by Clare Revell
“What’s that?”
“I feel a lot safer having you around.”
“Safer?” His voice had an edge to it.
“Not just safer.” She backtracked a little. “I like having you around. I like spending time with you. I—”
He parked the car and turned his intent gaze on her. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks and her heart pounded.
Is this what falling in love means? That giddy head over heels, wow he’s looking at me feeling I have right now? The intense bereft feeling when he is no longer by my side? Why did I let things between us get so bad? Will he ever take me back?
“I should go so you can get into work on time,” he said slowly. “I’ll come by the house later, if that’s OK?”
“Of course it is.” She reached for the crutches, ignoring the twinge in her heart and just going with the change of subject. “Should get rid of these tomorrow, or replace them with a cane or something. Assuming the cast comes off.”
“Can you get someone to drive you back home?”
“Yeah, the usual guy will bring me home. Will you be in later? I could cook.”
“I’d like that. Should be back around seven.”
“Sounds good.”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Bye.”
“Bye.” She smiled and got out of the car.
Niamh made her way inside and went straight up to Alan’s office. She knocked and opened the door. “Are you busy? I need to talk to you.”
Alan put the phone down. “Good morning, Niamh, Likewise. Sit down. You first.”
She eased into the chair. “The house was broken into last night. I got hit over the head, spent a couple of hours in the ED.”
“I heard. That was DS Holmes on the phone. You shouldn’t be here.”
“That’s what Jarrie said. But like I told him, I’m not being scared off here. There’s something going on, and I’m not going to sit idly by and let it happen. God will keep me safe.”
“You can take that too far. What if God decides now’s the time for you to join Him in heaven? He didn’t stop you being hit over the head last night.”
Niamh bristled. “Maybe so, but the bloke who broke in didn’t do anything other than hit me. Besides, if He wants me, I could die in my sleep at home. Or He could have let me die in that car crash.”
A wry smile crossed Alan’s face. “Good point. OK. SOCO finally got back to me. It seems a certain DS Holmes got someone up in the middle of the night to chase up your case.”
“He said he would. And?”
“I didn’t like what I heard. Nor did he and neither will you. It confirms what the CCTV images showed. Someone tampered with your car and cut the brakes about fifteen minutes before you got into your car and left. Had I not caught you in the lift and delayed you, it’s likely you’d have caught them doing it.”
“I thought the only people with access to the car park were people who worked for the CPS. Everyone else has to use the public parking facility at the front of the building.”
“It is. Hence this case is now in the hands of the police.”
Niamh folded her arms. Why hadn’t the CCTV images come up before this? Or had they just not told her about them? Either way she wasn’t going to push it, so long as they were being taken into consideration now. “Fair enough. What I don’t understand is why, if the Acre case was over, did someone decide to cut my brakes? Surely it’d make more sense to do it before I got him locked up?”
“You were pursuing another line of enquiry. Files were going missing, and you were making progress on finding out who was taking them. Have you remembered anything about that?”
Her brown creased in thought. “I don’t think so, no. So, what happens now? I assume I’m back in the firing line.”
“The police will arrange for an officer to either stay in your place or outside it. A car will continue to drive you to and from here and to the court.”
“OK, but the police stay outside. Jarrie stayed in the spare room last night, and I’m going to get him to move back in. It’s his home, too.”
Alan smiled over the file.
“What?”
“You called him Jarrie. That’s the second time since you walked in here.”
“And? It’s his name isn’t it?”
“You’re the only person to ever call him that. You came up with the name shortly after you got married.”
Her heart leapt. “Really? I…no one told me that.”
Alan’s smile grew. “Yeah. You see there is hope for the rest of your memories yet.”
“Yeah.” Niamh took a deep breath. “Anyway, back to these threats.”
“You also received another death threat this morning. It came to the office, addressed to me.” He handed over the letter. “This is a copy. The police have the original.”
You should have let things be, Mrs. Harkin. You leave this case alone or you will die. Last night was a warning. We know where you live, where you work. We’re watching you.
She read it and shivered. She had no idea why someone would want her dead. Thick slanting handwriting, probably a calligraphy pen she decided. Possibly a left hander from the way the letters were smudged, but that wasn’t any help.
She gave it back to Alan. “Friendly person, isn’t he? What kind of paper was it written on?”
“The same paper as all the others. From one of the yellow lined legal pads we use all the time.”
“But why?” Her brow furrowed. “What did I ever do that was so wrong? Is it really this case or did I send his mother down for speeding and he’s just out for revenge and he’s using this case as a convenient excuse.”
“We have no idea. They started with the Acre case—the one you won the day of the car crash. Obviously whoever is sending them, knows you’re back at work and is afraid you’ll catch them.”
“Who knows about the letters?”
“I do and Toby does. And now the police.” He held out a file. “This murder case came in late last night. Toby and I want you to take it. He’s going to work with you, but you’ll take the lead.”
