8

 

Adeline pushed her spoon through the bowl of cereal, her eyes following the closed captions on the television. Her picture was plastered all over the breakfast news, right alongside the Prime Minister’s.

Every time she’d closed her eyes during the night, she had seen Mrs. Williams fall against her over and over again. Those images had blurred and mixed with the ones of Jasmine lying dead in Adeline’s hallway.

She glanced out of the kitchen window at the police car. She remembered them arriving very late in the evening. Mark had talked with them and hadn’t told her what they wanted. Just the fact they were parked there spoke volumes. She was obviously being protected from something.

As she watched, the MI5 agent from the previous day arrived and exchanged a few words with the police. The panda car drove off to be replaced by a black sedan.

She put the spoon down. The sedan screamed unmarked police car just as loudly as the stripes and lights yelled police car.

She pushed the bowl away.

“You need to eat something.” Her mother gently pushed the bowl back.

“I’m really not hungry, Mum.”

“None of us are, darling. But, Jasmine wouldn’t want you getting sick on her account.”

“OK.” She took a couple more mouthfuls.

Her dad came in with the morning paper. “It’s chaos in the newsagents,” he said laying the paper on the table. “And as for the grocery store, forget it. No milk left already. You’ll need to run over to the supermarket later on and get some, Adeline.”

“OK, Dad. I will.”

“Anyone would think it was Christmas, it’s so busy. Talk about panic buying.”

Her mother nodded. “It was like that after Princess Diana died, David, do you remember?”

Adeline tuned out her parent’s conversation. She rose and turned off the television, not wanting to see news of Jasmine’s murder. They were concentrating on the death of the Prime Minister for the moment, but the local news was due on any moment. The Deputy Prime Minister was making a statement in an hour followed by an emergency debate in the House of Commons. She caught a glimpse of the morning newspaper. Her picture with the Prime Minister had pride of place on the front cover. Right next to the black edged photo of the Prime Minister on her own, and beneath that the one of the two of them with Ben.

Mark came into the kitchen in his uniform.

She managed a faint smile. “Love the new insignia,” she told him. She flashed off a mock salute. “Lieutenant-Colonel looks good on you, bro.”

Mark smiled. “Thank you, sis. When I get called that, I automatically look around for someone else. I need to sew them onto my dress uniform and my class A’s.”

“If you like I’ll sew them on for you.”

He signed as he spoke. “That would be great. Thanks. The uniforms are in the wardrobe, and the insignias in the box on the dresser. I have to go soon. We’re going to be flat out today. I wish I didn’t have to go. I’d rather stay here with you.”

“I’ll be fine. I have Ben.”

“It’s not the same. I should be here. You shouldn’t be alone right now. Not after yesterday.”

“Really, I’ll be all right.”

“But Mum and Dad are leaving on the cruise today. You’ll only have Ben for company.”

“I just don’t feel right about leaving.” Her mother placed her hand over Adeline’s arm. “We were thinking of cancelling—”

Adeline cut her mother off. “Don’t you dare cancel the cruise. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for months.”

“You need us here.”

“You need this holiday. I’ll be here when you get back.”

Her mother looked at her. “But, sweetie, you need me here more than we need a holiday.”

Adeline scowled. “Mum, you can’t. You’ll lose all that money. You and Dad saved for years for this trip. It’s the chance of a lifetime, and I won’t let you throw it away. If you cancel it won’t bring Jasmine back.”

Then she changed tactics. “Please…Jas wouldn’t want you to miss out on her account.” She deliberately quoted her mother’s words back at her. “I promise, I’ll be fine. Anyway, the taxi is due here at any time. It’s too late to cancel.”

Her mother’s brow furrowed as she waivered. Worry, grief and concern danced in her mother’s eyes and she twisted her wedding ring. A sure sign she was conflicted about something.

Adeline tried one last tack. “I’ll text you every day. At least once every six hours. And if I don’t, Ben will.” She tilted her head. “Did I tell you I’ve been teaching him how to use the phone?”

“OK.” She relented after a long pause. “But if you need us, call and we’ll come right home.” Her mother hugged her.

