Page 48 of The Thief

“They told me they’re close to making arrests, when I spoke to them yesterday,” she said, sounding hopeful. I wasn’t. “After identifying the one who was shot, they said it’s just a matter of time before the others are apprehended.”

I’d seen the newspaper articles. I also knew who Number Two was.

Leon Quaid.

I didn’t know him. None of us did.

He wasn’t a local, but now we knew his name, it helped to open up more leads for us. He’d been inside for a few minor things, and we’d put the feelers out to track down his associates. We were close to catching up with the others. Closer than the police.

“I’ll be glad when they’re caught. I feel bad enough, but I can’t imagine what the other hostages must feel like.”

The hostages they took had been dumped by the roadside, bound and gagged. After that, the police helicopter had followed the van, but when the weather turned bad and it became too dangerous to pursue them, they had to abandon the chase. The poor hostages had cuts and bruises, psychological scars that’d last a lifetime, but once we found the gang, they’d suffer far worse. That was a given.

“You don’t have to worry about anything,” I reassured Jess. Then an idea hit me. “I have a friend who works in security. I’ll ask him to come over here tomorrow, set you up with a decent CCTV system. He’ll install new window locks, secure the doors. He’s the best in the business. He’ll go over the whole house for you, and when he’s finished, you’ll feel better, safer. We both will.”

“You don’t have to do that.” She dipped her head. “We’refine as we are.”

“I want to do it. Please. Humour me. And anyway, he owes me a favour.”

She nodded, and reluctantly, she said, “Thank you. But I’ll pay for it.”

“Hmm. We’ll see.”

She wouldn’t pay.

I wanted to do this.

I wouldn’t tell her that I’d probably... no, definitely be hacking into that CCTV to make sure they were both okay. Not to be creepy, I just wanted to put my mind at rest. Like an extension of the CCTV itself. Her own personal bodyguard. On hand, twenty-four-seven.

“You’re going after them, aren’t you?” she asked out of the blue, her voice low, solemn sounding, and I took a breath.

“Yes. And we’ll find them before the police.”

She turned to face me.

“And then what?”

“Then, I’ll make it right. They won’t hurt anyone again.”

She frowned and shook her head in disagreement.

“And then the police arrest you, and you go down for years. Is it worth that? Are they worth destroying your life for?” She was waiting for me to do a one-eighty and agree with her, and I couldn’t deny it pulled at my heartstrings a little. But when my mind was made up about shit like this, it couldn’t be swayed.

“To get revenge? To give you back your peace of mind? To show Ava that bad guys don’t win? Yes. Yes, it’s worth it. I’ve done a hell of a lot more for a whole lot less.”

I could tell she didn’t like talking about this by the way she picked at her nails and gave little huffs as she avoided lookingat me.

“I don’t think I want to know what you do. I’m better off staying in the dark.”

“I agree,” I replied. “All you need to know is you’re safe. You’ll always be safe with me.”

I didn’t want to leave them, but I didn’t want to outstay my welcome either. So once it got dark, I promised to see them tomorrow when the security guy would be there. I hugged Ava, then I got up to leave. But not before sending a text to one of the guys on our security team, asking them to set up a rota to watch the house overnight. I wasn’t taking any chances.

“Thanks for coming over. Thanks for... everything,” Jess said as she walked me to the door.

“No need to thank me. I wanted to be here,” I told her, then I stopped in front of the door and turned to stare down at her.

Her cheeks had more colour in them than when I’d got here, and her eyes had a hint of their sparkle back. It was a start.