Big Ben (See No Evil Trilogy #1) - Nana Malone Page 0,41

his stool with a feline grace. “Are you going to tell me that you don’t need anyone and that you’re perfectly safe all on your own, notwithstanding the mugging on Saturday and the attempted mugging tonight? Because how did anyone know that you were doing the Jack the Ripper tour?”

I opened my mouth to answer him, but I couldn’t, because that was a very good question.

“Hell.”

“Yes, my sentiments exactly. So, for the time being, let me get you home where it’s safe and then we can figure this out later.”

“Jesus, what is on that drive?”

“I promise you, it’s nothing that would be of any interest to anyone else.”

There was a level of sincerity in his gaze, but still, there was a shadow, as if he was holding something back from me.

Before I knew what was happening, I was ushered outside, and there was a black car at the curb. He held the door open for me and gestured that I should slide inside.

I frowned. “Is this your Uber?”

He laughed. “I don’t take Uber. This is my private car.” He slid in the seat next to me then leaned forward. “Evening Jason. Can you please take us to...?” His voice trailed, and he slid his gaze at me expectantly.

I told them my address and then sat back. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“Well, it seems that I did.”

When we reached the flat, he stepped out first, held the door open for me, and then walked me to the front door. “When you get inside, lock the door behind you. Set the alarm if you have one.”

I frowned. “Am I really in danger?”

“That remains to be seen. But it’s certainly a lot more helpful if you’re not walking around the streets by yourself. You know, basic safety.”

I sulked, feeling petulant. I should be allowed to walk home at night. “I’m not an idiot. “

“Prove it. Stay inside.”

I don’t know what it was about him, but every time he opened his mouth, I felt the overwhelming urge to hit something. “How dare you—”

He didn’t let me finish though. Instead, he turned around and was already walking toward his car. “Get in the house.”

He left me very little choice but to unlock the door and step through. Tomorrow.? Tomorrow, I would give him a piece of my mind.

11

Ben

I told my driver to go to Bridge’s after dropping off Olivia. I’d stayed to make sure she got inside okay. When he opened the door, he was in sweats and a T-shirt.

His dark brows lifted. “Ben? What are you doing here, mate? Any idea what time it is?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. Somewhere around midnight, I guess.”

Bridge might not say much, but he had an intuitive knowledge about people. He stepped aside and let me in. “What’s wrong?”

How did I even fucking start to explain? “I need to run something by you.”

I went straight for the study to the right, while he veered toward the kitchen. “Fancy a pint?”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t need anything even temporarily dampening my senses after the night I’ve had.”

He preceded me to the study instead, the soft shuffling of his feet in contrast to the muffled squeak of my trainers on the wood. “Where were you tonight?”

“With a friend. Let me ask you something. Do we have exposure on this Toby thing?”

He frowned. “Does this have something to do with the same woman who was supposed to be easy to handle?”

“Something like that.”

“Fucking Christ, Ben.”

“I know.” Quickly, I recounted what had happened.

Bridge pinched his nose. “Mate? Any way you were seen?”

I’d been racking my brain since it happened. “I have no idea. Maybe someone saw me leave then saw her leave. I don’t know what she was doing in that office that night. She said she was there just to be alone for few minutes then hid in the closet to keep from getting caught, but I don’t know.”

He rolled his shoulders. “No such thing as a coincidence. So, the question now is what the hell are we going to do with her?”

“Devil’s advocate. Maybe she was there for another reason. Trying to get information on the Van Linsteds. We need to look into her.” You know who she is. But what if I didn’t?

He sighed. “We’re sitting on a powder keg. We need to know who she is. If we got it wrong and she made a copy of the file, or worse, if she was able to decrypt it, she’s going to have blackmail