Page 29 of The Question of Us (Fisher & Church #2)

“Let me finish before you shoot me down, yeah?”

Mads muttered something I couldn’t hear, then shut his mouth. I chanced a smile and he narrowed his eyes. Too soon, clearly.

I turned to face Gazza. “It’s a garden party, you said. A marquee out back around the pool?”

Gazza nodded. “I imagine there’ll be people inside and out though; that’s how these things usually go, right?”

I shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. Not my thing.”

Gazza snorted. “I don’t imagine.”

“You’d have to try and stay outside where I can see you,” I told him. “Get Lee to come to you. Or if you meet him inside, get him to accompany you outside somehow. Do you think you can do that?”

Gazza frowned. “I can try ?—”

“We don’t even know what the backyard looks like,” Mads protested. “What if there’s nowhere to hide? This is bullshit, Nick.”

“It’s not,” I argued. “We’ve seen the dense plantings either side of the house and all the trees out back overlooking the patio and pool below. He’s a rich guy with great landscaping.” I chuckled. “There has to be somewhere I can watch from.”

His gorgeous green eyes blew wide in disbelief. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Mads, stop it.” The rebuke came out sharper than I’d intended, and when hurt flashed in Mads’ eyes, I instantly wished I could haul it back.

He turned back to the road without saying a word.

I could’ve kicked myself. “I’m so sorry.

I didn’t mean that the way it came out. But did you really think that we’d just rock up to Marty’s house and Lee would calmly let us whisk him away?

That he’d see us as heroes or something.

Because he made it quite clear when the cops asked, and again in the supermarket, that he doesn’t want to be rescued.

What you’re concerned about with Gazza is exactly why I didn’t want you to come in the first place. ”

Mads’ cheeks flamed but he didn’t look my way.

All righty then. I continued, “A week ago, you told me you were coming here with or without me. That you understood the risks, but you had to try. Except now, when you’re not the only one who’s taking those risks, suddenly you’re getting cold feet.

Well, let me tell you just how much it pisses me off that you seem to value our lives more than you value your own.

Fucking mountains of pissed off, that’s how much.

” My voice ended much louder than it had started.

Mads’ gaze flicked sideways, the notch between his silver brows deepening. I couldn’t tell whether he was furious or concerned. Maybe a little of both.

Gazza broke the deafening silence with time-honoured words of wisdom. “Can everyone just chill the fuck out? I’d hate to be the cause of your first couple argument.”

“You aren’t,” Mads and I said in unison, and I caught the flicker of a smile on his lips.

But Gazza wasn’t done. “We’re in this together, Madigan, so you need to get off your high horse and stop thinking you’re the only one who has a right to take risks. Frankly, I’m tired of it. Nobody likes a martyr.”

Mads’ eyebrows rose into his hairline, but he said nothing.

Gazza continued, “I want a chance at righting my part in what happened as much as you do. Nick does too since it’s his fault we’re even in this mess.

” He flicked me a smirk and I flipped him off.

“This was never only about you, and it kind of ticks me off that you’re acting like it is.

You’re not on your own anymore and you’re not my boss in this situation.

All three of us have skin in this game. So, back off and accept some help for once in your goddammed life.

Geez Louise, you’re driving us crazy here. ”

Gazza slumped in his seat and stared out the window while the car fell disturbingly quiet for an excruciatingly long time. Long enough to make me wonder if we’d pushed Mads too far.

The man himself sat rigid in the driver’s seat, his gaze fixed on the road with Kettleworth about five kilometres away. It took until we passed the sign just outside the town itself for his body to relax and his grip on the steering wheel to ease.

He took a breath and looked in the rear-vision mirror. “Geez Louise? Really?”

Gazza smiled and caught his eye in the mirror. “That’s your takeaway from all that?”

Mads sighed. “No, it’s not. You’re right about the rest, much as it pains me to admit it. Although I won’t apologise for wanting to keep both of you safe. I know I’m not on my own anymore but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to let go. Ask Nick about that.”

“Me?” I made a feeble effort at indignation, but Mads was right. I wasn’t great at letting go either. The previous night in his arms was evidence of that. “Fair point,” I conceded and reached for one of his hands.

