Page 65 of Close Protection

‘To hide it.’ He turns to look at me. ‘To hide it somewhere no one will ever find it.’

25Daphne

I walk out of the snug and round the corner.

After Josh treated my injuries the best he could I stayed in the snug so I wouldn’t have to be alone with my thoughts, but it got a little too much when Josh and Bethany kept asking questions.

Why did Teddy do this?

Do you think he’s working with that group?

Weren’t you and him supposed to… you know…?

Why didn’t you just give him the necklace?

These were all valid questions, I just didn’t have it in me to answer them, so when Meelie conveniently felt dizzy again and they rushed over to tend to her, I took the chance to escape.

I turn the corner only to come face to face with my father.

‘Are you okay—’

‘I’m so sor—’

We blurt at the same time.

‘Are you okay?’ Daddy asks again.

I nod. ‘Josh patched me up, so I’m okay.’

‘I’m not talking about physically, Daph. I’m talking about everything else. You and Teddy were close. This mustn’t be easy for you.’

‘It’s not,’ I admit. ‘But right now, I don’t think my brain is letting me fully process anything so maybe check back with me in the morning.’ I let out a small laugh, but it comes out flat. I want to know what they found out when they questioned Teddy, but my brain already feels overworked and overtired and asking about Teddy would only add to the noise I so desperately want to quiet in my head.

I’m drained and numb, and honestly I just want to sleep.

‘All right, well, I should go. I need to put this somewhere safe, I guess.’ He holds out the locket.

‘Daddy, I’m so sorry I lied about losing it.’

‘I can completely understand why you did.’ He shrugs. ‘I haven’t been a very good role model or father to you recently, Daphne. What with the lies and secrecy and so forth. But I want to change that. And I mean it this time. I want us to have open and honest conversations, about everything and anything.’

‘I’d like that too.’

‘Well, all right then.’ My father smiles. ‘It’s settled. Goodnight, darling.’

‘Night, Daddy.’

I watch him as he retreats up the stairs and wait until I hear the faint sound of his bedroom door close until I move again. My movements are slow and stiff, and I have to stop every couple of seconds when a new throb of pain rakes through my body.

I begin to make my way up the stairs but stop halfway, sitting down on one of the steps to gather myself. I drop my head between my knees and try to even out my breathing.

I’m not sure how much time passes, but after a while I hear someone coming up the stairs, stopping when they get to me. I know it’s Milosh purely from his footsteps but I get confirmation when he sits down next to me, his clean scent filling my nostrils. We sit in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes, only hearing the gentle tick-tock of the clock in the entrance hall.

Lifting my head from my knees I place it on his shoulder. ‘How did you know to come outside?’

‘I heard a gunshot from my room and when I looked outside my window I saw a little dot of pink. I didn’t know what you were doing, I didn’t even know Teddy was with you, I just knew you were there so I went to check.’

Tick, tock, tick, tock.