Shrimp was back at the hotel, getting ready for the evening’s undercover work, when his phone beeped – he had a message. It was from Nina.
Please Shrimp…I have to see you.
He knew he shouldn’t go. He paced about the room. He tried the rest of his surveillance team; no one else was in situ yet. It was four o’clock. He had an hour. If he slipped in the side entrance to the Mansions, he could get away with it.
He didn’t manage to escape the eye of the watchful Africans. David saw him arrive. He didn’t stop him. David could see as Shrimp flew past him that Shrimp had other things on his mind.
When Shrimp reached her she was in her usual place on the landing. She was agitated, more than he’d ever seen her before.
‘I am sorry about Hafiz.’
‘It was so horrible, Shrimp. I can’t forget it. Chief Inspector Sheng wants to meet with me and talk about it. I don’t want to. He’s a horrible man. Do I have to see him, Shrimp?’
‘No. I’ll talk to him. When I see him, I’ll sort it out, don’t worry.’
‘Thank you.’ She came towards him and wrapped her arms around him and held on to him tightly.
‘Nina. I am sorry, I am working. I can only stay a few minutes.’
She drew back and looked at him panic stricken. ‘Will you come back later?’
He shook his head. ‘I am sorry, Nina, but I won’t be able to see you for a bit after today.’ She pulled away and looked up at him. His heart was breaking. ‘I’ll be back, I promise. I’ll never stop thinking about you, not for one second. It’s just for a few days.’
‘Please don’t leave me now. I need you so much. You have to help me, Shrimp. I feel so afraid.’ Her eyes were fearful, starting to fill with tears. ‘We don’t have time to be apart. Shrimp, please…’ She wiped her eyes. ‘The wedding has been brought forward because of the problems with the Mansions, I’m going to be married next week. The man has money and my father thinks he can help us.’ She clung tightly to Shrimp. ‘You must help me, Shrimp. I need you to take me away.’ The panic was etched in her face. ‘Please. I love you.’
Shrimp pulled back and looked at her. He had never known love before and his heart was aching for her. He wanted to be with her every moment of the day. He couldn’t bear the thought of another man touching her, of her belonging to someone else. He knew this was real because all he wanted to do was to hold on to her and not let go.
Shrimp breathed in the smell from her hair. It was a smell of jasmine or rose and patchouli.
He didn’t want to let go. ‘Will you run away with me, Shrimp?’
He looked down at her and felt himself completely lost in her beauty and whispered, ‘Yes, I will but I can’t leave yet, Nina.’
‘No…’ She started crying.
‘Nina, please, don’t cry. I don’t have a choice. I’m sorry. So sorry. I would do anything for you but I can’t go anywhere right now. As soon as I can I will be with you all the time, I promise. I can talk to your father. I can ask him to call the marriage off. I can tell him how we feel…’
Nina turned away from Shrimp and shook her head. Her shoulders slumped and she began to cry. He laid a hand on her arm.
‘I am so sorry, Nina. I am sorry to let you down. It’ll be the last time I ever do. I promise.’
‘Have you got someone else?’ she asked, her voice shaking.
‘Of course not.’ He smiled at her concern. He hugged her and kissed her head. ‘I promise you, no one else.’
‘Please just sit with me a little longer.’ They moved to sit on the stairwell. ‘I brought you some sweets.’ She handed him two, wrapped in a napkin. ‘Coconut sweets for lovers.’
He smiled, her face was so sad, trying to be brave, he couldn’t say no. She watched him eat them.
‘It’s all over for me then, Shrimp.’ She turned and smiled and in her eyes was more than sadness, it was desperation and something else that Shrimp hadn’t seen before – desire. She kissed him, her mouth hard on his. Shrimp drew back. ‘I don’t want to give myself to an old man and never know what it is to feel the pleasure of someone’s body who means something to me. I want us to lie together, Shrimp. Then we will never be apart again.’ She leaned forward and kissed him lingeringly on the lips and then she held him tightly.
‘Not like this, Nina.’
‘I know. I shouldn’t say it but I’m begging you, Shrimp. Just hold me. Come to my room, please.’
‘Now?’
‘Yes. My grandmother is asleep.’ She took him by the hand.
‘If I have to get married I’d rather get married knowing what it is to feel love.’
Shrimp followed her, feeling desire and despair at the same time.