Niamh took the file. “Is that a good idea?”
“I thought you just said you weren’t bothered by the death threats.”
“I’m not. I was thinking more along the lines of what you said about not trusting someone who can’t remember last month.”
“That was five weeks ago,” he winked. “Seriously, I trust you. You’re the best person for this one. But Gina Luckett was found dead the day after your car crash. She’d been hung, drawn and quartered.”
She shuddered. That was the traditional death reserved for criminals who committed treason against the crown, with parts of the body being sent as a warning to each of the four corners of the kingdom. But no one had died that way for over a hundred years. At least legally. “That’s a nasty way to die. Who is she?”
“She was the main witness in your last case. As soon as you produced her in court, the defendant, Jonathan Acre, changed his plea. You put away a mobster for life, with no chance of parole for forty years. Miles Kingsman was the defense barrister on that case, and he’s been assigned this case, too. This time the accused is Barry Jankowski. We have CCTV footage that places him outside Gina Luckett’s house, DNA evidence that places him near the body at the time or just after she died.”
“Are Acre and Jankowski connected?”
“So far the only link anyone can find is the same defense barrister. But something doesn’t sit right with either Toby or me. This is another reason we want you to handle it. You have a nose for this sort of thing. If something smells, you track it down like a bloodhound.”
She shot him a slight smile.
“Something else you should know. I had a phone call from Judge Matheson yesterday. He heard Kingsman threaten you in court after the case finished. Someone then tried to kill you. He can’t be sure the two are connected, but we’re not taking any chances.”
The intercom buzzed. “Yes, Mary?”<
br />
“Miles Kingsman is on line three for Mrs. Harkin.”
“Put it through. You take it on speaker phone,” he said.
Niamh nodded and waited until the call came through. “Hi, Miles.”
“Niamh, I hear they’ve given you the Jankowski case. Fancy meeting for lunch to discuss it?”
Alan shook his head.
“I’m busy for lunch.”
“Then tomorrow?”
“Thing is, I probably shouldn’t see you socially right now. Not if I’m your opposition on this case.”
“It never stopped you in the past.”
“I’m not the same person as I was then.” ‘Coffee?’ she mouthed. As Alan nodded, she spoke aloud. “I could make coffee the day after tomorrow. Give me time to read the files and so on.”
“Sure. Usual place?”
“Ummm, how about…” She read the piece of paper Alan slid across the desk. “…my office, say about eleven?”
“Sounds good, I’ll see you then.”
“Sure. Bye.” Niamh hung up and looked at Alan. “And the fact my office will probably have moved to an interview room with a one way mirror, or the office across the hall with the glass walls, is beside the point?”
Alan laughed. “You read my mind, lassie. Read my mind.” He paused, his face hardening. “And if you do remember anything about those files, anything, no matter how small a detail it may seem, I need to know immediately. Or tell Toby and he’ll let me know.”
****
Back in her office, Niamh pulled out her mobile and rang Jared at work. Surprised he answered the phone, she wasn’t going to question why he was at the reception desk. “Hi, Jared. I’ve got a favor to ask.”
“For you, anything.”
She put the file on her desk and lowered herself into the chair. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to move back in permanently. In separate rooms, of course.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, hon.” His smile echoed down the phone.
“Hon?” She pulled a face at the phone. “I thought I said don’t call me that. For now at least.”
“Sorry.”
She yanked open the drawer, pulling out a yellow legal pad and her pencil. “It’s fine, Jarrie, just don’t make a habit of it.”
“I’m not a priest. No wait, they don’t wear habits. Nun’s do.”
She laughed. “You’re silly.”
“Thanks. Uh, did you call me Jarrie?”
“Yes. That is your name, right?” She opened the file and angled the paper on the desk to write on.
“Yeah it is. I love you.”
“I’m glad you do. Now go do some work. I’ll see you tonight. Bye.”
He laughed. “Bye.”
****
After dinner that night, Niamh knew without a doubt she had started to fall in love with Jared and that scared her more than she wanted to admit. It terrified her because she didn’t remember how she’d behaved with him before. What if she was too changed for him now? Or did things differently? What if he didn’t like the new her? Either way, she had to know.
She took a deep breath as he closed his Bible and looked up. “Jarrie, what if I’ve changed too much?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not the same person as I was before the car crash. I’ve read my diaries and so on. I don’t like who I was, and I don’t want to be her anymore. What if you don’t like the new me?”
“I like the new you just fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against his chest, listening to his heart beating. “I like the way we talk now, listen to each other, read and pray and just be with each other without the nastiness and sniping. It’s like when we first met.”
“And that’s a good thing?” she asked.
“It’s a very good thing.”
****
Seven hours later she woke suddenly to find Jared standing over the bed. “Jarrie, what time is it?”
“Early. Are you awake?”
“I am now. What’s up?”
He picked her up and carried her from the room. “Something to show you.”
