Harri stumbled back and almost fell over a pile of papers. She turned to see Ben Elmys. He stood, blocking the door, looking hurt, offended even. Behind him, Elliot Asha wore an expression of puzzlement. Harri’s heart raced and she fought for composure.
‘What’s she doing here?’ Elliot asked.
‘Good question,’ Ben replied. ‘What’s the point of telling me to stay away from you, if you can’t keep away from me? You told me not to invade your home, but here you are. I should really call the police, but they’re already here, along with some other meddlers you’ve drawn into this.’
Harri backed towards the window and glanced over her shoulder to see Ben’s Land Rover had been joined in the driveway by a blue BMW 3 Series. When she looked round, Ben was only inches away from her and he leaned in far too close for comfort.
‘One day you’ll realize you’ve been wrong about everything, and you’ll wish you could take it back. But you can’t. Your path is set. Just like mine. You don’t understand. None of you understand.’
Harri held her breath and for a moment she wasn’t sure whether he might hit her or kiss her, but his gaze softened and his mood shifted as though clouds of melancholy had swept over him.
‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do,’ Ben muttered. ‘Isn’t that what the book says? And that’s what I’ll do. I will always forgive you, because that’s also part of my journey. I still love you, you know?’
There he was, playing with her mind again. Toying with her emotions and reopening the wound he’d scored into her heart. How could he be so cruel?
He stepped away, and Harri inhaled deeply, grateful for the sound of people moving in the hallway. Moments later, two women entered the living room and looked around with the critical eyes of a couple of tax inspectors. The older of the two wore a cheap sky-blue skirt and matching blazer and had short red hair. The younger woman was in jeans and a red blouse, and her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun which made her look quite severe.
A familiar face appeared behind the two women.
‘Harri? What are you doing here?’ Sabih Khan asked. Harri knew him sufficiently well to recognize his sheepish expression. He clearly still felt guilty.
‘She’s poking around in things that don’t concern her,’ Ben replied. ‘Much like you people.’
‘Now, Mr Elmys, we’re here to check on Elliot’s welfare. My name is Amanda Booker, but you can call me Mandy. And this is Nessa Dooley,’ the older woman said with one of the least sincere smiles Harri had ever seen. ‘If we can have some privacy, we can get started.’
Everyone looked at Harri pointedly.
‘Don’t feel the need to go, Ms Kealty,’ Ben said. ‘Please finish whatever you were doing.’
Harri blushed and eased past him and Elliot. Mandy and Nessa stood aside and let her go by, and she joined Sabih in the hallway.
Nessa shut the door and there was indistinct conversation as Harri and Sabih moved away.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he asked. ‘Don’t tell me you broke in?’
‘Who are they?’ Harri countered as they walked towards the kitchen.
‘Social workers. Powell insisted we call them to make sure the child isn’t at risk.’
‘Powell,’ Harri scoffed.
‘Easy, tiger. He’s just doing his job.’
‘Like you?’ Harri asked bitterly.
Sabih ignored the dig, glanced around the kitchen, and took in the mess. Harri shut the door behind them.
‘Reminds me of your place,’ he said.
‘You don’t get to make jokes,’ she responded.
‘I’m sorry, H, you know I had to make it official. And I had to tell Powell about you and Elmys. The housekeeper knew, for god’s sake. He would have found out anyway.’
Harri glowered at him.
‘Don’t be like that, H,’ he pleaded. ‘Come on. Please.’
‘Keele hired me to do some background on him,’ she replied. She didn’t want to listen to more of his pleas for forgiveness.
She didn’t trust him enough to share the whole truth, but giving him a nugget might prove useful. The concealment saddened her, because not so long ago there had been no secrets between them and he’d felt like family.
‘I thought Ben and the kid would be gone long enough for me to search the place.’
‘Social services wanted to do an unplanned visit to see the boy’s normal conditions. We met Dr Strange and the boy on the lane a few miles from the main road,’ he revealed. ‘Lucky really, otherwise we would have just turned up and found you.’
‘I shouldn’t even be talking to you,’ Harri remarked.
‘Your fight is with Powell, not me.’
‘So are you going to share notes? Like I’ve just done.’
Sabih was saved from answering. The door swung open and Ben entered, putting Harri on edge.
‘Have you two been trading secrets?’ he asked with a dark smile. ‘I hope so. I’ll be able to listen to the concealed recorders later.’
Harri shot Sabih a concerned look.
‘Come on,’ Ben said. ‘Do you think I’d bug my own home? What makes you think I’d even need to? We’re all nothing if not predictable.’ He beamed a broad grin, as though the three of them were old friends. ‘I’m going for a walk while the two busybodies do their mind probe on Elliot. Would you like to get some air, Ms Kealty?’
‘Don’t you need to stay?’ Harri asked.
‘They want to interview Elliot alone. I suppose they don’t want me there giving him signals and threatening him and whatnot,’ Ben replied. ‘Would you like to come? The fresh air might do you good. You can bring the muscle if you don’t feel safe being alone with me any more.’
‘The muscle?’ Sabih scoffed. ‘My name is Detective Sergeant Khan.’
‘I know who you are,’ Ben responded. ‘I never forget a name. Especially not yours.’
Sabih shook his head and shot Harri a quizzical look. She felt exactly the same way. Who was this guy and what was he on?
Ben fixed her with his intense gaze. ‘Well?’
‘OK, Mr Elmys. If this is what you want,’ Harri replied. ‘And no, I don’t need the muscle. I can handle myself just fine.’