Sweet Seduction Shield(73)

"I don't even know who he is," I said, stunned at the expressions of worry on their faces.

I turned to look at Ryan, but he had a phone to his ear and couldn't talk as it had just been answered.

"Harvey, Simon Andrews is in Auckland. Put a warrant out for his arrest, he's breaching the terms of his bail. Last known location is the Birdcage on Franklin Road."

"Will someone tell me who this guy is and why he's a concern?" I demanded. As if I didn't have enough to be dealing with right now.

"Former Detective Constable Simon Andrews was on the taskforce that brought Roan McLaren down," Eric supplied from over the speakers.

"He took to me with a baseball bat," Ben helpfully supplied.

"And hauled me by my hair into a McLaren safe-house," Abi added.

"And was arrested for both of those assaults and his involvement in Roan McLaren's criminal business," Ryan added, having stowed his cellphone away.

I stared at each one of them in turn.

"So, you're telling me he's a bent former cop on McLaren's payroll with not a lot to lose now that he's about to be prosecuted for criminal behaviour and connections?"

They all nodded.

"And he was at the Birdcage right now?"

"Yes," Abi said.

"Did he see us?" I demanded.

"Yeah, he saw us all right," Ben offered.

"Was he armed?" I asked.

"Not obviously, but you can guarantee he's got himself a piece," Nick supplied from the front of the car.

Shit! How did he know we were at the Birdcage? Was it just a coincidence or something else? And if it wasn't a coincidence, then what else did he know? Where Ben and Abi's home was? That Daisy and I were staying there?

"Daisy," I said aloud.

"Is fine," Eric answered immediately. "Adam's aware of our new player, and Koki and Brook are on site as extra security. It's still the safest place to be."

"But for how much longer?" I asked, lifting my eyes to hold Nick's in the rear view mirror. "He's just seen us all together, he'll put two and two together. ASI is compromised, he'll be able to track you all down and figure out where we're hidden."

No one said a word, but varying looks of disquiet crossed their faces.

"I don't like this," I announced, and Ryan's hand quietly slipped into mine, offering a consoling squeeze of his fingers.

"Marie's right," he announced.

"What do you suggest?" Nick asked, sounding pissed off and put out and generally pretty ropeable about now.

Ryan paused, looking thoughtful, then said, his voice weighty and slightly rough due to some emotion, "I'll take her and Daisy to my Mother's place." Which didn't make any sense to me. If this Andrews guy could work out all of ASI's bolt holes, then he could surely work out Ryan's.

And wasn't Ryan's mum dead? Stone had made him swear on his mother's grave.

"If you think you can handle it, Pierce," Nick said, voice solemn, "then we'll make it happen. No one but those present in this vehicle, and Eric, will know."

I flicked my gaze about the car, the women were all looking at the floor not making eye contact, Nick was staring steely-eyed out the front window and Ben just sighed. I turned slowly to look at Ryan at my side, noticing the pale sheen of perspiration coating his forehead.

And knew that Ryan had just opened his own Pandora's box and was staring down a bleak, dark black hole at the face of his haunted past.





Chapter 21


The Answer Was Simple

"Are you sure you want to do this tonight?" Nick asked as we entered the back door to Ben and Abi's house.

"The sooner we're gone the better," Ryan replied immediately.

"OK, e hoa," Ben murmured as he walked his big baulk past the two men. "Come with me and we'll find you some clothes."

Clothes? The men all left the kitchen, leaving me alone with the women.

"Why does he need clothes?" I asked no one in particular.

"Because he won't have any at his mother's," Abi said, walking across the room to the large pantry and pulling out an ice-box from beneath the shelves. "I'll pack you guys some food, Ryan won't want to stop at the supermarket on the way."

OK, this was just getting a little bizarre.

"Why not?" I asked, stepping out of her way as she reached for the fridge.

Abi sighed, it sounded heavy with compassion and pain.

"Ryan's mother's house is north of the city at Gulf Harbour. It'll take you a while to drive there and knowing Pierce, he'll not want to show up on any security camera footage at shops along the way."

"I get the feeling I'm missing something here," I pointed out, just as Gen walked in the room minus Daisy.

"Your girl's sound asleep, but I gather you'll be waking her up soon?" she asked.