“Fair enough.” She snuggled into him, listening to his heart beating.
They reached the hall. “Grab your coat.”
Confused she did so, and then shivered as Jared carried her from the house. “You’re one crazy man. Did you know that?”
“Course I am. That’s why you love me.”
“Hmmm that’s kind of presumptuous don’t you think, Mr. Harkin?” She tightened her grip on him. “I said I like you, didn’t say anything about loving you. And after this? I mean you come in at the crack of dawn, wake me up, grab me from my bed…” she broke off trying not to smile.
“I didn’t hear you complaining at the time.” He carried her across the patio and sat down on one of the chairs, holding her firmly on his lap. “This will be worth it I promise.”
She shivered again, leaning into him. “It had better be.”
Jared wrapped her coat around her. “Or what?”
“Or you make your own dinner tonight.”
“Sounds like a pretty safe bet to me.”
Slowly the light of the sun peeped over the horizon. Jared nodded to the rose bush next to him. “Look.”
She turned her head. The dew caught the light of the rising sun, giving the plain white roses an almost jeweled appearance. “Wow. That is so pretty.”
“Isn’t it? You used to love coming out here, just sitting watching them.”
“I can see why.”
“And just like the sun rises every morning, no matter what, so my love for you never ends, no matter what.”
The sequined winter roses sparkled. She reached out a hand but was unable to touch it. Just like her memories, fragmented and shining with promise but unreachable. But perhaps one day they would come back. Until then she had the roses and the dew and the promises each new day would bring. Most importantly, she had the love of the man holding her.
“What are you thinking?”
“Aside from how pretty it is? Thinking that the dew on the roses is a lot like my memories. There, sparkling like treasure, but I can’t reach them.”
“Maybe look at it as if that’s a good thing—it gives us a fresh start with no hang-ups from the past.”
“But some things I’d like to remember. Dayna’s first word, silly things she’d say or do. Anything about her basically. Remembering why someone’s trying to kill me would also be good. And other important things from the past ten years.”
“Such as?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Ummm, you perhaps. Know what you like, don’t like. What turns you on, where you’re ticklish…”
He kissed her cheek. “You can relearn that very easily, my love, when you’re ready. Just know I still love you. Did you find someone to take you to the clinic this morning?”
“Patrick’s doing it. I’m hoping the doc’ll say I can lose the cast today. He should do.”
Jared ran a finger slowly down her face, a trail of fire following it. “That would be great. So there should be less of you when I get home tonight?”
“Are you implying I need to go on a diet?” she asked in mock shock.
“Nope. Well, just your left leg, that’s all.”
His finger brushed over her lips, and she held his gaze. His head inched towards hers, and she eagerly raised hers to meet it. The kiss was long, slow and tender, his hands moving through her hair.
Finally, he broke off. “I should go.”
“Yes, you should.” She paused. “You say that an awful lot. If this were a book, the editor would have her red pen all over it.”
He chuckled. “Perhaps we could continue this conversation tonight. Don’t worry, I’m not asking more than you’re prepared to give.”
She smiled. “OK. We’ll continue later.”
After he left, Niamh ate a leisurely breakfast and read the morning paper
. Then she puttered around the house for a while, dusting and rearranging the ornaments on the sideboard. She could still feel his lips on hers, and her body resonated with his touches.
She glanced at the clock. Just before ten. Patrick should be here any min—
Boom!
The entire house rocked. A deafening explosion thundered. Niamh hung onto the sideboard, trying to keep her balance.
What was that? Where was it? Had someone targeted the office or court expecting her to be there today?
She glanced out of the window. A huge fireball billowed in the air, followed by a mushroom cloud. Thick black smoke expanded outwards. Not the direction of the court or the office. Or the fire station.
A swift chill settled over her and she shuddered. Lord, keep Jared and the rest of the firefighters who respond to this major incident, safe out there today. Protect them, give them the courage to do their jobs.
****
Jared gazed out of the window of the fire engine at the massive conflagration in front of him. The phone call—petrol tanker hits petrol station—hadn’t done it justice. The fire encompassed not just the petrol station, but the resulting explosion had taken out five of the surrounding houses and commercial properties. So far it covered half the block. Pumps twenty, persons reported. It was going to be a long, hard day.
Flames hissed and crackled. Over one hundred firefighters from the twenty pump and ladder vehicles that had responded, plus an aerial platform ran large volume hoses from the edge of the cordon that had been set up. A few firefighters advanced on the flames, behind hoses, towards the buildings.
Lord, help us get control of this fire quickly. Keep us safe and if there is anyone trapped, let us reach them. Or if it’s Your will to take them, do so swiftly.
He leapt down, the heat hitting him full on. He strapped on his breathing apparatus as Brad barked instructions. ‘Persons reported’ was never a good thing in a fire. But with the speed this one was spreading, it wasn’t surprising that people were trapped inside the buildings. He handed his tally in at the BA board.