Page 160 of Every Silent Lie

“It’s just some loose bits of stationery. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

I push my way out into the cold, feeling so much better than when I came, and stutter on the steps when I see Dec’s black Defender. He gets out and opens the back door, revealing Albi on the back seat, out of his car seat. “Camryn!” he sings, scrambling across to get out.

His face is fucking precious. It could never not bring a smile to mine. “What are you doing here?” I ask, taking the steps down to them.

“We took an early day,” Dec says.

“We been busting balls!” Albi declares, practically launching himself at me, forcing me to catch him or let him fall face first into the snow. Of course, I catch him. Trust.

He clings to my neck, his face close to mine. I could break down on the spot. “Busting balls, huh?”

“Yeah!”

I look past him to Dec. He looks yummy in his jeans and navy coat, a scarf wrapped around his neck. “You changed out of your power suits?”

“After we busted those balls.”

“Poor balls.” I plant a kiss on Albi’s cheek and lower him to the snow.

“Are you finished work now, Camryn?”

I laugh, looking out the corner of my eye to Dec. “Yep. All finished.”

“We are too!” He darts back to the car and scrambles up into his car seat, getting his arms through the straps. “It’s ice-skating time.”

I recoil. “What?”

Dec looks instantly uncomfortable. “I lost a bet.”

“Yeah,” Albi sings. “Daddy said I couldn’t be quiet for the whole of his call, and I was.”

“And now I have to take him ice skating.”

“Oh, well, have fun.”

Dec’s face falls, and try as I might, I can’t keep mine straight. “You’re fucking with me,” he breathes quietly.

“You’re not coming?” Albi murmurs, forlorn.

“Of course I’m coming.” I reach into the car and buckle him up, and then I still. It’s like muscle memory, instinctively doing this. “Will you have a penguin?”

He gasps, utterly gobsmacked. “You know about the penguins?”

“I do indeed.”

“How?”

“Because I looked it up, of course.” I check his straps and take the door. “Mind your fingers,” I say, making sure his hands aren’t wandering as I close the door. “Ice skating?” I face Dec. “Of all the things you could have used as leverage, you used ice skating?”

His nose wrinkles and he pulls me into him. “How is your mother today?”

“She was good. We listened to carols and drank mulled wine together.” I lean back to get his face in my sights, pondering when might be a good time to tell him about the visit I had from the police and what’s transpired. I mentally conclude now. Get it out of the way. “The police came to see me again today.”

“Oh?”

“They have CCTV footage of a man they think attacked me.”