“Funny you should say that…” She smiled.
“Is it?”
“There was a Crimestoppers call which came in late last night, no name but it mentioned our favourite nightclub owner.”
“Edwin Smith?”
“The very same.” She placed the printout on the desk in front of him. “They said that there has just been a large delivery of narcotics, enough to flood London come in from the Far East.”
“We have been all over Smith like a rash and seen nothing.” He gulped his coffee. “Where is this delivery of goods supposed to be.”
“Well, that’s ‘not so good’ news.” She paused. “The intelligence says that it’s at the stables we raided before.”
“No…” Willoughby stood up quickly. “Not a chance.”
“Hear me out.”
“The Chief would have my bollocks for cuff-links if we went back there mob-handed.”
“No… I’m suggesting we go and scope it out. If we find anything we leave it in place and put surveillance in place. A quick check late at night.”
“Okay…” Willoughby smiles. “If only to prove you wrong.”
***
“Amanda…”
I ignore Anne’s call and walk into the indoor arena closing the doors behind me. I smile and greet my riders before starting their lesson. I see her standing beside the doors but ignore her. It’s some hours and a few lessons later when she comes towards me in the now-empty school.
“Look I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“I saw nothing. I understand.” I pull my hat from my head and run my hands through my damp hair.
“Please.” Anne grabs my arm. I look at her sharply. “Amanda, I know it will make no sense, but I needed to tell you.”
“Okay, look I need a break I have been teaching for four hours now.”
“I understand.” She turns and starts to walk away, shoulders slumped, she pauses for a moment. “Just remember the good times, please.”
I stood for a moment watching her leave, she was making no sense. I shook my head, I was tired and needed a break.
***
Overall it was an exhausting day. I dragged myself into the hallway, pulling off my boots, my feet sore. The atmosphere was quiet and jaded as I slumped into a chair and waited for dinner to be slopped onto my plate. Edwin was away. He’d told me I could use his house while he was on business for a few days but, to me, it didn’t feel right. I’d told Maria I would stay at the stable and so she was going to take a break and visit her parents.
We ate quickly before slumping down in front of the television, it was late, we had all been working hard so it was not long before, one by one we slipped off to bed.
***
Anne watched the rain run down the windows of the bus, before long she was stepping off the bus and walking down the dingy steps of her basement flat. She pushed the door open and stepped into the darkness. Too tired to eat, the call of the bottle was strong, so she uncapped the vodka and took a slug.
***
“Tell me again why I’m here at three in the morning, in the pissing rain.” Willoughby snarled.
“Shhh!”
“Okay, so where is this.” He glances over to where Tracy is pointing. “No way…”
“We have to check…”
“Jackson, you can start digging in the shit if you want…”
She shrugs and ignores him, grabbing a pitchfork which was leaning on a wheelbarrow she strides up to the muck heap. As a horsewoman in her youth, she was not as disgusted as Willoughby and has come prepared wearing Hunter boots and over trousers. She climbs to the top of the heap and starts to dig. “Hold the torch so I can see better.” Ten minutes of digging has Willoughby starting to complain that this is another hoax when the fork hits a mass of plastic. She leans down and grabs the wrapped parcel, throwing it towards Willoughby who leaps back. “If that isn’t what we are looking for.”
Pulling surgical gloves from his pocket he takes a penknife and pushes the blade into the package, the tip shines under the torchlight with white crystals. “Shit! You were right…”
“There’s more here, loads of them.”
“Right leave them there and get this buried again. We have to move fast.”
***
“You should have stayed at mine, this place is…” Edwin left the words hanging. “No. Grab your things, I’m not having you live in this place for a moment longer.” He took my holdall and we walked out to the car. Once sat down, he pulled a package from his pocket. It was beautifully wrapped. “It’s from Hong Kong, I hope you like it.”
I squealed as I unwrapped the hand made paper, untying the ribbon. There was a small black box inside, opening it I find the most beautiful necklace. It had a fine gold chain with a beautiful gold key and a solid gold heart.
“You hold the key to my heart…” He smiled, taking the necklace and attaching it around my neck.
“Oh, Edwin…” I kissed him. “Oh, it’s so beautiful. I’ll never take it off. Thank you. I don’t know why you like me.”
“I don’t like you Amanda…”
I looked up, somewhat in surprise and shock.
“I love you…”
My world felt as if it had stopped, my heart skipped a beat. I looked into his blue eyes seeing a vulnerability, a tenderness which was invisible to the world. I opened and closed my mouth, unable to speak.
“Well?” He looked at me, suddenly unsure. I burst into tears.
“Oh Edwin!” I gasped between sobs. “Oh, I love you…” I fell into his arms, never wanting to be released. I had dreamed of love, having read books and magazines which spoke of true love, not knowing what to expect. But this just felt right. I felt protected, safe and secure with this beautiful man who would protect me and who had opened himself up to me. It seemed that love felt like the family I had lost, for the first time in my life I felt
