holds up a hand. “Yes, mate, can you give me the number for a taxi company in Sheffield, please?”
I keep an anxious eye on the car park while he orders the cab. I can’t risk Neil meeting Christian—meeting anyone else. Kenny was right—
one
mistake,
one
slipup, one
mention
of my real name... and it’s over.
I stare miserably at my mobile. There’s still no reply from Christian, so I text him as well, just in case.
“Cab’ll be here in five minutes.” Neil smiles. “So how are you finding Sheffield?”
“Oh, hilly.”
He laughs. “That’s what Steve says.”
“Steve?”
“I’m staying with an old mate who joined the Sheffield force last year,” he explains. “He’s the one who dropped me off here.”
I nod, relieved. “Hence the police car.”
He winces. “Sorry, kiddo. I know you’re trying to keep a low profile. I did remember your pseudonym, though.”
Phew. At least that’s something.
“So how’s life as Louise Shepherd?”
“It’s... tricky,” I confess.
“I can imagine.” He nods. “You need to be pretty good at lying.”
My skin prickles. Maybe I’m not out of the woods yet.
“Like I said, it’s tricky. But it’s better than everyone knowing I’m the niece of the most famous inmate in Britain.”
He sighs. “Have you heard from Jim recently?”
I nod. “I got a letter.”
“Me too. I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened. I can’t think of anything else. I can’t stand the thought of him in jail. It’s not right. It’s not justice.”
I nod. “I know.”
“I know you do.” He looks at me. “Jim didn’t do anything wrong. You know that, I know that.”
I nod again.
“If you’re innocent, you should go free, if you break the law, you should pay the price, end of,” he says, his eyes deep in mine. “But the justice system... it makes so many mistakes.” He shakes his head. “It makes me sick that innocent, decent,
good
people like Jim rot in jail, ripped from their loving families, while the guilty live it up, walk free,
get new identities
... It’s not right.
Ever.
”
My blood pounds in my veins.
He knows.
He knows I stole the burglar alarm code, that I’m the one who broke into the building, who hacked the computers. Why I’m really here...
“And we should do everything in our power to make things right, whatever it takes.” He looks at me, hard. “
That’s
why I’m really here.”
Shit. Kenny was right. I’m going to jail. We’re going to jail. It’s over.
“So anything you need—anything at all—call me, okay?”
I blink.
“It’s killing Jim that he can’t be here for you,” Neil sighs. “But I can. I am.”
I stare at him as he takes my hand.
“You’ve already lost one father. I can’t imagine how tough it’s been with Jim gone too. Especially like this.”
I look away.
“So I want you to know I’m here for you, kiddo. Not just today. Just call and I’ll be straight here. I promise. Day or night. Twenty-four seven.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, overwhelmed by his kindness, by his generosity, by guilt.
“No sweat.” He pulls me close and ruffles my hair. “You deserve to be happy. You are my favorite goddaughter, after all.”
A horn beeps outside and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Taxi’s here.” Neil smiles, peering through the window.
Thank God! I hurry downstairs as fast as I can.
“Someone’s hungry!” Neil laughs as I fling myself into the cab just as Christian’s motorbike roars into the car park.
“Famished!” I agree, slamming the door behind me. “Let’s get out of here.”
TWELVE
“Are you sure I can’t drop you off somewhere?” Neil offers as I walk him to a taxi stand after lunch. “We can go past your halls?”
“No, thank you.” I smile. “My friend texted—we’re meeting for a drink just round the corner.”
It’s not a complete lie. Christian did finally text me the address, and we
are
meeting for a drink.
Just got ur message. Phone on silent.
I keep an anxious eye on the car park while he orders the cab. I can’t risk Neil meeting Christian—meeting anyone else. Kenny was right—
one
mistake,
one
slipup, one
mention
of my real name... and it’s over.
I stare miserably at my mobile. There’s still no reply from Christian, so I text him as well, just in case.
“Cab’ll be here in five minutes.” Neil smiles. “So how are you finding Sheffield?”
“Oh, hilly.”
He laughs. “That’s what Steve says.”
“Steve?”
“I’m staying with an old mate who joined the Sheffield force last year,” he explains. “He’s the one who dropped me off here.”
I nod, relieved. “Hence the police car.”
He winces. “Sorry, kiddo. I know you’re trying to keep a low profile. I did remember your pseudonym, though.”
Phew. At least that’s something.
“So how’s life as Louise Shepherd?”
“It’s... tricky,” I confess.
“I can imagine.” He nods. “You need to be pretty good at lying.”
My skin prickles. Maybe I’m not out of the woods yet.
“Like I said, it’s tricky. But it’s better than everyone knowing I’m the niece of the most famous inmate in Britain.”
He sighs. “Have you heard from Jim recently?”
I nod. “I got a letter.”
“Me too. I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened. I can’t think of anything else. I can’t stand the thought of him in jail. It’s not right. It’s not justice.”
I nod. “I know.”
“I know you do.” He looks at me. “Jim didn’t do anything wrong. You know that, I know that.”
I nod again.
“If you’re innocent, you should go free, if you break the law, you should pay the price, end of,” he says, his eyes deep in mine. “But the justice system... it makes so many mistakes.” He shakes his head. “It makes me sick that innocent, decent,
good
people like Jim rot in jail, ripped from their loving families, while the guilty live it up, walk free,
get new identities
... It’s not right.
Ever.
”
My blood pounds in my veins.
He knows.
He knows I stole the burglar alarm code, that I’m the one who broke into the building, who hacked the computers. Why I’m really here...
“And we should do everything in our power to make things right, whatever it takes.” He looks at me, hard. “
That’s
why I’m really here.”
Shit. Kenny was right. I’m going to jail. We’re going to jail. It’s over.
“So anything you need—anything at all—call me, okay?”
I blink.
“It’s killing Jim that he can’t be here for you,” Neil sighs. “But I can. I am.”
I stare at him as he takes my hand.
“You’ve already lost one father. I can’t imagine how tough it’s been with Jim gone too. Especially like this.”
I look away.
“So I want you to know I’m here for you, kiddo. Not just today. Just call and I’ll be straight here. I promise. Day or night. Twenty-four seven.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, overwhelmed by his kindness, by his generosity, by guilt.
“No sweat.” He pulls me close and ruffles my hair. “You deserve to be happy. You are my favorite goddaughter, after all.”
A horn beeps outside and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Taxi’s here.” Neil smiles, peering through the window.
Thank God! I hurry downstairs as fast as I can.
“Someone’s hungry!” Neil laughs as I fling myself into the cab just as Christian’s motorbike roars into the car park.
“Famished!” I agree, slamming the door behind me. “Let’s get out of here.”
TWELVE
“Are you sure I can’t drop you off somewhere?” Neil offers as I walk him to a taxi stand after lunch. “We can go past your halls?”
“No, thank you.” I smile. “My friend texted—we’re meeting for a drink just round the corner.”
It’s not a complete lie. Christian did finally text me the address, and we
are
meeting for a drink.
Just got ur message. Phone on silent.
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