoyed staying at Arley’s place. Her kids, both now in their early twenties, still had vivid memories of the day seven years earlier when their father and nanny had been murdered and they’d been abducted at gunpoint. According to Arley, they’d undergone extensive therapy afterwards to help them come to terms with what had happened. Considering they’d spent the next four years apart from their mum while she’d been in prison, twins Oliver and India seemed remarkably confident and well adjusted.
They hadn’t seen Tina since the night she’d rescued them from their abductor, killing him in the process, and when they first saw her on Sunday morning they’d both hugged her tight and thanked her profusely for what she’d done for them. Tina had to fight hard to keep her emotions in check but, as always, she tried to deflect attention away from her role, remembering that night all too well herself, and wanting to keep it in the past where it belonged. Even so, it did make her feel good to know that, because of what she’d done, these two were here now. Oliver was about to go travelling in the Far East, just as Tina had done at his age, and India had a job in London working for a charity.
‘The pay’s crap but at least it’s doing something worthwhile,’ she said when she was telling Tina about it.
The four of them had a barbecue in Arley’s back garden. The sun was shining but the weather had cooled down substantially and they sat around the patio heater. Tina felt comfortable in the company of this happy family that had come so close to being torn apart and wiped out in one bloody day. The kids bombarded her with questions about the famous cases in her career, and were endearingly blunt.
‘So Mum says you’re in trouble again,’ said Oliver, who’d grown into a good-looking young man, and was the more confident of the twins.
‘I didn’t say that,’ said Arley, ‘and you need to leave Tina alone. You know we can’t talk about an ongoing case.’
‘Mum’ll sort you out,’ said India. ‘She’s a shit-hot lawyer.’
Tina laughed. ‘I’m innocent, so justice will prevail. But you’re right. She is shit hot.’
After they’d cleared away, Tina and Arley sat together in the lounge.
‘You know you can stay here for as long as you want, Tina,’ said Arley. ‘I like your company, and I’ll never stop owing you for what you did for me.’
‘There was never any debt to pay,’ Tina told her. ‘I did it because it was the right thing to do. And seeing your kids now, healthy and happy – you know, it makes me feel good. But I don’t like imposing on you. I may still be in danger and people around me seem to have a very unfortunate habit of dying. I don’t want that to happen to you.’
‘It won’t, Tina. It was Ray they wanted, not you. It’ll be too dangerous for them to try again. And in case you hadn’t noticed there’s a police car parked at the end of the road. They’ll be keeping an eye on you now.’
‘In that case, I’ll take you up on your offer. I don’t know when the police are going to let me back into my house, or give me my car back.’
‘I’ll chase them tomorrow, but it’s unlikely they’ll let you go home before the end of the week.’
Tina sighed, suddenly feeling very down. ‘I’m not sure I want to go back. Not after what’s happened to Mrs West. It won’t feel right.’
Arley leaned over and put a hand on her arm. ‘Then don’t. Do something else. Stop sticking your neck out waiting for someone to chop it off, because one day someone will. When we were sat outside with the twins talking about your past, it made me realize how many needless risks you’ve taken over the years.’ She sat back and gave Tina an appraising look. ‘Look at you. You’re young, you’re gorgeous.’
‘You should be my PR woman, not my lawyer.’
‘Why don’t you go out and date, rather than hold a candle up for men who are never going to be there for you?’
‘Says the single woman.’
Arley chuckled. ‘I’ll admit it’s not easy finding a decent guy out there, especially online, but remember, I’m ten years older than you and I’ve been in prison. I’m not a catch. You are. You can find someone.’
‘I’ve been dating,’ said Tina, remembering all the meaningless, unsatisfying encounters of the past year, and the date with Matt that had had some promise but still hadn’t made it off the ground. ‘In fact I met someone last week. Do you mind if I borrow your PC? I need to check my profile and send him a message, and the police have got my smartphone.’
Arley gave her the kind of look she’d employed a lot when she was a senior detective. Authoritative and slightly condescending. ‘You’re not planning on doing anything dodgy, are you?’
‘Arley, please,’ said Tina. ‘I never do anything until the third date at least.’
‘I meant anything illegal, like try to get in touch with Ray Mason.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ve had my fill of illegal. I just want to get on with my life now. And I promise you, Arley, hand on heart, that I have no idea where he is.’
‘Good. My laptop’s on the table. And show me a photo of this man you met. I want to see if he passes muster.’
Tina sat back down with the laptop and quickly logged on to her account. She hadn’t logged on in close to a week and she had eighty-nine new messages. That was the thing about online dating. It was a numbers game, and you had to kiss a hell of a lot of frogs before you had a chance of finding a prince. Tina skimmed through the messages, more out of curiosity than anything else, but there was no one whose words or photos even came close to attracting her. She then brought up Matt’s profile. He was forty-two, six feet tall, an engineer with a daughter aged ten from a previous relationship, and he was a really nice guy. But it was this that was putting Tina off. She just couldn’t bring herself to involve someone like him, and by extension his daughter (whom he seemed to dote on), in the violence and chaos of her life. It would just make her feel scared for him.
Still, she showed Arley his photos, including one he’d posted of him in a pair of swim shorts.
‘Yes, I like him,’ said Arley. ‘Definitely. I hope you’re going to see him again?’
‘I think so,’ Tina lied.
‘Well, make sure you do, but maybe not for a few days yet. It might be hard to explain what you’ve been up to this weekend. Keep him on ice.’
‘Will do,’ said Tina.
She returned to her seat with the laptop and, as Arley started checking her phone, Tina checked the emails on her two official addresses, cancelled a couple of deliveries to her house, and then logged on to an email address that only she and Ray had access to. She was certain that the police wouldn’t be monitoring Arley’s laptop – they’d need a warrant for that – and she didn’t think either Sheridan or the Kalamans would have been able to break into it already. In fact, it was unlikely they knew where she even was.
Even so, she felt more than a little guilty as she typed in the password and saw that there was a single message saved in the drafts section, which could only be from one person. She opened it up and started reading.
Hey you. All good. Now safely out of UK. Planning next move. I’m sorry we had to leave under the circumstances we did. I’m sorry I said I love you too. It was a heat of the moment thing. But I want you to know that I will miss you deeply like I’ve always missed you since the day I was arrested. But I also want you to get on with your life. I saw on the news that they’d arrested you but that now you’ve been released. Take care for God’s sake. And stick to your story. I got rid of the phone and I don’t think there’s anything tying me to you. You won’t see me again now and I won’t give you my location because I don’t want you to be compromised. But just know that I’m truly thankful not just for your help but for everything else as well. Take care Tina.
Tina read the message through a second time, deleted it and, remembering her promise to Arley, didn’t write anything back. When Ray logged back on and saw that his draft was deleted, he’d change the password to one they’d agreed yesterday. That way it would be impossible for anyone to monitor any communications between them. Not that she thought they’d be speaking again.
She briefly considered dropping a message to Matt and giving him a second chance, but decided to leave it for a few days. Instead, she put down the laptop and settled back with Arley, who’d now been joined by Oliver and India, to watch an episode of Midsomer Murders.
Ray was safe. It was time to move on.