Joshua looked furious.
Vee ignored him and carried on with her rant.
‘At first I kept asking myself, why did he attack me? Then it hit me,’ she snapped her fingers, ‘like smh, of course, he found out I met with his sister. It hit me, ha ha, get it …’
‘I see what you did there,’ Joshua said.
‘Uggh, stop trying to laugh, Voinjama. Hurts so bad.’ She touched her head gingerly. ‘My main concern’s for Marieke and what shape she’s in. Chlöe called me and told me about the other beating he dished out last night. Marieke finally stood up to him and reported it. So I get it, Ashwin’s got a short fuse, but he still doesn’t square with the murderer vibe. Jacqui’s disappearance has got a clever feel to it. Smart but clumsy. Planned but unplanned, you get what I’m saying?
‘That shifts Ian back to front and centre. Hehn, I do not like that guy. He’s shifty, and he and that wife of his are hiding something. And those kids? Ho-o-o-o-o, talk about wackos. This is damn near Jackson family typa crazy, only it’s the parents who got all the talent. And shit, did I tell you Adele tried to bribe me?’
‘Several times.’
‘It’s only sinking in now that I’ve been too easy on her ’cause she’s the mother. She could’ve done this; mothers aren’t fountains of endless patience. Killers do that shit, tangle themselves in the investigation and drop all kinds of mess in the case to deflect attention from themselves. Maybe I’m looking right at her elaborate self-destructive scheme and I don’t even know it.’ Vee growled in frustration. ‘It’s not fitting! Somewhere it doesn’t fit …’
Joshua said nothing. He hadn’t made himself a drink or got comfortable. The coat of his suit wasn’t slung over the back of the chair. He reached over and laid his hand on her cheek like he’d done twice already since he arrived. He frowned and leaned closer, tipping her chin to the light and examining her pupils. ‘Wait, are you high?’
Vee gently pushed his hand away. ‘Jeez, drama queen. No, I’m not high. Not like Ice Cube and Chris Tucker in Friday high. I’m … cruising.’ She fluttered her fingers. ‘Pain meds. And sumn’ else Chlöe gave me. Makes you mellow and buzzy at the same time.’
‘Yeah, but how much does it hurt? Look at this … You have a partial imprint of a streetlamp on your face.’ His fingers were cool on her skin. Vee suppressed a shudder, or what could have been a shudder; sensation was a little hard to process under the spell of Chlöe’s pill.
She pushed his hand away again. The contact hadn’t broken the skin and she was overjoyed to have avoided stitches. Hours of ice and some sweet medicine later and she was feeling close to dandy. ‘Eh. It’s not as bad as it looks.’
Joshua muttered inaudibly and got to his feet. ‘Well. Guess that’s me done, then.’ He got up, dropped a quick peck on the top of her head and strode out of the lounge. Vee kept her seat for a full minute, heard the sound of a car engine hum to life before she shuffled up after him. The blanket around her shoulders was falling off by the time she made it outside.
She grabbed his arm at the door. ‘Hey. Where the hell you going? I can’t be alone. I just told Chloe that Connie was coming over because she wouldn’t let me breathe. But seriously, somebody’s got to help me stay awake.’
‘I get the feeling you’ll be just peachy by tomorrow without my help. And the day after, and the next after that,’ Joshua replied. ‘And to answer your question, home is where I’m going. Happen to have one of those, too, along with a job and a social life …’
Vee flinched, mouth open. She closed it slowly and let go of his arm. He started down the walk and she sprinted ahead of him, her head yowling in protest, and yanked the door of the Jeep open.
‘Allow me, your majesty. I’m so sorry I disturbed your evening.’
Joshua gave a low laugh and shook his head. ‘Very mature.’ He pushed the door open, crouched to slide in, then straightened up. ‘Why do you need me here?’ The frost in his voice and eyes made her take a step back. ‘Why, of everyone you know, did you call me over?’
Vee looked away.
‘Exactly right. You have a perfect reason why every single one of those people can’t or shouldn’t have to be here. But not me.’
‘Is that what this is about? That you’ve done sooo much for me and kept the receipts for all your feelings so you can rub my nose in it when it suits you? That I don’t need you, Joshua, that I don’t want you? Grow up.’
He snapped his fingers. ‘Bravo, Sherlock. Because after months, no wait, years of being more than happy to drink your bathwater, I chose today … the day you look like a bus ran your ass over, to wake up and say I’ve had enough.’ Hurt and disappointment etched his features. ‘When did you become so fucking selfish? What’s happening to you?’
‘Well, if that’s not the reason, then what is it? You think my work’s too dangerous? I should give it up and stick to safer material?’
It was grossly unfair and ridiculous, and she knew it. For both of them, the job was more need than conscious choice. Part of her wished she could take back the words, but the other half had taken the wheel and gone dark, steering her out of control. More than anything, she wished he was Ashwin. She wished to high heaven he was Ashwin Venter so she could drive through the flames at full throttle.
His expression changed like seasons in fast forward, going from pained to livid to sad in microseconds. Then it iced over, making it plain he didn’t intend to get drawn any further. He dragged the car door open the furthest it could go, until the hinges squalled.
‘Go inside,’ he said. ‘Call me tomorrow morning.’
Her eyes weren’t quick enough to register him move. One second he was sliding into the driver’s seat, and in one lithe shift he was close, practically in her face. He didn’t tower over her, at least she had that, but she could feel how tight the reins were on his emotions. Pride all but streaming like smoke through her nostrils, Vee fought against her whimpering inner female, fought against being intimidated on her own doorstep. All the same, she quickly decided on a more moderate stance and retreated a couple of paces.
‘You’ve already been surprised by one man today, Voinjama. Don’t make that mistake again, because I’m that close …’ Inches from her face, he held his fingers millimetres apart to illustrate how far the live wires were from touching. ‘Get back inside. Lock the doors. Have a hot bath and think things over. Turn up the volume on the TV to keep yourself awake. We’ll talk tomorrow.’
He got in. ‘Don’t make me make the first call,’ he warned. The Jeep swung off the drive and into the road. In a moment it was out of sight.
Vee stayed in her spot for a few more minutes, mouth dry and heart thumping.
‘Bastard,’ she croaked.