Out Of The Red

by David Bradwell

  “Jesus.”

  Clare took one last drag of her cigarette and stubbed it out.

  “Have you got a plan of action?” she asked.

  “Stick close to March, hope Aurelia calls, keep vigilant.”

  “Very wise.”

  “We’re getting there. The main thing is we need to find out more about Sunday. Anna’s helping with pictures when she’s talking to me, so that’s handy, although if it gets dicey I’ll get a staffer in.”

  “Why isn’t she talking to you?”

  “Long story.”

  “Elaborate away.”

  “Can I make that rule 1d?”

  “No. Obviously. I set the rules.”

  “That’s not fair. What did you say in Cologne? I was the boss now, and you were my assistant?”

  “I did, but there are limits.” She had a devilish sparkle in her hazel eyes. “So? Do I have to threaten to shoot you again?”

  “For heaven’s sake.” Danny laughed and clutched a cushion to his chest as a kind of shield.

  “Come on, seriously? What’s up? Is it the boyfriend thing?”

  “No, that’s the result rather than the cause. If you must know, she was pissed off that I was talking to you, and gets more pissed off every time I mention you.”

  “Why?”

  “She calls you my mental mass murdering girlfriend.”

  “Ooh, that’s a bit harsh.”

  “It is kind of true.”

  “I was talking about the girlfriend aspect.”

  “Oh, cheers.”

  “Haha. No, I just mean you could do much better.”

  “Right.”

  “No, seriously.”

  “Ah, Clare...” Danny stopped. There were raw emotions at play. Things he wanted to say. Things he knew he shouldn’t. And years of thoughts and dreams, before everything changed that fateful morning, when she walked out of his life, seemingly forever. She was still an enigma, and still on a pedestal, despite everything he’d learned in the interim. Maybe even because of it. What was going on inside her head? But he knew she was more out of reach now than ever. He knew that every moment he spent with her could be the last one ever, that he’d never get to know her, not really, deep down, inside her mind. And that there were so many things he would never understand.

  “Listen,” he said, “there’s something I should say, in the interests of full disclosure.”

  “Borderline American, but I’ll let it pass. Go on.”

  “Today, it’s been just like the old days. Discussing, planning, thinking. Working with you. I love it. Every minute. Always did.”

  “It’s been fun.”

  “It always was. We were good. I miss you. And you know what? It absolutely breaks my heart when I think about you, not knowing where you are, not knowing that you’re safe, knowing that there are things about you that you’ll always keep secret from me. But I’m glad you’re here. I do think you’re brilliant, despite everything. Maybe just lay off on threatening to shoot me all the time?”

  Clare smiled.

  “I’ll try,” she said.

  Unfortunately for Danny, Clare wasn’t the only one with him in her sights.

  25

  IT felt strange waking up in Danny’s bed, and even stranger that he wasn’t there to talk to. It took me a moment to remember why I was there, which was just enough time for the headache to hit from the previous night’s drinking exploits. But then I had a warm, fuzzy feeling, remembering the good bits, of getting to know Mitch, holding his hand as we left the restaurant, snuggling up close to him in the taxi home. And, of course, the second rather memorable kiss goodnight.

  Then I remembered he’d offered to take me up in a little private aeroplane as soon as he got his licence. It was another item on the agenda of things that I will never let happen, ever.

  I crept out of bed in case Holly was still asleep and retrieved my bathrobe from the floor. I decided to attempt to have a shower without disturbing her, and then I’d pop my head round the door to see if she was up and wanted breakfast.

  On my way to the bathroom, however, I heard movement from the living room. Either Danny was still here, Holly was an early riser, or it was much later than I’d realised. It transpired it was the latter. But as I approached the door I could see Holly sitting in my chair, at my desk, looking through one of my drawers. The blue light on the front of the computer base unit was lit, although the screen was blank.

  “What are you doing?” I asked from the doorway. Holly turned, clearly shocked to have been disturbed. She pushed the drawer closed, and looked at me in what appeared to be a combination of panic and something approaching fear.

  “Nothing, nothing,” she said. “Just looking for ibuprofen or a paracetamol or something. I’ve got a banging headache.”

  “In my desk drawer?” Suddenly the previous evening’s conversation with Danny raced through my mind.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to... I just thought you may have some. Really sorry. I thought you were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “So you thought you’d look in my private desk drawers rather than the kitchen?” I was struggling to keep the anger from my voice. The hangover didn’t help.

  “Sorry, I didn’t think.”

  “Have you had a cup of tea this morning?”

  “Yes, I helped myself when I got up. I hope that was okay. You said it was okay to do that.”

  “It is. But you didn’t notice the ibuprofen packet in the cupboard, on the same shelf as the mugs?”

  “Really? No, sorry. But I didn’t have a headache then. Look, I didn’t mean...”

  “Have you been on my computer?” I was on a roll, and getting crosser.

  “Your computer?”

  I looked at the screen behind her. She followed my eyes then turned back to face me.

  “No, of course not. Why would I be on your computer.”

  “I don’t know, Holly, but it was turned off last night. I distinctly remember Danny turning the power off.”

