‘Only if you can persuade the criminals to take that same leave as I do.’
He sighed heavily and shook his head.
‘Sir, I’ll do whatever you tell me to. I’ll take any kind of precaution you want to throw at me. Just don’t stop me doing my job.’
He tipped his head and narrowed his eyes. ‘Any precaution?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you’ll follow instruction?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Somehow I knew this would be your response, so I took the liberty of arranging a little extra protection for you.’
‘Sir?’
‘Come in,’ he shouted at the door.
It opened and revealed the person behind it.
Kim threw back her head as genuine laughter forced its way from her stomach and out of her mouth.
THREE
Kim was still laughing when Leanne King closed the door behind her.
She quickly became aware that no one was laughing with her. Any hope she had that Leanne’s presence was an elaborate hoax to take the sting out of the news about Symes was fading fast.
‘Is this some kind of sick joke?’ she asked her boss as Leanne crossed the room.
He shook his head.
‘You’re putting me in the care of someone who hates my guts. Good call. She’ll be sitting outside my house with a flashing neon sign and one of those massive pointing fingers shouting, “She’s right here. Come and get her.”’
‘No, she won’t.’
‘Well, okay, maybe not the finger but—’
‘I mean she won’t be outside. She’ll be in your house.’
Kim shook her head. ‘Oh no.’
‘If you want to keep working, you have no choice.’
‘What’s she gonna do, sit on the end of my bed? A little bit creepy.’
‘That’s a thought that’s just as disturbing to me, Stone,’ Leanne said, offering her a stony look.
‘And you can be quiet,’ Kim said. ‘But, sir…’
‘You have a spare room. Consider it taken for a short while. The minute Symes is back in custody, you get your house back.’
‘Sir, I really don’t want—’
‘Fine, there’s a nice little safe house in Norfolk that we use…’
‘Okay, okay. She can stay.’