Adeline returned the hug. “Thank you.”

Mark hesitated, his face contorting with conflicting emotions. “Addie, I’m not sure…”

Adeline held his gaze. “Don’t you get on my case as well. I know you love me and want to protect me, but right now I just want to sew your insignia on your uniforms. The police are right outside. Then I have to call Dane to see how he and the girls are doing this morning. I should ring Susie, tell her to go in and open up and maybe I’ll go into work for a little bit.”

“Work? Are you crazy?” He shook his head at her, repeating the signs twice.

“Maybe, but it’s what I want to do.”

“Fine, but if you need anything, you call me. I am never too busy for you, Adeline.”

“Thank you.” She hugged him tightly. “You always wanted a famous sister,” she joked.

“Not like this, hon. Not like this.”

She sat down again, listlessly playing with her breakfast. She glanced up as Mark sat opposite her. “I’m sorry. I’m not hungry.”

His hand covered hers, his touch warm against her cold skin. “It’s fine.”

Ben jumped up, touched Adeline’s leg and ran to the door. Mark smiled. “That’s someone at the door. Be right back.”

Adeline grabbed her bowl and carried it to the sink to wash it. She took pleasure in the water enveloping her hands, washing away…everything. It was hot against her cold, clammy fingers. The bubbles sat in the palm of her hands and coated the backs of them. For a moment normality existed. Nothing bad had happened.

Who am I trying to kid? I can’t even manage to eat a bowl of cereal this morning.

Although Mark was an amazing cook, she’d refused his offer of bacon and eggs, and even turned down his suggestion of pancakes. Jasmine was dead. Breakfast wouldn’t fix that. Nothing could. Nothing would ever be the same again.

She turned around and leaned against the counter. Her parents came in wearing coats.

“The taxi’s here,” her father said.

She hugged him and then her mother. “Have a great time. Email me lots of photos. And don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine.”

Her mother still didn’t look convinced. “Three months is a long time.”

“You’ll be too busy having fun to worry about me. Shuffleboard on the deck, walks on the prom, dinner at the Captain’s table to name a few. Oh, and don’t forget all those men in uniform.”

Her mother laughed. “Take care.”

“You too.” She raised a hand and waved as they headed into the hall. She turned back to the sink, finishing the dishes slowly. She swallowed hard, trying to push off the feeling that she wasn’t going to see them again. Now you’re being stupid. Of course you’re seeing them again. In three months’ time they’ll be back, bronzed and well rested. Stop being pathetic.

Ben nudged her and she looked down, drying her hands on the tea towel. “What is it?” She followed his gaze to the door. Mark stood there with Nate and the MI5 bloke from the previous day. Her heart pounded as she took in the black suit, shirt and tie Nate wore. With huge dark circles under his red rimmed eyes, he didn’t look like he’d gotten much sleep, either.

“Morning, Nate.” She wasn’t going to say good morning. There was nothing good about it by any stretch of the imagination.

Nate looked at her, a slight smile on his lips that never quite reached his eyes. He moved over to her and hugged her. “Morning, Adeline. How are you?”

“I’ve been better. How are you?”

Nate shrugged. “Been better. Guv told me to take the day off, but I need to be working. It’s the least I can do for Dane and Jas.”

“Have you seen Dane? How’s he doing?”

“Dane’s a mess. His parents have come to look after the girls, but he’s not coping at all.”

“I didn’t think he would be. Just wish there was more I could do to help them.”

“So do I. I saw your parents leave in a taxi. Where are they going?”

“Three month cruise of the Caribbean. Mum wanted to cancel, but I talked her out of it. They’ve been planning this for months. And Jas would want them to go.”

“Yeah, she would.” He broke off. “You remember Agent Debone?”

“Yes.” She nodded and took in the stern appearance of the dark haired agent standing by her brother. So that’s what his name was. She tried to block out the part of her mind that started singing dem-bones rather irreverently.

“I’ve come to take you to a safe house.” Agent Debone held her gaze.

Adeline shook her head. “I can stay here. I don’t need to move.”

“It’s too dangerous for you to remain here.”