  “It’s still off now.”

  “The screen is. The base station’s on.”

  “I’m sorry, but that wasn’t me. Maybe he only turned the screen off, or he was on it before he left for work.”

  “Why would he do that? He’s going to an office full of computers. And even if he did, he’d know how to turn it off again.”

  “Well, it wasn’t me.”

  I pressed the monitor’s power button, but when it sprang to life it just showed the Windows desktop. I saw Holly’s expression harden. It was a side of her I hadn’t seen for a couple of days.

  “Sorry, but I don’t know what you’re accusing me of,” she said, her own voice rising.

  “I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m only asking you,” I said.

  “Well it doesn’t sound like it.”

  “I come in here, and find you going through my drawers. I think I’ve got a right to ask.”

  “What do you think I’m up to?”

  “Nothing. I’m just asking you what you’re doing.”

  “Fine,” she said, then got up and stormed through to the bedroom. My bedroom.

  I swore to myself, and maybe called her a name or two (actually, there was no maybe about it), then decided to make a cup of tea before getting in the shower. There, on the shelf, next to the mugs, was a packet of ibuprofen, as I thought. I popped a couple to help with my own headache and downed a glass of water while I waited for the kettle to boil.

  I was just trying to work out whether I had the stomach for toast when Holly appeared in the hallway, jacket on, bag over her shoulder.

  “Holly?” I called. She turned towards me. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m leaving,” she said. “Thanks for putting me up, but I’m going now.”

  “What? Where to?”

  “I don’t know. But I’m clearly not wanted here.”

  “What the fuck? What are you talking about?”

  “You made it fairly obvio
us.”

  “I just asked you what you were doing.”

  “Yeah, well I don’t like being accused of things. So, thanks again but I’m leaving.”

  “You can’t just go. You’ve got God knows who trying to find you.”

  “I’m going.”

  “Where to?”

  “I don’t know. See you around. Say goodbye to Danny for me. He’s cute.” And with that she disappeared out of the front door, pulling it closed behind her, although stopping short of the full slam.

  Several things bothered me. First of all, I was supposed to be looking after her and I’d clearly messed that up completely. But then, just as that thought entered my head, a bigger concern arose. I hadn’t asked to check her bag before she left. If she’d stolen something she’d be getting away with it, and short of chasing her down the street in my bath robe I was powerless to stop her. And thirdly, she’d clearly had her eyes on Danny. It was just as well she was going. Overall, though, I was just shocked by the cheek of the woman. We’d gone out of our way to help her and I didn’t expect or deserve that kind of outburst. Well, she could fend for herself. I hoped she was safe, and I knew I’d worry, but if she felt better off on her own then so be it.

  I abandoned the toast and headed to the shower. Then I’d have a thorough check of my room to see if anything was missing.

  * * *

  Clare stood up, walked to the window, drew a corner of the net curtain aside, and looked out into the street. It only lasted a moment. Then she turned back to Danny, retook her chair and lit a third cigarette.

  “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do,” she said.

  “Okay.” Danny was grateful for any assistance. “Sorry if I overstepped the mark, by the way.”

  “Don’t worry, you’re fine. We are where we are. There’s nothing we can do about it, but we can do something about March.”

  “Fingers crossed.”

  “Oh, we will, Danny. You’ve done well but I’m very pleased you contacted me. I’m actually quite honoured.”

  “You’re honoured?”

  “Yes. Genuinely. And it’s good to be back with a project. I miss that too. Would you have tried to find me, by the way, if I hadn’t come to see you in Cologne?”

  “I wouldn’t have had the first clue where to start.”

  “Which is the answer to a different question to the one I asked.”

  Danny laughed.

  “You want the truthful answer? I don’t know. I’d gone looking for you once and found you eventually but it didn’t go exactly as planned. It was hardly the big reunion. Would I have done it again? I don’t know. I thought you’d gone. Of course I thought about you. All the time. But I didn’t think you wanted to be found and I knew I had to respect that. I can’t pretend I’ve ever stopped thinking about you, so I suspect that eventually I’d have had to go looking. Does that answer the question?”

  “It does.”

  She put the cigarette in the ashtray, blew smoke at the ceiling, then leaned forward.

  “Come here,” she said, voice softening.

  Danny leaned forward. She took his hands in hers. He could feel the edges of her sapphire ring in the flesh of his fingers. He looked up into her face.

  “Where are we up to in the rules?”

  “1e I think.”

  “Okay, 1e. This one is non-negotiable. You must agree to believe me when I say I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you. I will regret that forever.”

  “Apology accepted,” said Danny, equally as softly. “And I won’t forget, I promise.”

  “I miss you too. You know that?”

  “Wow... What’s brought this on?”

  She smiled, but it was a smile tinged with regret.

  “I just want you to know. It’s a lonely world sometimes, Danny. Remember what’s important. Remember who you care for. When it comes down to it, everything is about people, and especially those we love and who love us in return. You should take Anna to dinner before it’s too late. Before you lose her forever.”

  She let go of his hands, sat back in her chair and picked up the cigarette.

  Danny stayed leaning forward.

