Read Online Behind Closed Doors by Elizabeth Haynes - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Haynes
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had seen the prices on the menu and hadn’t complained about them. Hadn’t complained about anything much, just for a change – apart from when he’d finished the whole pizza, every crumb including the crust, and mentioned in passing that the Italian sausage had been a little salty. He could not bring himself to eat a meal without spoiling it with a comment.
But for once Scarlett didn’t care: the night was becoming wonderful, full of promise. She had chosen a seat facing out towards the market square, which meant that Juliette could sit opposite her, facing into the interior of the restaurant which made her feel safe, enclosed, protected. From this position Scarlett could watch Nico working, stare at his bum and his thighs, the way the denim fabric stretched as he moved.
He wasn’t very good at the flyer thing. He chose the wrong tourists – even Scarlett could see that – trying to hand them out to people who clearly wouldn’t be interested in pizza. She felt sorry for him, too – what a job to have! Trying to be nice to all these rude sods who ignored him, passed him by without listening or even acknowledging his presence. She resolved to tell him about that later on, to try to make him feel better, because surely doing this night after night would erode his self-confidence, make him miserable.
Later on
. She had made that decision, then. The mechanics of it yet to be worked out – how to get out of the apartment without Juliette knowing, sneak off and meet him, risking her life in the process because God knew her father would kill her, would actually genuinely kill her if he knew what she was planning – but the decision had been made.
When they finished their pizzas and stood up to go, she tried to catch Nico’s eye – but he had crossed over to the fountain, to try and tempt a young family into the restaurant, and had actually managed to persuade them to stop and talk to him. She looked and looked, hung back a little, even, but his back remained facing her.
‘Come on, Scarlett. What are you doing?’ her father said, and the tone of his voice made her turn around straight away and follow.
Under her breath, she mouthed the words, ‘Later, I’ll see you later,’ before following them back towards the apartment and her mother.
LOU – Thursday 31 October 2013, 17:06
When the meeting came to an end, Lou phoned Jason from the corridor.
‘Hey,’ he said when he answered. ‘Two calls in one day – you can’t tell me you’re busy.’
‘It’s work, though – doesn’t count this time.’ She kept her voice low, even though the people leaving the briefing room were all talking among themselves, paying her no attention.
‘Really? Shame. So what can I do for you?’
‘When you were on Op Nettle with me, you were going to do a subject profile for the McDonnells. Do you remember? Did it ever get done?’
He paused before answering. ‘It was on the list, but I never did it. Other stuff kept taking priority.’
‘That’s what I thought. Oh, well.’
She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t leave it there, and left a hesitation dangling in the conversation between them, waiting for him to fill it. She could almost hear him smiling. Eventually he said, ‘You want me to do a profile for you?’
He was in the office with other people listening, of course. Otherwise his response might have been a whole lot cheekier.
‘Can you do it on the quiet?’
‘Urgently?’
‘Doesn’t have to be long. Just the latest intel, risks, warnings. Anything that looks interesting. Check with Sam before you do it; she might have some new stuff.’
‘Sure,’ he said. ‘Leave it with me.’
Waterhouse was an arse. He’d turned his back on her and was walking away without so much as a goodbye. Lou had met officers like him before, but fortunately not many.
‘Stephen – wait a minute. I’d like a word.’
When she caught up and stood in front of him so that he could not ignore her,
But for once Scarlett didn’t care: the night was becoming wonderful, full of promise. She had chosen a seat facing out towards the market square, which meant that Juliette could sit opposite her, facing into the interior of the restaurant which made her feel safe, enclosed, protected. From this position Scarlett could watch Nico working, stare at his bum and his thighs, the way the denim fabric stretched as he moved.
He wasn’t very good at the flyer thing. He chose the wrong tourists – even Scarlett could see that – trying to hand them out to people who clearly wouldn’t be interested in pizza. She felt sorry for him, too – what a job to have! Trying to be nice to all these rude sods who ignored him, passed him by without listening or even acknowledging his presence. She resolved to tell him about that later on, to try to make him feel better, because surely doing this night after night would erode his self-confidence, make him miserable.
Later on
. She had made that decision, then. The mechanics of it yet to be worked out – how to get out of the apartment without Juliette knowing, sneak off and meet him, risking her life in the process because God knew her father would kill her, would actually genuinely kill her if he knew what she was planning – but the decision had been made.
When they finished their pizzas and stood up to go, she tried to catch Nico’s eye – but he had crossed over to the fountain, to try and tempt a young family into the restaurant, and had actually managed to persuade them to stop and talk to him. She looked and looked, hung back a little, even, but his back remained facing her.
‘Come on, Scarlett. What are you doing?’ her father said, and the tone of his voice made her turn around straight away and follow.
Under her breath, she mouthed the words, ‘Later, I’ll see you later,’ before following them back towards the apartment and her mother.
LOU – Thursday 31 October 2013, 17:06
When the meeting came to an end, Lou phoned Jason from the corridor.
‘Hey,’ he said when he answered. ‘Two calls in one day – you can’t tell me you’re busy.’
‘It’s work, though – doesn’t count this time.’ She kept her voice low, even though the people leaving the briefing room were all talking among themselves, paying her no attention.
‘Really? Shame. So what can I do for you?’
‘When you were on Op Nettle with me, you were going to do a subject profile for the McDonnells. Do you remember? Did it ever get done?’
He paused before answering. ‘It was on the list, but I never did it. Other stuff kept taking priority.’
‘That’s what I thought. Oh, well.’
She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t leave it there, and left a hesitation dangling in the conversation between them, waiting for him to fill it. She could almost hear him smiling. Eventually he said, ‘You want me to do a profile for you?’
He was in the office with other people listening, of course. Otherwise his response might have been a whole lot cheekier.
‘Can you do it on the quiet?’
‘Urgently?’
‘Doesn’t have to be long. Just the latest intel, risks, warnings. Anything that looks interesting. Check with Sam before you do it; she might have some new stuff.’
‘Sure,’ he said. ‘Leave it with me.’
Waterhouse was an arse. He’d turned his back on her and was walking away without so much as a goodbye. Lou had met officers like him before, but fortunately not many.
‘Stephen – wait a minute. I’d like a word.’
When she caught up and stood in front of him so that he could not ignore her,
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