'I wouldn't mind kissing you again,' said Donovan.
'Sometime.'
Louise turned and looked at him, her eyebrows raised.
'Where did that come from?' she asked.
Donovan shrugged.
'I just wanted you to know, that's all. Things are a bit crazy just now, but in a few days everything will be sorted. Maybe then .. .'
'Maybe then what?'
'Bloody hell, Louise. Don't make me beg. I'm only asking for a date.'
Louise laughed.
'We'll see.'
'I'm serious.'
'So am I,' said Louise. She looked at him in silence, and then shook her head.
'What?' asked Donovan.
'I don't know. I just wish we'd met under different circumstances. That I wasn't a dancer. That you weren't doing what you're doing. That we'd just met in a normal way. In a supermarket or in a pub.'
'We met, and that's all that matters.'
Louise looked as if she wanted to say something else but then she turned away and went over to stand behind Robbie. Donovan could see that something was troubling her, but he didn't want to press her. She'd tell him eventually.
After Robbie had tired of playing video games they ate Chinese food in Chinatown and went home to spend the evening watching TV. Louise and Donovan drank a bottle of wine together. Donovan slept on the sofa, and this time there was no goodnight kiss from Louise.
Donovan walked into Tina's sitting room, his hair still wet from the shower. Tina was in the kitchenette, frying sausages.
'Good morning,' she said.
'You want breakfast?'
'Just coffee,' said Donovan.
Robbie was on the sofa in his pyjamas, watching cartoons.
'Hey, just because you're not going to school doesn't mean you can lie around half-naked all day.'
'I'm not half naked,' said Robbie.
'Get dressed. Now.'
Robbie scowled and went off to the bedroom.
Tina handed Donovan a mug of coffee.
'Are you okay?' she asked.
'Sure. Why?'
'You keep frowning.'
'Yeah? Sorry.' He drank his coffee.
'I've got a busy day, that's all.'
The landline rang and Tina answered it. She listened and frowned, then handed the phone to Donovan.
'It's for you,' she said.
'No one knows I'm here,' said Donovan.
'It's a man. He asked for you.'
Donovan took the phone.
'Who is it?' he snapped.
'That's no way to talk to an old friend,' said a voice.
'Who are you?'
'It's Hathaway, Donovan.'
'How did you get this number?'
Hathaway chuckled.
'That's for me to know, Donovan. We need to meet.'
'I'm busy.'
'I know you're busy, Donovan. That's what we need to talk about. You've got the money back from Sharkey, right? Now I've got more information for you. Information that you're going to want.'
Donovan looked at his watch. It was nine o'clock. Heliad to be at the airfield at four o'clock in the afternoon, and it was a two-hour drive from London. He had time.
'You know Blom-field Road? Little Venice?'
'I know it, but since when have you been setting the venues?'
'I'm not going to Camden again. Little Venice is quiet, there are plenty of ways in and out, not too many people.'
'Donovan, if I wanted to take you down, I'd have people outside your door right now. I just want to talk. The information I gave you last time was solid gold. What I have for you today is even better.'
'There's a bridge over the canal, opposite a pub called the Paddington Stop. I'll see you there in four hours. One o'clock. I can't get there any earlier, I've got things to do.'
'One o'clock is fine.' The line went dead.
Donovan finished his coffee and went into the kitchenette.
'I'm going to have to go out.'
'When will you be back?' asked Tina.
'I'm not sure. Late.'
'How late?' pressed Tina.
'God, I don't know. Have I got a curfew now?'
'Don't go, Den. Please.' Donovan smiled.
'I have to.'
She put the frying pan by the sink.
'You're up to something, aren't you? You're working. I know you are.'
Donovan reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.
'Best you don't know,' he said.
'Is that how you treated Vicky? Kept her at a distance? Pushed her away?'
Donovan frowned.
'What's brought this on?' Tina hugged him and put her head against his chest.
'Just stay here. Let someone else take the risk, Den. Let's take Robbie out. Go somewhere. Have a day out.'
Donovan put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
'What do you think's going on, Louise?' he asked.
She shrugged his hands away.
'I've heard you on the bloody phones, Den. I know what you're doing. You're bringing gear in and today's the bloody day.'
'Have you been spying on me?'
'Don't be stupid, Den. This is a small flat and your phones have been ringing red hot for the last twenty-four hours.'
'I have to go.'
Tina shook her head.
'No you don't. You don't have to go. You can walk away. Walk away from it all.'
'We'll talk about it later,' he said. Tears welled up in Tina's eyes.
'Louise, I'm sorry, I have to go.'
'Damn you, Donovan!'
Donovan took a step back from her, genuinely surprised at the intensity of her reaction.
'I don't have time for this now, Louise. We'll talk about it later.'
'And what if there isn't a later, Den?'
