Outside the front of the house, Brian squinted into the distance, scanning for danger. He half-expected Ted’s BMW or the rusted-out car to screech around the corner, either or both men catching him in the act. Perhaps far-fetched, but they’d both been watching him and Her. They were both part of this. Complicit. Brian reached back and felt for the knife, still there. A little piece of protection should he need it. He tried calling Yuki, to warn her ahead of time, but it kept going straight to voicemail. God damn it.
Brian walked through the field, stopping every couple of feet to listen and look around. The journey back was easier than the walk getting there—the adrenaline and urgency of the situation, anesthetising the pain. Tall grass rippled like waves in the sea. The moon hung low in the sky, mostly obscured by clouds, but the cold front pushed at them, Brian’s visibility slowly increasing. Soon the moonlight would be enough to guide him. He pressed on and soon saw the glow from the torches through the weeds.
When Brian reached the car park, he stopped walking. He listened and looked. The man and his car weren’t there. And neither was Ted. Yuki was probably safe.
Probably.
Brian looked to the fish torches, distrusting. Something about them seemed sinister, off-kilter. Perhaps just his mind playing tricks again—the man and the cameras, sending his imagination into overdrive.
Still, better not to take any chances.
He licked his lips and ran through the car park. Getting closer, he noticed all Yuki’s windows were dark.
Was she sleeping?
It didn’t matter. He would wake her. The sooner she got out of there, the better.
What would he tell Her?
With time he’d divulge everything but not straight away. Though he had to explain enough. He needed her to act and react—to take him seriously. Brian stood ten feet away from the complex entrance without a plan. All he knew was he had to get her the hell out of there.
Right now.
He quickened to a sprint for the last couple of steps and pounded on her door with his fists.
He listened but couldn’t hear anything.
“Yuki,” he said, probably too low.
He pounded the door again, yelling her name this time. Footsteps from inside.
“Who is it?” Yuki asked, sounding understandably irritated.
“It’s Brian. Please open the door.”
He heard the deadlock slide out and the door opened. Her hair was loose, and she wore a thin black night robe. Yuki’s eyes widened. “What happened to you? Did you have another run-in with that PI?”
At first, Brian didn’t know what she meant. He looked down and saw his clothes. Dirt and dried weeds hugged the calves of his trousers. Dust, grime, and sweat covered his hands and arms. “You’ve got to come with me,” he said.
“What?” She looked at him and smiled, all cutesy. “Isn’t it too late to go hiking?”
“Yuki, I’m not fucking around. You’ve got to get out of here, you’re in danger.”
She stepped back from the door. His words were ugly. Perhaps even scary. He’d lost his temper because he was panicked. Because he was scared.
“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to frighten you. It’s just, I mean, shit, things are even worse than I thought.”
“Is this about that man who—”
“Yes,” Brian snapped. “I haven’t exactly been straight with you, but the other day I followed him to his house. Then tonight I went back and—”
“You did what?”
“I promise I’ll explain, but for now we have to go. Trust me, he’s dangerous.” There was no telling what would happen if they were caught—if those robed figures would rough up a guy minding his own business on the sofa, a trespasser like Brian would get it loads worse. Brian reached for Her hand. She let him take it, and he could feel her shaking. “Will you leave with me?” He had no idea where they were going, but outside the apartment was better than inside. To get her away from the man and the torches and Pelagic Court.
To get Her to safety.
“You’re gonna have to give me more than that. It’s late, I can’t just go jetting off in the middle of the night because you tell me to.”
Brian felt tears welling up in his eyes. Yuki was right, of course. He was a relative stranger and yet if she didn’t follow him something terrible would likely happen to her. His brain was so fucking fried. “I just …” His voice wavered as he struggled to keep it together and there was a change in Yuki’s body language as she sensed his vulnerability.
“Okay, Brian, I’m putting my trust in you but if you’re messing with me …”
Sweet relief swept over him.
“Let me get my handbag.” She started to shut the door, but Brian kept hold of her hand. Gave her what he’d meant to be a reassuring smile but in reality was nearer a grimace, as if he was about to throw up.
“Grab what you need. I’ll explain everything in the car.”
Brian waited in his car with the engine running. After an exasperatingly long few seconds, she finally came, still wearing the robe, though she was now also wearing bright red high-top trainers and had her handbag. She got in the car and fastened her seat belt. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe.”
