Joker in the Pack (Romantic Suspense, Completed, Watty Winner)

Chapter 29

Nye made a couple of calls on the way, speaking mostly in code, it seemed, and when we got into London, he drove straight to Belgravia. I'd barely ventured into that part of the world. Even Edward's income didn't have enough zeroes at the end of it.

The underground car park Nye pulled into was filled with expensive cars—a Mercedes SUV, a Porsche, and an Aston Martin to name but a few.

"This is the safe house?"

"Like Fort Knox."

The owner probably had as much money too.

We took a lift to the ground floor, where a huge multicoloured chandelier dominated a luxuriously appointed atrium. Nye headed down a hallway to the left, led me past two closed doors, and knocked on a third. A man whose casual attire clashed with the opulent surroundings opened it, and I recognised the Blackwood Security crest on his jacket. A second man looked out the window at the street below.

"These guys will take care of you till I get back. Behave yourself, yeah?"

Nye gave my hand a little squeeze and then he was gone.

Gone for two movies, an episode of EastEnders, and a pizza delivery. Three large pepperonis, but I only ate one slice, and even that felt as if it was going to come up again. Luckily, the taller of the two men seemed to have a metabolism that allowed him to eat for three, because he got through two of the pizzas on his own.

Where was Nye? What was he doing? And, more importantly, was he okay?

"Do you know how Nye's getting on?" I asked Pizza Guy.

He dragged his eyes away from the television and shrugged. "Don't worry about him—he knows how to look after himself."

All very well for him to say.

By the time Nye walked through the door, totally unscathed, my mind had cycled through him getting in a fight, to landing up in hospital, to lying dead in a gutter somewhere.

I ran over and threw my arms around him. "You're all right! Thank goodness."

Nye blushed while the other two men chuckled.

"That's quite a welcome, mate," Pizza Guy said. "Wish my missus gave me that kind of greeting every time I got back from a job."

I mumbled an apology. "Sorry. I was just a bit worried."

"I think I got that." Luckily, Nye was smiling.

"Did you find what you needed?" Pizza Guy asked.

"Partly. But it raised more questions than I've got answers for."

"Always the way, ain't it? Do you need us for anything else?"

"No, I've got it from here. Thanks."

The men filed out, leaving us alone, and Nye reached straight for one of the leftover slices of pizza.

"What happened?"

I was dying of curiosity. Quite literally, if my mystery assailant had anything to do with it.

"I had an interesting chat with Ronnie's ex-cellmate."

"He talked to you? Like, voluntarily?"

Nye burst out laughing. "Don't look so worried, babe. What did you think I was going to do? Beat it out of him?"

Well, yes, but I couldn't exactly admit that. "Er..."

"We went out for a beer, and I bunged him a few quid. That's how it normally works."