She shoved her hands into her pockets, her shoulders stiffening. “No one knows where I am. Mark’s in the army. He is more than capable of protecting me. As is Ben.”

“Miss Monroe, Jasmine is dead. She died in your house.”

“I know she’s dead.” Tears filled Adeline’s eyes, and she brushed them away. “You don’t need to remind me of that any more than I need to remind you who else died yesterday. But unless you can link the two cases, I either stay here or go home.”

Agent Debone looked at her for a moment then turned his back and faced Mark.

“I can’t read your lips when you do that.”

He glanced back at her. “I’m not speaking to you.”

Adeline threw her hands in the air with exasperation. Anger flashed through her and she tried to swallow it, but failed. “Fine. Not like this concerns me at all, is it? I’ll go find your uniforms, Mark.” She stormed to the door and flung it open so hard it bounced back off the wall as she flounced through it, heading to the stairs. Ben ran after her.

 

****

 

Nate watched her go, his stomach falling and then twisting as the door slammed shut, the sound reverberating around the kitchen. He’d argued the necessity to include Adeline in the discussion, but been shouted down, quite literally. “Should I go after her?”

Mark shook his head. “She’s just very touchy about being deaf. She always has been. However, cutting her out of the conversation like that, Agent Debone, is just plain rude and that is uncalled for. Does she have to go into hiding? Did someone kill Jasmine instead of her? Or is this just because she was there when the Prime Minister died?”

Before Agent Debone could speak, Nate jumped in. “Can we link the two cases? Not yet. As far as Jasmine’s death goes?” He paused for a moment. “Local papers have picked up that story. The Nationals have Adeline’s photo all over them, along with the possibility she can ID the Prime Minister’s killer.”

Shock filled Mark’s face. “Are you sure? I mean the news said...”

Nate held up a hand. “She took a photograph of him, saw him go into the building the shots were fired from. Unfortunately, the press got a hold of that information before we could issue a D notice. By the time we realized, it’d gone to print and was online.” He paused. “As for Jas? She was murdered by the Herbalist. We got there before he had a chance to move the body.”

Mark paled. “What? How do you know?”

“I can’t tell you that, but we know for sure it was him. Adeline has given us a description of him. With her photo in the news, he’ll know he got the wrong woman.”

“Wait a minute…” Mark tugged down his camouflage jacket. “You’re telling me that Adeline knows who this guy is, and he’s after her?”

“It looks like it. We’re moving her into a safe house before he tries again.”

The door opened behind him. “What did I miss?” Adeline asked.

Mark looked over Nate’s shoulder, signing as he spoke. “They say the Herbalist killed Jasmine. That he might be coming for you. They want to put you in a safe house.”

Nate turned around, seeing Adeline standing in the doorway, a pile of uniforms in her arms and a resolute look on her face that he knew all too well. Vianne used it a lot.

Adeline put the uniforms on the table. “I’m not going.” Her voice was firm, her signing backing it up. Her hands trembled, and her eyes glistened with tears.

Agent Debone turned to her. “Yes, you are. The Herbalist killed Jasmine instead of you. He’ll try again. Plus, you are the only witness who can identify the guy who shot and killed the Prime Minister.”

“I know the Herbalist killed Jas instead of me. I saw it happen.”

Mark did a double take. He pushed past the others. “Addie, what do you mean you saw it?”

“I’ve seen all of them, Mark. In a series of visions and nightmares. Guess I’m the police’s star witness or something.”

“For both cases and as such you need to be in a safe house.” Agent Debone emphasized each word, although Nate knew that would be lost on Adeline.

“Just keep out of this a minute,” Mark insisted. “Go on. Why did he kill her?”

“He killed her because he failed to kill me earlier…”

Mark shoved a hand through his hair. “What do you mean he failed earlier? When did he try to kill you? I should have let Mum cancel the cruise. They should be here.”

“Mark, don’t. He tried when I went to see the opening of the memorial gardens.”

Mark’s face darkened as he glared at the two police officers. “I thought you said—”

“Nothing’s been proved yet,” Agent Debone cut him off.

“I’ll stay with Mark.” Adeline’s face paled, but remained passive.