Brian didn’t have a clue where they were ultimately heading but he knew they had a long night ahead of them. They’d trek up to Helen’s first, collect his sister and little Gracie, so the four of them could hightail it together. He didn’t know if the man and Ted were working as one, he didn’t know if they knew where Helen lived, but these were risks he was unwilling to take. They’d head to a hotel or guesthouse or even lay low in a caravan park. Wherever they were it would be fresh and unknown. Once Helen’s address was in the SatNav, he put the car in gear and sped out of the car park, keeping an eye out for the man and the old banger—paranoid the man was onto him, that he had surveillance inside the house and would soon follow.
Yuki reached over and put her hand on top of Brian’s where it rested on the gearstick. He looked down and saw he was gripping the lever tight, his knuckles white and bloodless. He relaxed his fist, letting her warmth calm his nerves. Yuki gave his hand a firm squeeze, then rummaged around in her handbag. She pulled out her mobile phone. “Should I ring the police?”
“No, not yet.”
“No?”
“Let me get us settled somewhere safe first, then we’ll call.”
Though what they’d tell the police, Brian hadn’t the foggiest. Was he somehow complicit in this entire affair? Brian didn’t want the police to know about his own activities. Though peeping wasn’t illegal, was it? There was also the part about trespassing he’d have to explain.
“So, this house, the guy’s house … well, barely a house, it’s halfway torn down, in complete disrepair, though it has power, but, anyway, point is, I was there.”
“Where exactly is this house?”
“Past the car park. There’s some housing once you get beyond the field.”
He could feel Yuki’s eyes on him. Knew he was mumbling, talking too quickly, sweat dribbling from his forehead.
“Is that where you were? All this time?”
“No! I was at the PI’s, just like I told you.”
Brian felt his chest tighten. He trusted her with his everything whilst she questioned even the basic details of his account. He would have to do better: no more lying, no more peeping, and no more sneaking around.
“What happened tonight?” Yuki said. “Tell me what you saw, Brian.”
He liked that. Every time he heard his name in her mouth, it eased him somewhat.
Brian slowed at a junction stop sign, practically rolling through, looking both ways to make sure another car wasn’t barrelling towards them. “I looked in the windows of the house. There really wasn’t much to see, but there were computers set up on the table. Surveillance equipment. He was spying on us … spying on you.”
“Spying? Like, he has cameras set up in the house? Is that what you mean?”
Brian nodded.
“And you looked through the windows?”
It was obvious he’d gone into the house, and Brian felt ashamed to say it aloud. At least they were nearly out of the town. Soon they’d hit the motorway, putting them one step closer to Helen and Gracie, at which point Brian could loosen up a little. Perhaps he should call Helen to let her know they were on their way. Give her an update on what had happened. How the situation had escalated. Though he wasn’t sure he could manage a coherent enough sentence. It’d come out all panicked, and then what? Helen would panic, too, and call the police or worse … No, he’d ring her before eleven thirty, just as she’d asked, filling her in on some of the smaller details, before they turned up unannounced.
Brian took the next right and merged onto the main road. There wasn’t much traffic, and it was extremely dark, as if someone had dimmed the street lights.
Brian glanced at the time. They were about an hour out from Helen’s deadline. She’d near enough threatened to return if he didn’t get in touch. Brian reached for his phone.
“I need to send Helen a text,” he said.
“Eyes on the road. Give me the phone.”
Brian passed it to Yuki. “Tell her everything’s okay and I’ll call in a couple of hours?”
Yuki agreed, writing a quick message before passing the phone back to Brian. He let it rest on the seat with him. Helen taken care of, Brian’s mind eased somewhat.
Continuing to the right, he followed the road out of town, successfully avoiding hold-ups at several traffic lights. Red flashing lights lay ahead.
Damn, I made the lights but forgot about the train.
Yuki’s hands fumbled in her handbag again. She stared straight ahead. Brian could tell she was nervous, even though she tried not to show it. Her mouth set in a grim line. He reached out and patted her arm. “Everything will be fine.”
She smiled at him, still looking straight ahead. “I know.”
Brian stopped at the level crossing, craning to see how long the train was. It wasn’t moving fast, but it was too dark to see where the carriages ended. They were the only vehicle at the crossing. He shifted the car into neutral, applied the handbrake, and leant his head back on the headrest.
“I’m exhausted,” he said. “I’m sure you are, too.”
“Yes.”
Brian looked over at Yuki. Moonlight bathed over her, illuminating her face and hair.
Her face.
Her hair.
Even now, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. There was no way he would ever let anything bad happen to her.
Yuki pulled a small handkerchief from her handbag. She leant forward, reaching over as though to give him a kiss. Brian noticed as her robe fell open that she was naked underneath. The moonlight pulsated over her breasts. He moved towards her to meet for the kiss, and she pressed the handkerchief to his face and held it there until everything turned to grey.