A Long Way Back (Unfinished Business #2) - Barbara Elsborg Page 0,104
guys in pursuit, cameras hanging around their necks. One of them stopped to take a picture and Ink ran faster. The high street was busy and he sprinted down the edge of the road in the cycle lane until he reached the Tube station. He yanked out his wallet, slapped his card on the reader and chose a direction at random. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself, but he couldn’t afford to just stand on the escalator. He pushed his way past a group of tourists who weren’t standing on the right and ran down. He heard someone shout “Hey” and “Stop” behind him and Ink glanced back to see the two men following.
The moment he reached the bottom, he switched to the ascending escalator and ran up with his face averted. His heart was pounding, his breathing ragged, his fear off the scale. When his phone vibrated in his pocket, he knew it would be Tay, but he couldn’t speak to him yet.
Back at the top, Ink went down again. He turned his face as he fled down. The first platform wasn’t busy enough so he changed sides to head in a different direction, then moved to stand beyond one of the largest groups of people, hoping he’d be hidden while he watched passengers come onto the platform. The rattle of an approaching train grew louder. The board said it would arrive in one minute. When it pulled in, Ink stayed in the shadow of the biggest guy and stepped onto the train at his side. He wasn’t going to think about the fact that his back felt wet.
He stayed on the train until it reached Oxford Circus where there were more people around. He’d planned an indirect route to King’s Cross. But maybe he was wasting his time. If any of the press had followed Tay’s cab, they’d know where he was going. Shit.
Ink came up to the surface at St Pancras station because he was too tired to keep moving around and he was running out of time anyway. He didn’t think anyone was on his tail. I hope I’m right. As he walked to King’s Cross, he called Tay.
“Oh my God, where the fuck are you?”
“On my way. Was the cab followed?”
Tay gave a brief laugh. “The cabbie thought you were a film star. I told him we didn’t want anyone to know about us or where we were going. We went a roundabout route and no one followed. Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Apart from the sticky feeling on his back. “Where are you?”
“Platform nine and three quarters.”
Ink smiled. “Don’t go through without me.”
He kept his head down as he followed the signs for King’s Cross. When he spotted a cashpoint, he withdrew a hundred pounds. He felt a little better with money in his wallet because it gave him options.
Tay’s smile when he saw Ink approaching, warmed Ink’s heart. Dog pulled at his lead and wagged his tail. How long since anyone had been happy to see him? Tay grabbed hold of Ink’s hand, pulled him in and kissed him. Oh God, I should be running the other way not falling in deeper.
“We should have thought that through,” Tay said. “Planned a different escape route.”
“What? Dug our way out? Maybe we should try running at this wall. You go first.”
“I bought lunch.” Tay held up a carrier bag.
“Let me take that and Dog’s lead. Do you know which platform yet?”
“Six. We can get on now.”
Ink wanted to run, but he had to move at Tay’s pace which wasn’t fast. Then again, he hurt too much to run like he had before. When they made it to their seats without incident, Ink let out a shuddering breath. Dog settled on the floor at Tay’s feet but even in a confined space still managed to turn four and half times. They both chuckled. Before Ink put his backpack and guitar on the luggage rack, he took out the small plastic bag the hospital had given him. He lifted Tay’s laptop bag onto the rack and slid his crutch up there too. When he sat and leaned back in the seat, he gave a quiet gasp.
“What is it?” Tay asked.
“I think I’m bleeding again. How are your nursing skills?”
“I faint at the sight of blood.”
Ink rolled his eyes. “Hopefully, the train won’t be too busy so we can do it here rather than the loo. You really don’t want to faint in there.”