‘Someone else’s kid,’ said Rob. ‘And what if her mum doesn’t come back?’
‘I don’t know,’ Suzie groaned, resting her elbows on the tabletop and dropping her head into her hands.
‘Babe, you need to face facts,’ Rob said, placing a cup of tea in front of her and taking a seat. ‘I know you think you’re helping, but she’s not your responsibility, and the longer you keep her here, the harder the police are going to come down on you when they find out.’
‘They’re not going to find out,’ Suzie said. ‘As soon as Josie comes back—’
‘Stop saying that like it’s a done deal,’ Rob cut her off, his expression serious. ‘You said she went looking for booze and painkillers last night, so what if she took an overdose? She could be dying for all you know, and they won’t find her in time because you told that copper she’s staying with a mate.’
‘Well, I couldn’t tell him the truth, could I?’ Suzie argued. ‘Holly would definitely get taken off her if they heard that.’
‘And so she should be, if her mum’s more concerned about getting pissed than looking after her.’
‘That’s not fair. She’s bound to be struggling after everything she’s been through. And she knows Holly’s safe.’
‘Does she, though?’ Rob asked bluntly. ‘I’m not being funny, Suze, but you’ve only met the woman a couple of times. You could be a serial killer, for all she knows.’
‘That’s a bit extreme.’
‘No, it’s the truth. And if she cares so little about Holly that she’d leave her with a virtual stranger, what makes you think she’s going to come back for her? She’s probably halfway to Spain by now, thanking her lucky stars that she found a mug to take the kid off her hands.’
‘She wouldn’t do that.’
‘I’m not trying to make you feel bad,’ Rob said. ‘But promise me you won’t leave it too long before you call the police? I’ve only just got you back, and I don’t want to lose you again because you end up getting arrested for harbouring a fugitive.’
‘Fugitive?’ Suzie snorted, unable to stop herself from laughing.
‘You know what I mean.’ Rob grinned. ‘Just think about it, yeah?’
Glad that the atmosphere had lifted and Rob wasn’t going to pressure her into handing Holly over to the authorities immediately, Suzie said, ‘OK, I’ll make a deal with you. If she’s not back in a week—’
‘A week?’ Rob’s eyes widened.
‘I know it seems like a long time, but I’m going to speak to that woman she works with again, see if she knows more than she was letting on.’
‘And what about Holly? Are you planning on keeping her here while you’re waiting?’
Suzie gave a tiny shrug and gripped the cup between both hands. ‘I can’t make her stay over there on her own, can I?’
‘What about school? They’re bound to start asking questions if she stays off for too long.’
‘If Josie isn’t back by Monday, I’ll ring them and tell them what I told the copper: that they’ve gone to stay with a friend.’
Rob breathed in deeply and shook his head. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing, Suze.’
‘One week,’ Suzie reiterated. ‘And if I haven’t found Josie by then, I promise I’ll do it your way. OK?’
‘I don’t know why you’re asking what I think, ’cos you’ve obviously made up your mind,’ Rob said, standing up.
Scared that she’d asked too much of him and he had decided he wanted out, Suzie said, ‘You’re not leaving, are you?’
‘I’m going to get some more fags,’ he said, nodding at the almost empty pack lying between them on the table.
Relieved, Suzie rose from her seat. ‘You bought the last lot, so let me get these.’
‘It’s cool, I’ve got it.’ Rob waved for her to sit back down. ‘Need anything else while I’m there?’
‘We could do with some more wine.’
Rob nodded, and Suzie smiled when he said he’d be back in a minute. The smile slipped as soon as he’d gone, and she frowned as she thought over the implications of her decision. If Josie really had done a runner, as Rob seemed to think, how the hell was she supposed to tell Holly that she was handing her over to the police when the week was up? The girl trusted her, and it would feel like a double betrayal if Suzie abandoned her as well. But Rob was right when he’d said that she couldn’t keep Holly here indefinitely. Not only could it potentially land Suzie in a heap of trouble with the law, it was bound to impact on her relationship with Rob, who had already made his opinions on the subject quite clear.
It was a mess, and all she could do was pray that Josie did come back soon. Because if push came to shove and she was forced to choose, Holly’s heart was going to break into a thousand pieces.
Outside, Rob zipped up his jacket and stared thoughtfully over at the flats before setting off to the shops. He wasn’t happy about Suzie bringing the girl back to the house, and he had no intention of letting her stay a full week. He’d put a lot of effort into winning Suzie back, and he wasn’t going to allow anyone to come between them. For whatever reason, Suzie had taken a real shine to the girl, and it pissed him off to know that they formed such a tight bond in his absence. And what was with those sexy photos Holly had taken of her?
Suzie had done lingerie photo shoots in the past and she knew he didn’t like it – even if he had helped her to spend the money she’d earned from them. But those ones he’d seen today were too
