Page 20 of The Question of Us (Fisher & Church #2)

CHAPTER NINE

Madigan

Lee had his back to me as I approached with my shopping basket on my arm.

I strolled along the deli cabinet, browsing the selection, and came to a stop about half a metre away from him.

I picked up and put down a few cheeses, pretending to look at their labels.

Lee shot me a curious sideways glance, then returned to his shopping with seemingly no idea who I was.

I put a South Australian brie in my basket and reached for a packet of artisan crackers displayed on top of the cabinet right in front of Lee. “Excuse me,” I said as I leaned close to snag the crackers. “It’s Lee Shepherd, right?”

Lee’s gaze snapped to my face and his body stiffened.

“Or rather, Graham Cunningham?” I stepped away and turned to face him.

Lee’s eyes met mine in a horrified silence, and then he bolted.

Fuck. I hadn’t expected that.

I abandoned my basket and did my best to keep up as Lee quick-walked his way toward the exit.

“Lee, wait,” I implored in a low whisper, trying not to draw more attention than we already had. “I just want to talk. I saw you on the boat. In Auckland. It was me in the next cabin.”

His gait faltered for a second, then picked up again.

“Lee, please?” I stayed on his heels. “We just want to help.”

Just before the exit, Lee looked both ways and then, instead of heading out the main doors, he turned left.

I did the same, noting the bathroom sign on the wall as I followed him down a short hallway.

He never looked back to see if I was following, never said a word, just made a beeline to the accessible bathroom at the end of the hall and ducked inside.

I hesitated at the door, which had been left slightly ajar, and wondered if this wasn’t the creepiest or stupidest thing I’d ever done in my life.

I could only imagine what Nick was going to say, but what the fuck else was I supposed to do?

I glanced back toward the exit doors and saw the man himself bugging his eyes threateningly my way.

Oh well. In for a penny, as they say. I opened my hands in a what-choice-do-I-have gesture, and without waiting for a response, I slipped inside before he could stop me.

Lee paced the far side of the room like a caged animal, and I was able to get a good look at him for the first time.

Damn, he was beautiful. Shorter than me by a few centimetres, he sported the strawberry-blond hair of Graham, not the dark locks of Lee.

The change in colour had thrown me at first, but his skin was still that silky flawless alabaster that made you look twice and told me straight off I had the right guy.

He was doing a good job of pretending to be annoyed, but there was no hiding the feral panic in his eyes.

I closed the door and leaned against it.

Lee stopped his pacing and glared at me with those ice-blue eyes. “What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded, his gaze flicking to the door behind me. “Is that locked?”

I stepped aside so he could see and he seemed to relax a little.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. “You better start talking. I have to be somewhere and I don’t have time for this.” He shoved the phone back in his jeans and made for the door.

“Wait, please.” I held up my hands. “Just answer me this. It was you on the boat, wasn’t it?”

Lee’s eyes narrowed and he swallowed hard, his jaw working, his breath coming hard and fast. “You shouldn’t have come here” was all he said by way of an answer. “The only reason I’m talking to you is so that you don’t come to the house.”

It was a start. “I’ll take that as a yes,” I said, leaning back against the wall. “Look, we haven’t come to mess things up for you?—”

“Who’s we?” His frown deepened and he folded his arms over his chest. The move pulled his sleeve up his arm, exposing a sea of mottled bruising.

My heart stuttered in my chest and I arched a brow. “Run into some furniture?”

Realising his mistake, Lee immediately dropped his arms and tugged the sleeve back into place. He shot me a sour look and simply repeated, “What do you mean, we?”

I held his gaze so he’d know I wasn’t buying his bullshit.

“It doesn’t matter who I came with. The point is, it was me in the cabin next to you that night.

Me who tapped the SOS code on the wall. Me who tried to open your cabin door, and me who watched them drag you up the stairs.

I saw how terrified you were and I couldn’t leave things without checking you’re okay. ”

Lee’s face blanched even whiter than it already was and he swallowed hard. “You saw me?”

I nodded. “I was hiding in the galley.”

His gaze never wavered from mine. “Why were you there that night?”

I blew out a sigh. “I was kidnapped because I’d worked out the code for an encrypted list of names that included yours, as it turned out.”

“Kidnapped? A list of names?” His eyes blew wide. “Just who the fuck are you?”

“Nobody, not really.” And wasn’t that the truth.

“Just some random guy who got caught up in all this bullshit. My... friend and I mistakenly ended up with this list that belonged to the guy who created your new identity. Your old name and your new one were on that list. That’s how I knew who you were and that’s how they found you.

We’d already guessed it was a list of people looking to escape—” I hesitated.

“— difficult situations.” I drew a deep breath.

