Will reached out and squeezed Erin’s hand, her fingers cold under his touch.
When he’d first parked the rental car and switched off the engine and lights, their breath had fogged up the windscreen. In the darkness of the lane, damp air had slowly seeped into the vehicle.
They’d passed an abandoned vehicle a mile away, and Erin had cried out in surprise, before explaining it belonged to Mack.
Will had shaken his head. ‘That means they didn’t find him.’
They had stared at each other in shock.
‘He went to them,’ exclaimed Erin. ‘Why would he be so stupid?’ She’d bashed her fist against the upholstery of the car while tears coursed down her cheeks. ‘He must’ve known what they’d do to him.’
All Will could do was hold her while she sobbed.
Now, his whole body ached with its attempts to keep warm, despite the extra layers of clothing he’d thrown on. He glanced sideways at Erin as he felt a shiver move through her body under his touch.
‘How long do you think they’ll be?’
‘I don’t know. It’s been an hour,’ he said. ‘They can’t be far away.’
‘Do you think he believed you?’
‘Yes.’
‘What makes you so sure?’ She twisted in her seat to face him, pulled down her sleeves to better cover her fingers, and then took his warmer hand in hers again.
He placed his other hand over hers and rubbed, trying to keep the circulation moving. ‘Because I do,’ he said. ‘I’m sure as soon as DCI Lake put the phone down, he would have made a call to Kirby Clark to see if he’s really going to publish the story this morning.’
A shiver wormed its way down his spine. ‘And when he hears that they are, he’s going to have to wake up the Chief Constable and give him the news that they have to arrest the favourite candidate to run this country after next week’s election.’
Erin leaned her head against her seat. ‘I don’t envy him that.’
‘Me neither,’ said Will. ‘Either it’s the best career move he’s ever going to make, or he’s finished.’
‘He’ll be fine.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Will. ‘He will. He just won’t realise it right at this moment.’
Erin looked out the passenger window into the dark woodland to the left of the car. ‘I hope he’s okay.’
Will squeezed her hand. ‘Me too.’
She turned back to him. ‘He really likes you, you know. I don’t know – there’s something about you. He doesn’t often open up to people like he has to you. Or Amy.’
Will flexed his legs under the dashboard and flinched as his knee muscles threatened to cramp. ‘That’s why we have to do this,’ he said eventually. ‘I can’t leave him there. I can’t let Rossiter do this to him.’
He caught movement out the corner of his eye and turned his head as a pair of headlights flared in the distance and began barrelling along the main road.
‘I think they’re here.’
‘What do we do?’
‘Wait until they go past, then follow.’
‘Will?’ Erin’s eyes were wide in the gloom of the car. ‘Are they going to arrest us?’
‘I don’t know.’
His eyes opened wide as Erin snatched her fingers from his grasp, leaned across, and took his face between her hands.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered and kissed him.
Will closed his eyes, lost in the moment. Beyond the sensation of Erin’s soft lips moving with his, he tried to recall when he’d been kissed so intensely, his heart racing.
Months? Years? When had he last really let go like this? Trusted someone with his life?
Erin pulled away as the police car flashed by, its siren silent, the blue and red beams from its emergency lights echoing off the trees that lined the road.
‘Will?’
‘I know.’
He reached down and turned the ignition key away from him, the engine powering to life. He was about to switch on the headlights when a second and then a third police car shot by, followed by an armed response vehicle, its navy panels silhouetted against the red and blue flash from the vehicles ahead of it.
‘I think they took you seriously.’ Erin watched the last of the vehicles shoot past them, then reached out and squeezed his hand. ‘We should go.’
Will flicked the lights on, and pushed his foot on the throttle pedal, easing the car out of its hiding place and onto the lane. The brake lights of the armed response vehicle in front of them flickered once, and then disappeared as it turned the final corner in the road before the house.
His throat felt dry as he considered the implications of his decision to approach the police, wondering if DCI Lake and his superiors could be trusted. His thoughts turned to Mack and whether the old man knew they were coming, that he’d soon be free.
He couldn’t – wouldn’t – consider the fact that Erin’s father might already be dead.
‘Will!’
He slammed on the brakes as the car exited the corner.
The police vehicles were stationary at the side of the road, lights flashing. Silhouetted figures stood next to open car doors, and as Will edged the car forward, he realised the game was up.
He had to stop.
He indicated left and pulled behind the armed response vehicle, then wound down his window as a burly figure hurried towards the car, closely followed by two armed officers carrying MP5 submachine guns.
He blinked, then shielded his eyes with his hand and looked away as a flashlight shone across his face.
‘Will Fletcher. Fancy seeing you here.’ DCI Lake lowered the beam. ‘Get out of the car. Who else is in there with you?’
‘Erin Hogarth.’
‘Out. Both of you. Now.’
Will turned, his gaze meeting Erin’s. ‘In case I don’t get the chance to say this, thank you.’
She nodded, her eyes bright. She wiped at them with her sleeve, then reached out and pulled him closer.
‘No, thank you,’ she said and kissed him.
‘Now!’ barked the police officer.
Will pulled away from Erin and opened his door, placing his hand on the roof of the vehicle to steady himself, his legs shaking.
Lake waited until Erin had joined them, then glared at Will. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’
‘My father’s being held by Ian Rossiter,’ said Erin. ‘He’s been tortured.’
The policeman’s gaze flicked from Erin to Will. ‘Is that true?’
Will nodded. ‘We got a phone call from Rossiter. Mack – Erin’s dad – was screaming in the background.’ He held out his mobile phone and replayed the voicemail message on speaker.
The detective paled, and then motioned to one of the junior constables standing on the periphery of the group, his eyes wide.
‘Constable – an evidence bag please.’
Lake shook out the plastic bag and held it open to Will. ‘Put your phone in there.’
Will did as he was instructed. ‘Why?’
‘It’ll be used as evidence in the case,’ said the detective. ‘If this ever gets to court…’ he added under his breath.
He turned to one of the armed officers next to him. ‘Brief your men. Make any changes to your plan you need to, but we’re going in in two minutes.’
The man nodded and ran back to the group of men standing by the vehicles watching the exchange, his colleague at his heels.
Lake waited until they were out of earshot then turned back to Will and Erin.
‘You’re coming with me.’ He held up his hand. ‘You’re staying in the car with my driver. I’m not having you running around while we’ve got a potential armed suspect, or the future leader of this country under suspicion of murder. If you as much as open a window to get some fresh air, I’ll have you both arrested, understand?’
They both nodded.
The detective pointed to his car. ‘Get in.’