Luddy was leaning on the bonnet of the car, his face a mixture of fear and admiration. ‘How did it go?’
‘She thought I brought her here because I wanted her body,’ Ruby smiled sadly. ‘But I’ve managed to persuade her to stay just for safekeeping.’
‘Well, there’s an image,’ Luddy said, grinning as he hopped into the car.
‘Eww! You make sure you just keep it there.’ She pulled across her seat belt after sliding into the seat beside him. ‘I don’t want anyone else knowing, I just need to keep her safe until I get back from work.’ Sharon had proceeded to call her boyfriend and tell him she was safe. With the promise of a fix on her return, he seemed satisfied with the explanation.
The car engine produced its familiar knocking sound as it turned over, and Ruby reminded herself for the second time to book it in for repair.
‘Sharon’s not going to listen, you know,’ Luddy said, bringing Ruby back to the task in hand. ‘If there’s one thing I’ve learned about working girls, it’s that they don’t trust people enough to accept help. People have let them down most of their lives. She’ll be gone when you get back.’
Under normal circumstances Ruby would have teased Luddy about his so-called knowledge of street girls. But it wasn’t funny, none of this was. She sighed, hoping she had not put herself on a path of forced retirement. ‘Well, if it keeps her out of danger for a couple of hours then I’m happy,’ she said. ‘Now put your foot down, or we’ll be caught up in the traffic. Downes will be wondering where we are.’
But there was no breaking the speed limit as far as Luddy was concerned, and he took the journey to the station with his usual caution. He pressed the brake pedal as the car rolled up to a set of traffic lights, glancing at Ruby as he waited for the lights to turn. ‘What are you going to do if we find Mandy? Hunt her down and bring her home too?’
‘Three’s a crowd,’ Ruby said, ‘and there’s not enough room in my flat. I thought we could bring her to your house instead.’
Luddy paled. ‘You are kidding, aren’t you?’
‘Wouldn’t your mum approve?’ Ruby said with a grin. She nodded towards the traffic lights, which had turned green. ‘Of course I’m kidding, you numpty. Now put your foot down, we’ve got work to do.’