He let me pull it into my lap, his fingers curling around mine. Then he looked my way, eyes wet and shining. “I’m sorry.” He glanced over his shoulder. “That goes for you as well.”

I raised his hand to my lips and pressed a kiss to the back. “Yeah, me too.”

“Still here,” Gazza groaned. “And still wanting to stab my eyeballs with a fork watching the two of you old dudes get sappy. And apology accepted.”

I shot him a look. “I believe the term you’re looking for is experienced, not old.”

Gazza returned a sassy grin. “ Right . I absolutely meant to say... experienced .”

“Fuck you.” I flipped him off and spun back to face the front just in time for the main street of Kettleworth to roll into view.

“Marty did offer to pick me up if I needed a lift,” Gazza said as we passed the brewery where we’d eaten the day before.

It seemed a lifetime ago. “When I told him that I’d drive myself because I didn’t intend to drink much, he told me to come up the main driveway and security would direct me to parking in the field to the right of the house. He said my car would be safe there.”

An idea popped into my brain. “What if I hide in your car? That’ll get me right up to the house. If we wait until it’s almost dark before we arrive, then it would only be a few metres from there into the garden. Then I could make my way around the house to the back, sticking to the cover.”

Mads bristled. “Did you not hear the word security? And you don’t know the garden will be as dense all the way around.”

“You don’t know that it won’t.” I tugged on his fake ponytail. “Come on, Mads. We’re gonna have to wing some of it, I know. But it makes sense. You know it does.”

Mads said nothing as he turned into the motel and parked in front of our unit. He switched off the engine but left his seat belt on, staring straight ahead. I glanced behind and caught Gazza’s eye. He shrugged. There was nothing either of us could do except wait.

When he finally turned in his seat to face us, Mads looked resigned. I wanted to kiss that worried frown off his face, but he needed to make this decision on his own.

“Why you?” His gaze burned into mine. “Why can’t I be the one to hide in Gazza’s car?”

I sighed. “You know why. You were on the boat. We don’t know if Freddie saw you there or saw pictures of you, but of all of us, you’re likely to be the most recognisable. You’re also the least accomplished at lying and subterfuge.”

Mads flushed red. “That’s not true. I?—”

“You’re too honest, babe,” I said. “I love that about you, but it’ll do us no favours in this situation.”

Mads grumped, “That’s not the compliment you think it is.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “All right, damn you. So, what am I supposed to do other than lose my damn mind while you two steal all the glory?”

I almost groaned with relief. Mads was in.

His decision was made. My heart settled in my chest. “You’ll park somewhere close but out of sight.

I’m not expecting things to go wrong, but if they do and we have to make a run for it, or if Lee miraculously decides to come with us and maybe his brother as well, then who knows how we’ll get out of there.

We might need a pickup. We have all day tomorrow to scope out a suitable spot for you to wait and to nail down the finer details, but it’s a good plan.

Well, it’s pretty much the only one we have, right? ”

Mads stared at me like I’d grown a second nose, then blew out a long sigh. “The whole idea is nuts. Lee might be a no-show like he was at the sales, or he might refuse to talk to Gazza. He might even dob Gazza in order to get rid of us.”

Shit. I hadn’t actually considered that Lee might rat us out, and judging by the look on Gazza’s face, neither had he. Not that it changed things. It was still the best plan we had.

I leaned over the console and kissed Mads on the lips. “Let’s just get it planned and ready to go. After that, if any of us thinks it’s too dangerous and wants to call it quits, we will. And no one will fight them on it, I promise, okay?”

Mads gave a reluctant sigh. “Why do I get the impression I’ll be the only one sticking my hand up to say it’s too nuts?”

I grinned. “It’s just a party, Mads. Gazza has a legitimate invite and all he needs to do is play it smart. He goes inside, has a drink, charms the locals, and looks for an opportunity to talk with Lee and get him to take the prepaid phone. Then we leave, simple as that.”

Mads’ expression said it all. “Yeah, right. That’s why I’m hiding up the road in case the shit hits the fan. Because it’s gonna be that simple. Got it.”