Page 43 of Perfect Strangers

He got up and went to the tiny fridge. From this distance Sophie could see it was empty except for milk and a bottle of what she guessed was vodka. He took it out and poured a good measure into a glass, not offering any to Sophie, then knocked it back, grimacing.

‘So what did Nick tell you he did?’ he asked finally.

Sophie looked at him. ‘I didn’t really understand it. He said he was in oil and gas. Trading shares, buying companies, that sort of thing.’

Josh gave a gentle snort.

‘So that’s not true?’

Josh poured the rest of the bottle into his glass.

‘As I said, Nick wasn’t a good friend. He had a lot of business interests. So I couldn’t say.’

‘Please Josh, I can tell you know something.’ She could feel herself getting desperate.

He lifted his T-shirt and scratched his flat, tanned stomach. Then he shook his head slowly.

‘It’s time to leave, Sophie Ellis. I have things to do, and playing Nancy Drew with Little Miss Pony Club is not one of them.’

Sophie stood up and stretched her hand out to plead with him.

‘Please. You can’t chuck me out without telling me what you know. This is my life, Josh!’

‘What bit of “get off my boat” don’t you understand?’ he said, picking up her bag from the table and pushing it at her.

She snatched it off him. ‘Fine. If that’s what you want. I’m meeting Detective Inspector Fox in about twenty minutes; perhaps he’ll have more luck getting information out of you.’

His grey eyes glared at her. ‘Don’t threaten me with the bloody coppers. By the time they get here, I’ll be gone.’

‘Yeah? Well then they’ll just put out an ABP and pick you up.’

He chuckled.

‘I think you mean APB: All Points Bulletin,’ he said. ‘And that’s America.’

‘Whatever,’ she replied haughtily, turning away. She was desperate for any information Josh had, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her beg for it.

‘And don’t fall in the river on your way out,’ he said, opening and closing his hand in mocking farewell.

‘Screw you,’ she hissed, slamming the little door behind her.

Her cheeks burned with anger. She didn’t need a cocky bastard like Josh McCormack helping her anyway, she told herself, struggling with her bag on the narrow walkway. She’d find out what she needed on her own.

Her defiance lasted just a couple of seconds. Inhaling the cool evening air, she felt completely alone and vulnerable. Inspector Fox would be waiting for her and she had nothing new to tell him. Nothing that would get her off the hook.

Glancing up, she noticed the dark shadow at the end of the street. A car? She was pretty sure it hadn’t been parked there earlier.

So what? she thought, trying to quash her nerves. It’s only a car. She forced herself to keep walking down the gantry and on to the wooden pier. She didn’t want Josh to think – no, to know – that she had nowhere else to go. Just as she was passing the ‘Fleet Reach’ sign, the car’s lights came on and Sophie threw up a hand, momentarily blinded. She heard the engine fire up, and the crunch of tyres on the roadway. They were driving towards her. Were they going to hit her? She suddenly understood that phrase ‘rabbit caught in the headlights’. She felt rooted to the spot, unable to move. One step to the right, and she might be hit by the car. One step the other way, she could end up in the Thames.

‘Move!’

Sophie felt a hand on her arm and she was pulled backwards. Suddenly the lights flicked off and Sophie could see again. She was irrationally glad to see Josh looking down at her, especially when she saw the black car parked across the road, blocking the entrance to the pier. There were two large men coming towards her, and they didn’t look at all friendly.

‘Keep quiet,’ hissed Josh. ‘Let me do the talking.’

He walked down to meet the men. Sophie could now see that one was huge, like a bouncer, with close-cropped grey hair, but it was his companion who disturbed her more. He was smaller, more wiry, but his eyes were hard, peering over at Sophie like he was examining her, looking for faults or weaknesses. For some reason, he reminded her of the crocodile from Peter Pan.

‘Can I help you gentlemen?’ asked Josh. He was back to the self-assured Josh McCormack she had met at the party, except this version was serious and unsmiling. And that gave her the sudden thought: maybe these gorillas were after Josh, not her. After all, he seemed like the type who might get into trouble with big men.