Agent Debone shook his head. “No. I have been assigned to protect you, and I’m moving you to a safe house.”

“But—”

“No buts. You don’t have a choice.”

Adeline glared at him and turning to Mark signed rapidly, not bothering to speak.

Nate watched fascinated. He’d learned a lot from the few lessons he’d had, but there was no way he could keep up with the speed of what she was saying, or what her brother replied. Anger flashed in her eyes, and she threw her hands up before turning her back on him.

Mark pulled her against him, holding her tightly.

“She said there was a red light shining on her. A laser sight that moved from her head down onto her chest. The Prime Minister blocked it. There were two bright flashes from across the street. Then Mrs. Williams collapsed on her as she got shot. She wants to know if the Prime Minister died in her place.” Mark spoke emphatically, signing so Adeline could follow the conversation even though she had her back to him. “And so do I. Was it an assassination like the media insists, or was it a case of mistaken identity? An accident? A case of the Prime Minister stood in front of her at just the moment the gun went off?”

Nate took a deep breath, exchanging a long look with Agent Debone. “Right now, we don’t know for sure. We’re not going to give the media a different story to the one they’re running with until we catch the guy responsible.”

“Which is?”

“A deliberate assassination. But between you, me and the gatepost, CCTV shows the light from the laser on Adeline, not on the Prime Minister.”

Mark inhaled sharply. He closed his eyes for a moment. “I can protect her, sure, but I can’t be here all the time. I’m due on the base in half an hour as it is.”

“Then let us look after her for you.”

Mark sighed. “All right.”

“Adeline?” Nate asked touching her arm gently.

She raised her head. Her normally bright eyes were dull and sunken. The bright countenance that usually resonated from her like a beacon had been ripped from her, replaced with dark, brooding storm clouds. “It doesn’t look like I have a choice. Do I?” she asked sullenly.

“Not until we catch this guy, no. I’m sorry.” Nate tried to convey his feelings in his face and signs. He hadn’t realized until now just how much hearing people relied on tones of voice, not to mention tempo and volume. But with Adeline he had to rely solely on body language.

Tears glistened in her eyes. He imagined of frustration rather than grief. “So I get abandoned in some safe house, with someone I don’t know, for who knows how long. A prisoner, when I have done nothing wrong.”

Nate shook his head firmly. He looked at his hands, signing slowly, hoping he was getting it right. “You’re not alone. God won’t abandon you.” He didn’t know the sign for abandon and just waved his hands.

“Abandon,” Adeline showed him.

“Abandon.” Nate repeated. “Neither will I. You move in with Vianne and me.”

Agent Debone coughed. “Sergeant, can I have a word?”

Nate nodded. “Sure.” No doubt he would get told that he couldn’t do this. Well that was just tough. Fear for his and Vianne’s safety aside, this was the right thing to do and he knew it.

Mark hugged Adeline. “I need to go to work. Let me know where you are.”

“The whole point of a safe house, Colonel, is that no one knows where she is,” Agent Debone said slowly.

Mark pulled himself up to his full height, his military bearing taking over. “Maybe secure housing on the base would be preferable.” The authority on his voice was unlike anything Nate had heard before. “I can have a whole platoon of heavily armed, well trained security personnel posted outside her door, twenty-four seven. No one can get on or off the base without ID or a very good reason for being there on a good day. For the next week there will be no such thing as a good day. And if I speak to the base commander and explain why she’s there, he can order a lock down, making the entire area impenetrable.”

Agent Debone drew himself up to match Mark’s stance. “Not an option—”

Nate moved and stood between the two men and raised his hands. “Enough already. Colonel Monroe, Mark, I promise I’ll make sure Adeline’s all right. Even if I can’t tell you where she is, I’ll make sure someone keeps you informed as to what’s happening.”

“All right. Thank you.” Mark hugged Adeline and then signed to her.

Nate watched the conversation, picking up the odd word here or there, but nothing more. Tears ran down Adeline’s face as she hugged Mark once more and then watched him leave. She rubbed her sleeve over her eyes. Then she sat at the table and picked up one of the uniform jackets.

