trying at tenminuteintervals. Finally she left a message asking Chrissy to call back as soon as possible.
Sean was stretched out on the sofa with his eyes closed. Rhona hardly dared look at his face, it was such a mess. His knuckles were also skinned and bruised, testament to his attempts to give as good as he’d got. He’d said the voices were definitely Glaswegian, so the Suleiman family must have made contact with the city’s criminal underworld. Sean was lucky he’d only got a beating.
Rhona fetched a blanket and covered him, then realised she hadn’t seen Tom since they’d got home. They’d confined him to the kitchen, both for his safety and to prevent him scratching every piece of furniture in sight.
He was behind the door as she pushed it open. His mew was plaintive, demanding food and affection. Rhona scooped up the small furry body and hugged it close.
If she hadn’t visited Magnus, she would have been at the club when the thugs arrived. Rhona recalled her feeling of being watched in the car park, and later at Magnus’s. Experience told her that if she sensed she was being observed, she probably was.
She glanced at her watch again, wondering why Chrissy wasn’t answering her phone. Like many women in early pregnancy, Chrissy looked constantly tired as her body adjusted to its new role. Rhona consoled herself with the thought that Chrissy had probably simply gone to bed.
She tried to focus on the fact that Sam was alive. That Chrissy’s baby did have a father after all. But shecould not forget that Sam was a wanted man, both here and in his homeland; wanted by the authorities and, worse still, by the Suleiman family. If she told Bill about Sean’s visitors, he would be obliged to look for Sam. The best outcome would be for Chrissy to see Sam, then for him to disappear again.
The spotlight had come on in the convent garden below Rhona’s window, illuminating Madonna and child, their symbolism more poignant now than ever.
Rhona promised herself she would decide the best course of action tomorrow, when she saw Chrissy and Bill. Above all, Chrissy must be kept safe. Chrissy and the baby.
The call came through at 2 a.m. Rhona had placed the mobile on her bedside table and set its ring to loud. Chrissy’s voice was thick with emotion.
‘Sam’s alive. He called me. He’s coming here now.’
‘Chrissy.’ Rhona didn’t want to tell her about the thugs, but she had to be warned. ‘Two men came to the jazz club tonight, looking for Sam. They know he’s in Glasgow.’
But nothing could dampen Chrissy’s joy at knowing Sam was alive and she was going to see him.
‘Warn Sam,’ said Rhona, and hung up.
Rhona heard footsteps behind her and realised the call had woken Sean.
‘What’s up?’
‘Sam contacted Chrissy. He’s on his way there now.’
‘You told her they were looking for him?’
‘I did.’
Sean groaned as he eased himself onto the bed and lay back.
‘Do you want me to help you undress?’
‘That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.’
Rhona switched on the bedside lamp. The shadows it cast only emphasised the swelling around Sean’s eye. Rhona helped him off with his shirt, exposing three large bruises around his ribcage.
‘God, you look awful.’
‘Thanks very much.’ He tried to laugh and groaned instead.
She pulled down his trousers. His legs were the only part of his body that wasn’t bruised.
‘Do you want something for the pain?’
‘Too right I do.’ His grin was wickedly suggestive.
‘You’re joking?’
‘I never joke about sex.’ He pulled her to sit astride him. ‘You’ll have to do all the work.’
Rhona lay in the dark, Sean’s steady breathing punctuating the silence. She thought of Chrissy lying in Sam’s arms. Of Sam’s face when Chrissy told him about the baby. If Sam needed a reason to stay alive, he had one right there.
21
LEANNE STEPPED OUT of the shadows as the car slowed.
The Valium was wearing off, allowing fear and
Sean was stretched out on the sofa with his eyes closed. Rhona hardly dared look at his face, it was such a mess. His knuckles were also skinned and bruised, testament to his attempts to give as good as he’d got. He’d said the voices were definitely Glaswegian, so the Suleiman family must have made contact with the city’s criminal underworld. Sean was lucky he’d only got a beating.
Rhona fetched a blanket and covered him, then realised she hadn’t seen Tom since they’d got home. They’d confined him to the kitchen, both for his safety and to prevent him scratching every piece of furniture in sight.
He was behind the door as she pushed it open. His mew was plaintive, demanding food and affection. Rhona scooped up the small furry body and hugged it close.
If she hadn’t visited Magnus, she would have been at the club when the thugs arrived. Rhona recalled her feeling of being watched in the car park, and later at Magnus’s. Experience told her that if she sensed she was being observed, she probably was.
She glanced at her watch again, wondering why Chrissy wasn’t answering her phone. Like many women in early pregnancy, Chrissy looked constantly tired as her body adjusted to its new role. Rhona consoled herself with the thought that Chrissy had probably simply gone to bed.
She tried to focus on the fact that Sam was alive. That Chrissy’s baby did have a father after all. But shecould not forget that Sam was a wanted man, both here and in his homeland; wanted by the authorities and, worse still, by the Suleiman family. If she told Bill about Sean’s visitors, he would be obliged to look for Sam. The best outcome would be for Chrissy to see Sam, then for him to disappear again.
The spotlight had come on in the convent garden below Rhona’s window, illuminating Madonna and child, their symbolism more poignant now than ever.
Rhona promised herself she would decide the best course of action tomorrow, when she saw Chrissy and Bill. Above all, Chrissy must be kept safe. Chrissy and the baby.
The call came through at 2 a.m. Rhona had placed the mobile on her bedside table and set its ring to loud. Chrissy’s voice was thick with emotion.
‘Sam’s alive. He called me. He’s coming here now.’
‘Chrissy.’ Rhona didn’t want to tell her about the thugs, but she had to be warned. ‘Two men came to the jazz club tonight, looking for Sam. They know he’s in Glasgow.’
But nothing could dampen Chrissy’s joy at knowing Sam was alive and she was going to see him.
‘Warn Sam,’ said Rhona, and hung up.
Rhona heard footsteps behind her and realised the call had woken Sean.
‘What’s up?’
‘Sam contacted Chrissy. He’s on his way there now.’
‘You told her they were looking for him?’
‘I did.’
Sean groaned as he eased himself onto the bed and lay back.
‘Do you want me to help you undress?’
‘That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.’
Rhona switched on the bedside lamp. The shadows it cast only emphasised the swelling around Sean’s eye. Rhona helped him off with his shirt, exposing three large bruises around his ribcage.
‘God, you look awful.’
‘Thanks very much.’ He tried to laugh and groaned instead.
She pulled down his trousers. His legs were the only part of his body that wasn’t bruised.
‘Do you want something for the pain?’
‘Too right I do.’ His grin was wickedly suggestive.
‘You’re joking?’
‘I never joke about sex.’ He pulled her to sit astride him. ‘You’ll have to do all the work.’
Rhona lay in the dark, Sean’s steady breathing punctuating the silence. She thought of Chrissy lying in Sam’s arms. Of Sam’s face when Chrissy told him about the baby. If Sam needed a reason to stay alive, he had one right there.
21
LEANNE STEPPED OUT of the shadows as the car slowed.
The Valium was wearing off, allowing fear and
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