don’t mind?’
‘Of course not, I’ll be fine.’ He thought of how icy the roads had been lately and for some inexplicable reason had a flash of Anna’s car skidding off the road and into a ditch. His heart quickened. ‘I should drive you though.’
‘There’s no need. I can drive myself, unless of course you want to come too. It might be good for you to get away for a few days, and I know they’d love to see you. You could meet Megan.’
‘There’s a lot to do here.’ Same old excuse but she didn’t push it. Mariner knew he should tell Anna what he’d learned, but for some reason he couldn’t. He wanted to find out more about Ryland first and have the chance to work out how he felt about it before others started giving their views. Besides he didn’t have absolute proof yet that it was true. What if he told her and then it turned out to be a mistake? He didn’t want to risk that. He knew he was behaving strangely but she’d put it down to what they’d just been through.
‘Might be just as well that you don’t come this time,’ Anna said. ‘Megan’s teething with a vengeance apparently, so they’re not getting much in the way of sleep. I wouldn’t want it to put you off anything.’
‘What about you?’
‘Oh I can take it. It’ll be good preparation.’ The fingers lying on his chest began a downward progression. ‘We should start getting in some practice.’
He caught her hand and squeezed it. ‘I’m pretty tired.’
‘Okay, whenever you’re ready.’
But even as she said it, lying in the dark, Anna wondered when that was likely to be. This desire for children had crept up on her suddenly, when she had least expected it, and though she strived to keep it under control and was trying to play it cool with Tom, it was becoming all-consuming. Staying with Becky and Mark would be a mixed blessing. She loved the time with Megan, but the longing for her own child was growing stronger, a feeling that Tom didn’t entirely seem to share.
The explosion had been a setback, he’d seemed keener before that, and she couldn’t help but think his experiences on the night had simply compounded the doubts that already existed. She could sense him retreating from her again as he sometimes did. She’d just have to be patient and sit it out. Often he was more receptive in the early morning, but when she woke and reached out for him, it was already light and he had gone.
Mariner was with Jack Coleman, watching as the gaffer pored over a list of names. ‘The guests for my retirement bash,’ he told Mariner. ‘God, there’s some ancient history here. Why can’t they just let me slip out quietly through the back door?’
‘You deserve more than that, sir.’
‘Even if it’s not what I want?’ Coleman shook his head sadly. ‘Anyway, what can I do for you?’
‘To be honest, I’m finding it hard to concentrate, sir.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me.’
‘I wondered if I might take a few more days’ leave.’
‘Of course, take as long as you need. You and Anna going somewhere?’
‘We might, yes.’ He wouldn’t tell Coleman that it was to opposite sides of the country.
‘Charlie Glover’s got the Albanian covered?’
‘We’re waiting for Alecsander Lucca to turn up back home. Interpol have been notified and they’re going to let us know. Meanwhile Charlie’s putting together the information for the CPS. Until we’ve found Lucca there’s not much else we can do.’
‘And then we’re into extradition,’ Coleman sighed.
‘Which could take for ever. Okay. Tell Glover to keep me posted.’
Mariner was home again in time to help Anna to load up her car.
‘Look after yourself,’ she said.
‘You too. And be careful, the roads are icy, don’t drive too fast.’ He quelled the feeling of rising panic as that same image of Anna’s car going into a skid flashed through his mind. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to take you?’
‘I’m sure. I’ll go
‘Of course not, I’ll be fine.’ He thought of how icy the roads had been lately and for some inexplicable reason had a flash of Anna’s car skidding off the road and into a ditch. His heart quickened. ‘I should drive you though.’
‘There’s no need. I can drive myself, unless of course you want to come too. It might be good for you to get away for a few days, and I know they’d love to see you. You could meet Megan.’
‘There’s a lot to do here.’ Same old excuse but she didn’t push it. Mariner knew he should tell Anna what he’d learned, but for some reason he couldn’t. He wanted to find out more about Ryland first and have the chance to work out how he felt about it before others started giving their views. Besides he didn’t have absolute proof yet that it was true. What if he told her and then it turned out to be a mistake? He didn’t want to risk that. He knew he was behaving strangely but she’d put it down to what they’d just been through.
‘Might be just as well that you don’t come this time,’ Anna said. ‘Megan’s teething with a vengeance apparently, so they’re not getting much in the way of sleep. I wouldn’t want it to put you off anything.’
‘What about you?’
‘Oh I can take it. It’ll be good preparation.’ The fingers lying on his chest began a downward progression. ‘We should start getting in some practice.’
He caught her hand and squeezed it. ‘I’m pretty tired.’
‘Okay, whenever you’re ready.’
But even as she said it, lying in the dark, Anna wondered when that was likely to be. This desire for children had crept up on her suddenly, when she had least expected it, and though she strived to keep it under control and was trying to play it cool with Tom, it was becoming all-consuming. Staying with Becky and Mark would be a mixed blessing. She loved the time with Megan, but the longing for her own child was growing stronger, a feeling that Tom didn’t entirely seem to share.
The explosion had been a setback, he’d seemed keener before that, and she couldn’t help but think his experiences on the night had simply compounded the doubts that already existed. She could sense him retreating from her again as he sometimes did. She’d just have to be patient and sit it out. Often he was more receptive in the early morning, but when she woke and reached out for him, it was already light and he had gone.
Mariner was with Jack Coleman, watching as the gaffer pored over a list of names. ‘The guests for my retirement bash,’ he told Mariner. ‘God, there’s some ancient history here. Why can’t they just let me slip out quietly through the back door?’
‘You deserve more than that, sir.’
‘Even if it’s not what I want?’ Coleman shook his head sadly. ‘Anyway, what can I do for you?’
‘To be honest, I’m finding it hard to concentrate, sir.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me.’
‘I wondered if I might take a few more days’ leave.’
‘Of course, take as long as you need. You and Anna going somewhere?’
‘We might, yes.’ He wouldn’t tell Coleman that it was to opposite sides of the country.
‘Charlie Glover’s got the Albanian covered?’
‘We’re waiting for Alecsander Lucca to turn up back home. Interpol have been notified and they’re going to let us know. Meanwhile Charlie’s putting together the information for the CPS. Until we’ve found Lucca there’s not much else we can do.’
‘And then we’re into extradition,’ Coleman sighed.
‘Which could take for ever. Okay. Tell Glover to keep me posted.’
Mariner was home again in time to help Anna to load up her car.
‘Look after yourself,’ she said.
‘You too. And be careful, the roads are icy, don’t drive too fast.’ He quelled the feeling of rising panic as that same image of Anna’s car going into a skid flashed through his mind. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to take you?’
‘I’m sure. I’ll go
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