Nate spun around so she wouldn’t see what he was saying and indicated to Agent Debone to do the same. “I know what you’re going to say and that’s my place isn’t safe or good enough. Answer me this. The Herbalist knows where she works. He also knows where she lives, and quite possibly where she goes to church on a Sunday, as well. She’s just lost her best friend who also happens to be my partner’s wife.”

“Exactly why it’s not up for debate. She goes into protective custody, whether she likes it or not. And you are not the person to do it.”

Nate took a deep breath. “I’m not disputing she needs protecting. Look. School holidays start today, and I need someone to look after my niece. Move Adeline into my place. Once I’m home in the evenings I’ll take over the protective detail. She can look after Vianne, give her something to do. But when I’m home, I don’t want anyone else in the house.”

“Sergeant, this is such a bad idea it’s laughable. Have you any idea how much danger you’ll be placing your niece in?”

“I’ve taken that into consideration. How much sign language do you speak?”

“None, but—”

“Do you have anyone who speaks sign language in your department?” He raised an eyebrow as the agent scrunched up his nose. “I’ll take that as a no. I do. Therefore she stays with me. She needs to be with people she can communicate with.”

Agent Debone glared at him. “If you want tongues to wag then fine, no one else will be in the house. I’ve seen the way you look at her, Sergeant. I’m not saying you’d do anything inappropriate or your judgment is clouded, but you are personally involved here. I’ll agree to her staying at your place on one condition. I come, too.”

Nate took a deep breath.

“You know I’m right.” Agent Debone’s voice softened a little. “You’re an elder of your church, aren’t you? You know you need a third adult in the house, for both your sakes. Never mind doing things right by the child.”

“All right. But you’ll have to have the couch.”

“The couch is fine.”

 

****

 

Adeline glanced around the room as Nate put her bag on the bed. Painted a cheery yellow with yellow daisy curtains, it was nothing like she’d imagined his guest room to be. Turning to him, she signed slowly as she spoke. “A little girly for such a big macho cop, isn’t it?”

Nate’s body shook as he laughed. “Not my choice,” he said trying to sign as well. “Vianne chose it all.”

“She has good taste. Thank you for letting me stay here.”

He moved over to her. “You’re welcome.” His arms enfolded her in their strength and warmth, and she leaned against him. She felt his breath on her cheek and his chest rising and falling. She angled her face towards him.

“I do have rules.” Was that a twinkle in his eye as he spoke?

“Do I want to know?”

“No jumping on the bed. No texting at the table. Homework is done the night you are given it.” He paused, a huge grin on his face. “And, most important of all, eat your greens without complaint or there’s no pudding.”

She widened her eyes in mock horror. “Please, don’t make me eat green stuff. I don’t like green stuff.”

Nate shook with laughter. “All of them,” he repeated. “Then there’s no TV until the homework’s done, no TV on a Sunday and bed by eight-thirty.”

Adeline laughed. “Enough already, or I’ll regret moving in.”

He leaned closer to her, his eyes softening. His left hand came up to cradle the side of her face, his right sliding across her waist. His face was inches away from hers, and her heart leapt as his lips claimed hers. She kissed him back, her eyes closing. Part of her screamed this was wrong, the other part, the part that was in control, took no notice. Her hands slid up Nate’s arms, holding him.

His fingers wound through her hair as he deepened the kiss, her scalp tingling at his touch. She fitted so perfectly with him. Where did he end and she begin? Fire blazed through her, every nerve ending sparkled and lit up like bonfire night. Caught up in an avalanche of feelings, all she knew was him and the way he possessed all of her. She gave herself freely in return, not hiding anything.

He pulled back abruptly, and let go of her.

Adeline opened her eyes. Had she done something wrong? “Nate?”

“I’m sorry,” he said, his cheeks turning an attractive shade of red. “I shouldn’t have done that. I need to get to work. I’ll see you tonight.”

Before she could say anything, he left the room. Adeline touched her lips with her fingers, her throat raw and eyes stinging with raw emotion. How could he kiss her like that and just leave? And why apologize for a kiss that left her senses reeling? She turned to unpack, and caught a glimpse of Agent Debone’s scowling reflection in the mirror.