  “I’m never going to change you, am I?” he said at last.

  Clare looked away, as though expecting to find answers in the corners of the room. When she turned back, she avoided the question.

  “That dinner with Anna thing. That’s non-negotiable as well. 1f.”

  “I think you’ve maybe broken 1c.”

  “Which was that?”

  “The one about not mentioning how much we mean to each other, I think. I’ve got a bit confused.”

  “There you go then. Point proven. I’m a bad person, Danny.”

  She smiled but thoughts filled the space between them, regrets not far behind.

  Danny sat back in his chair. Clare took a paper handkerchief from the pocket of her coat and dabbed the corners of her eyes.

  “Anyway,” she said, changing the mood. “I was about to say what I was going to do.”

  “You were.”

  “I’m going to speak to some people I know back in Germany. Find out what I can about Sunday. And keep looking into Mikołaj and Jacqueline. Today’s going to be hectic. You’re out tonight, but I’ll be in touch later, or if not first thing tomorrow.”

  “Where am I out tonight?”

  “Dinner with Anna.”

  “Oh, am I? Even assuming I asked her, there’s no guarantee she’d come.”

  “You will. And she will, trust me.”

  “We’ll see.”

  The conversation was interrupted by the ringtone on Danny’s phone. Clare nodded for him to answer it. The number wasn’t familiar but it had the London prefix. He pressed the green button to accept the call.

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hello? Danny?” The voice was female with a foreign accent.

  “Who is this?”

  “It’s Aurelia.”

  “Aurelia!” Danny looked at Clare. She leaned forward to try to overhear the call. “Thank you so much for calling me. Where are you? Are you safe?”

  “I shouldn’t call you, Danny. I’m scared. They will kill me, but I was told I need to talk to you. I don’t have long.”

  “I really appreciate it. And please don’t worry. I’ll look after you in any way I can. Can we meet?”

  “We have to be quick. I don’t have much free time, but I’m allowed to go to the shop. I can see you but we must hurry. In 30 minutes?”

  “I’ll be there. Where are you?”

  “Do you know the Friends House, on Euston Road?”

  “The Quaker place? Of course.”

  “Meet me there. In the cafe. You get in via the garden on the side. I’ll be there unless they’re watching me. If they see you they’ll kill you too. Hurry.”

  Danny ended the call.

  “You’d better go,” said Clare. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “You’re not coming with me?”

  She gave him a quizzical look.

  “You’re good, Danny. But you’ve got an awful lot to learn.”

  * * *

  Five minutes later Danny was in the back of a black taxi, making its way through the backstreets towards Euston Road. Within twenty he’d arrived. He found the cafe and scanned the tables. There was no sign of her. He ordered a drink and took it to a table in the corner, giving a good view of the door.

  It was still early for the lunchtime trade, but a few customers arrived: friends meeting to socialise, or maybe colleagues discussing business. He didn’t know. Didn’t care. He waited, watching the door, ready to get up the instant she arrived.

  Ten minutes passed. She was late. Where was she? Another ten. Danny’s coffee sat on the table, untouched. The door opened, but again it wasn’t her. An elderly couple walked in, glanced in his direction. The woman found a table while the man went to the counter.

  More minutes passed. Where was she? More importantly, was she okay? He knew how dangerous thi
s could be if she was discovered.

  He thought of what she’d said.

  “I’ll be there unless they’re watching me.” Maybe that was it. Maybe she’d been followed and had to abort. Maybe they’d discovered what she was up to and now they were watching him as well. Then he remembered the rest of her conversation. The ominous part.

  “If they see you they’ll kill you too.”

  The door opened. A man walked in. He was huge. Dressed in black. He stopped, scanning the room. He paused when he saw Danny. Was that a look of recognition? He started to approach, his hand disappearing into the inside pocket of his black leather coat.

  26

  FINN Convey didn’t like it when his boss seemed this anxious. It was never likely to end well. She turned away from him, then ran her hands up her face and through her freshly dyed black hair.

  “It’s out of character,” she said at last. “And that makes me very nervous.”

  “But I can’t make stuff up,” he said. “If he’s stayed at home all day, that’s what he’s done.”

  “I know. But it’s not right.”

  “He’s got a phone. It doesn’t mean he hasn’t been making calls.”

  “That’s fuck all use to me.”

  She turned her chair back towards him.

  “At least he hasn’t met Danny Churchill again.”

  “Not since Tuesday, as far as we know.”

  “What the fuck is he up to? And while I’m on, how’s Logan doing? And where the fuck is he?”

  “I spoke to him this morning. He’s working hard. We both are.”

  “He should be here.”

  “He’s on his way. Says he’ll be here this afternoon.”

  “Jesus, the pair of you. Just make sure he does as he’s told. Understood?”

  “Jacqui, it’s all fine. Honestly.”

  She didn’t look convinced. No, more than that, she looked different. Stressed. He hadn’t seen her quite like this before.

  “I’m not going to defend March, but maybe he’s just finalising stuff,” he continued. “Have you tried calling him?”

  “No.” She looked at him as though he was stupid. “He’s supposed to contact me. That’s the deal.”