“I like you Pauline. I do.” A ridiculous glow of warmth spread from her belly and she was glad of the darkness for she was sure she was blushing. The unaccustomed emotion unnerved her, caused her to snap at him.

“Oh that’s good to know. That makes a huge difference.” Again the little snort of laughter.

“Can you look right at the back, down in the left hand corner there should be a bit of fabric. It just looks like a bit of the lining sticking up. Can you see it?”

The seat belt cut into her shoulder as she leaned towards the dashboard. Her fingers feathered along the back of the compartment and found the tag. It was little more than a thread. “I’ve found it I think… but what is it? it’s just like a bit of cotton.”

“Yeah, that’s it. You should be able to pull it and the back will come loose. You have to do it slowly or it twists and that’s a bugger.”

“Well, if you keep throwing the car around the bends I can’t even keep hold of the thing. Can you slow down a bit do you think?”

“Okay, okay. Have you got it now?”

“Yes, yes it’s coming.” The plastic panel slid out and she held it on her knee and peered back into the expanded space. The dull gleam of metal unnerved her. If he was going to ask her to touch the gun he was on a hiding to nothing. She hated them and nothing would entice her to take it from its moulded rubber housing. “I’m not passing you that. Is it loaded? God that’s two guns you’ve got! What the hell is this all about? I thought you were with the police?” As she spoke the words a cold chill ran down her spine and took her breath. He registered the gasp.

“Don’t panic. Really Pauline, please don’t panic. I’ve told you I’m not operating in the open. I promise you that you are in no danger from me. Truly.

“Look to the right there should be a phone in a little box. Can you see it?”

“Yes, oh yes, I have that.”

“Great. Take it out and turn it on would you.”

The little machine beeped cheerfully as tiny pinpricks of LED lights sparkled under her hand.

“He glanced away from the road for a moment and the thud of tyres and judder of the car coaxed a squeal from her throat. “Shit, shit, sorry. Hedgehog.”

“Oh no.” Tears sprang to her eyes as she turned to peer backwards to where the tiny body lay on the tarmac, its life ended by a moment’s inattention.

“I’m sorry Pauline. It would have been quick.”

She couldn’t speak but simply nodded dumbly and bowed her head to concentrate on the phone, opening the contacts screen.

“There’s only one number on here Pete.”

“Yup. Can you pop it into the hands free cradle and connect for me.

“Shit, another of the spiny little sods, what’s the matter with them. It’s okay, I missed it.”

As she grabbed for the dashboard to steady herself Pauline found herself smiling. “Well done.”

“Yeah right. Can we make the call now do you think?”

“Sorry, okay. She poked at the button and the call tone buzzed faintly. After two rings a voice filled the car. “Pete?”

“Yeah. With one other soul. I need a bolt hole.”

“Hold.”

For long minutes there was nothing, though she could feel the tension in his body and sensed impatience from the increased rate of his breathing. Was he afraid? If he was then what could the future hold for her? For both of them? As one thought followed the next a worm of fear writhed in her gut. How had she managed to find herself in this bizarre situation and then, would she have been better staying with George? Should she have settled for that life as miserable as it had been rather than this? At least back then the danger and violence were familiar; not this unlooked for dread, this rising fear and unforeseen threat.

She glanced at the solid form of the man beside her, the man who had promised to keep her safe and she leaned back against the seat. Let it be, she thought. Just let it be.

Chapter 38

A disembodied voice filled the car. The reception was rattly and faint, perhaps the banks and hedges obstructing the signal. After a brief conversation, most of which was unintelligible to Pauline, Pete rolled his shoulders and his grip on the wheel seemed less tense.

“Is it okay now?” She couldn’t even imagine what “it” or “okay” might be but felt desperate for reassurance.

“Yeah. I know where we’re going. It’s about two hours. Can you take the phone out of the thing?”

“Do you want it back in the glove box?”

“No, you need to open it up. Can you do that?”

“Well of course I can. I’m not stupid.”

“No, I know, that wasn’t what I meant. Oh whatever, just open it will you.” So there it was. The short fuse. It was a clear indication that, no matter what he said, things were far from okay.

“Okay, now what?”

“Take out the SIM, fling it through the window. Then the battery, then the phone. If you can break it up a bit first that would be even better.”

Cold air took her breath and her hair swirled in the draught. She flung the plastic bits as far as she could. “Okay. That’s gone.”

“Well you might as well settle back if you can. There’s nothing more we can do now except cross our fingers.” All that was left was to hand over her fate and her future to Pete. So, she pushed back in the seat and turned her head to watch as the wakening world flew past to be lost behind them as he drove on to whatever their fate would be.

After another half an hour they hit the motorway. Now they were simply one more in an never-ending trail of cars and lorries thundering through the landscape. The ride became more even. In spite of everything, Pauline felt her head begin to nod and as clouds filled her brain she reclined the seat a little and let herself drift off.

“Pauline, come on. We’re here.”

She’d had no idea what to expect. All there was to imagine was from films and television; she had thought maybe a grimy flat, a fortress somewhere in the country, or even perhaps a police station.

Peering through the car window she was surprised to see a neat semi. A young mum pushed a buggy along the pavement and a ubiquitous parcel delivery van was parked just a little further along the road. It was ordinary, normal and in fact rather boring.

“Where are we?”

“Uh… I guess you could just say ‘somewhere’. It’s not that important and actually it’s better if you don’t know too much. Just in case.”

“In case?”

“Well, you know, it’s a sort of secret and well…” She fixed her gaze on him but he couldn’t look at her and glanced away awkwardly.

“You mean in case I’m forced to tell someone don’t you? You think I’m going to be caught or something and they’ll… what? Torture me? Bloody hell. Just what have I got myself into here? I wish I’d left that bloke where he was, in the ditch.”

“Yeah, to be honest so do I.”

It wasn’t his fault though, was it. It wasn’t his fault and he was doing his best. “Oh come on, let’s get on with it.” She swung open the car door and uncurled onto the pavement. Her muscles still suffered from the damage inflicted in the cave and on the rocks so she stretched her arms above her head, easing the stiffness.

Pete came round and took hold of her arm, “Hey come on, let’s get inside.”

“What am I going to do about clothes? How long am I going to be here? Pete?”

“Hmm.” He was crouching now retrieving a key from under a flower pot.

“I can’t believe that. You’re not supposed to do that. Don’t you know that’s the first place they look, criminals and so on.”

He grinned at her. His smile creased the weathered skin around his eyes and lifted the muscles of his face. Blue eyes sparkled. “I know. Quite right. Though in fairness these will only just have been put here.”

“Right.”

“Did you want to ask me something?” He had pulled her into the narrow hallway and now turned back to the door. There was a bank of bolts and locks which he spent time securing and she noted that the glass, though pretty and ornamental from the outside was reinforced on this side by a metal grill.