Nathan looked over at her. ‘What d’you want me to say, Alison?’ he asked.
‘I love my daughter, Mr Regan, despite what she thinks, and I love my husband, too. I don’t know what to do, what’s best. I’m frightened that, no matter what I do, it won’t be enough.’
*
She let Tawanda brush her hair. She needed the quiet, the soothing humming, and the light touch of Tawanda’s hands as she moved the brush through her hair.
‘I know what you’re thinking,’ Autumn stated, ‘but I know what I’m doing.’
‘I’m not thinking anything, child.’
‘You are. I can hear you.’
‘I know, from knowing you only a few days, how you feel about your father.’
‘Did you know he was alive?’
‘No.’
‘Really?’
‘I did not know. I do not work for this Section 7,’ Tawanda said.
‘Sorry.’
‘Your father must be a very important man for all these people to care so much about his safety.’ She stopped brushing Autumn’s hair and moved to face her.
‘I think they care about what secrets he holds, not about him. That’s where they all differ from me. I would give anything to have a second in his arms again,’ Autumn admitted.
Tawanda took hold of her hands. ‘You hear what your mother say. That would not happen.’
‘Not if she controls what happens. But maybe, if I control what happens then—’
‘These are dangerous people, Miss Autumn.’
‘I know, but what choice do I have?’ Autumn tried to hold in the tears that threatened to fall. ‘This isn’t going to go away, unless the terrorists or the government find my father before they take me. I don’t want that to happen either.’
There was a knock on the door. Nathan didn’t wait to be invited in.
*
He had had enough of talking to Alison. Back and forth, round and round, she could talk for Britain, always trying to turn the conversation her way. It was getting them nowhere, and he was concerned by what Autumn had said. He knew her relationship with her father was the only good, solid thing she had experienced in her life. And, it was all so long ago. She treasured and coveted it, and would probably do anything to restore it, no matter how hopeless the situation. He’d had another idea while listening to Alison go on and on about how long it had taken her to gain the trust of the terrorist group. He pitied her really, for thinking that terrorists actually trusted anyone outside of their close-knit community. As-Wana was notable. They weren’t an outfit to be taken lightly. They’d killed hundreds of people, innocent people. They had worthy connections bank-rolling them, all under the radar, of course, but those in his line of work knew the lie of the land. They were brutal. They would stop at nothing. That being the case, what the future held for Alison Raine at the end of all this, he didn’t know, but he did know it wouldn’t be good.
Both Tawanda and Autumn looked to the door as he entered. He’d put a loose cotton shirt on, but it was undone. It didn’t feel appropriate. He started to fasten the buttons.
‘Tawanda, can you give me five minutes with Autumn?’ he ordered rather than asked.
Tawanda rose to her feet. ‘You will not bully her into doing anything. She’s made up her mind, and you have to respect that, Mr Nathan.’
‘Keep an eye on Alison, will you? And don’t give her any more herbal teas. They seem to make her talk more,’ Nathan said as Tawanda went to the door.
‘I’ll make eggs,’ Tawanda finished.
Autumn chewed on her bottom lip and appeared to be counting in her head. This plan he had was crazy, but it was just slightly less crazy than letting her do anything on her own.
He sat down next to her. ‘I’m not going to stop you from going back to London,’ he stated.
‘You couldn’t stop me,’ Autumn snapped back. ‘I’m not your prisoner.’
‘Just hear me out,’ he suggested.
She reached for her purse and clutched it to her, playing with the clasp.
‘I’m going back with you. We carry on with the pretence that I’m your guy, and I’ll be by your side twenty-four-seven, just like before, but—’
‘But what?’
‘But I won’t try to stop them from taking you. I’ll let them, and… I’ll get them to take me, too,’ he said finally.
*
Her resolve—the conviction that this was the best option for everyone—flooded out of her the second his words left his mouth.
‘No, that’s suicide!’ Autumn exclaimed in horror. ‘You saw what they did to Blu-Daddy. They shot him. They killed him. No matter who or what they think you are, they’ll see you stood next to me, and you’ll be a threat. They’ll kill you.’
‘Maybe, but I’ll take my chances. If they take us both, then hopefully we have a good chance of getting your father collected by the government before he makes direct contact with As-Wana, and a much better chance of me breaking us out before they decide to get trigger happy with either of us. I can’t let them pick you up on your own. Tawanda says you’re a fucking useless shot, even with the automatic,’ he said, the corners of his mouth rising up in a smile.
She reached for his hand and held it tightly in hers. Who was this man? She barely recognized him from the stern, scary, all-too-angry guy she’d met at the hotel in London only a few days before.
‘You’d do that for me?’ she asked, her voice thick with emotion.
‘It’s my job,’ he responded.
The swallow he’d made gave away to her a feeling he’d tried to pass off with words. She let go of his hand.
‘If I let you do this, I have one condition,’