“I’m so, so sorry that you’re here partly because of something I did, even if I really didn’t have any choice at the time. ”

Lee’s fingers drummed nervously on his bicep and I suspected he was deciding the fastest way to get rid of me. “Justin kept a list?” He shook his head in disgust. “That arsehole.”

“I just need to know if you’re okay,” I pressed. “That’s the only reason I’m here. I feel responsible, I suppose, and I can’t move on until I know. They’ve arrested both brothers but I know someone else was on the boat that day.”

Lee grimaced. “That would be Freddie, Marty’s personal assistant and all-around sadistic arsehole. A word of warning. You don’t want to attract his attention. It won’t end well.”

I nodded. “Yeah. We figured as much when we heard about his background.”

Lee looked surprised. “Then you’ll know none of us are safe talking like this. Now, you’ve satisfied your curiosity and I’m fine. I really have to go.” He gestured for me to move back from the door. “I’m late already.”

I frowned. “Is there someone outside waiting for you?”

Lee shook his head. “No, but that doesn’t matter.

There’s a fiftieth birthday party on Friday for one of Marty’s friends.

It’s a big deal. Tons of guests. Marty placed an order here for a box of his favourite cheeses.

I’m here to pick that up, nothing more. If I don’t get back to the house soon, there’ll be questions. ”

I raised a brow. “What kind of questions?”

Lee looked at me, those pale blue eyes drilling into mine. He shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.” My phone vibrated in my pocket but I refused to look away. Nick would have to wait. “Does he hit you?”

Lee never even flinched, the well-rehearsed answer rolling off his tongue. “No.”

I glanced pointedly at his arms.

He bristled. “That’s . . . none of your business.”

“Lee, please,” I found myself begging. “I just want to help.”

He stared at me for a long moment, then his shoulders slumped and he seemed to fold in on himself.

“They watch me constantly. If it’s not Marty, it’s Freddie.

There are cameras all through the house and a tracker on my phone.

If I’m not where I’m supposed to be, like I said, there are. .. questions.”

I sighed and was about to run my fingers through my hair when I remembered I was wearing a wig and dropped my hand back to my side. “So, does Marty hurt you in some other way?”

Lee’s gaze slid to the side and back. “No.” But it was softer this time and I didn’t believe him any more than I had the first time.

“Then what does he do to make you stay?” I pressed.

Lee chewed on his thumbnail but didn’t answer.

“Lee, please. Let me help you.”

That made him snort. “You can’t help me.”

“I can’t if you don’t tell me what’s going on,” I pointed out.

He rolled his eyes like I had no clue what I was asking, and the truth was, I didn’t.

“You could come with us now,” I urged. “We’re staying at a motel in town. We can leave tonight and have you back in New Zealand tomorrow. Or we can help you get home, or anywhere you want.”

“Home?” Lee scoffed. “Nah, I think I’ll take a pass on that.

I like my chances better with Marty. Besides, he found me under a new name in a different country.

Do you really think you can keep me safe?

I wouldn’t make it onto that plane. But even if I could safely leave with you, I wouldn’t.

I want to stay with him. It’s my choice, all right.

I love him. I don’t expect you to understand that but it’s the truth.

So, I’m asking you to please just leave me alone. I don’t want your help. I’m fine.”

Fine. For fuck’s sake. The man was lying through his teeth, but I didn’t get why. “I don’t believe you love him, not in the way you want me to think, anyway. It didn’t stop you risking everything to get away from him once, after all. You can do it again.”

“Jesus Christ, what is wrong with you?” Lee dragged his fingers through his hair as he glared at me. “Let it go. It’s none of your goddammed business. I forgive you, okay? Now go home.”

I’d pushed too far but I couldn’t stop there. “I’m sorry, but I can’t leave without understanding why you’re lying. If I have to come to the house, I will.”

Lee studied me wide-eyed like he was trying to figure out whether I had the balls to make good on my threat or not. To be fair, I wasn’t sure myself what I’d do if he simply told me once again to fuck off. I didn’t want to put him in any more danger.

I made my decision there and then. “I’ll go,” I finally said, hating the fear I’d put in his eyes. I was manipulating him just like Marty, and he didn’t deserve that. “I’m sorry I turned up out of the blue. I didn’t mean to make things hard for you. You’re safe from me. I’ll go.”

His body stilled and those steely pale eyes softened. When he finally spoke, he sounded more resigned than anything else. “I stay because Marty has my brother, that’s why.”

My mouth fell open. “Your brother?”

Lee’s body seemed to crumple. “Yes. Aaron is working for Marty. He doesn’t know anything about the type of guy Marty really is, of course. But that’s how Freddie finally got me to agree to accompany him back. I didn’t have a choice. ”

“Jesus Christ.” I huffed in disbelief. “Tell me everything.”