“Anyone familiar?” The detective asks him.
Mark shakes his head. “No, unfortunately not. Have a look, Emerson, and see if you see anything familiar.”
I sit forward and concentrate. He turns the computer to face me and hits play.
It’s dark and I see a man with a torch enter a large room. He’s in all black and wearing a balaclava and is shining the torch up onto the walls looking for something.
“Luckily for us there was a hidden camera up above the painting that was stolen.” The detective points to the screen as I watch.
I frown. The person’s silhouette is familiar. The way they walk. I sit forward in concentration. Shit. Do I actually know this person? I sit still with my eyes transfixed on the screen as the offender comes over to the painting under the camera and looks up at it. The eyes are shadowed and you can’t see anything. He then puts the small torch in his mouth and reaches up to take the painting from the wall and my heart stops.
On the black leather glove there is orange paint spilled on the pinky finger.
That is the same glove that I saw Alastar take last night.
Oh dear god, my heart stops.
That’s Alastar.
Chapter 24
My heart starts to hammer and I sit back in my seat guiltily.
“What do you think?” Mark asks.
“Huh?” My eyes flash to him and I frown.
“Any idea who that is?”
I look to the detectives and then to Mark in shock. I know exactly who it is. I swallow the lump in my throat as my heart starts to try and escape from my chest. No. It can’t be him. I rub my hand over my face. “No. No idea,” I lie.
Mark hits play again and I sit and re watch it. The thief enters the room and now that I know it’s Alastar, I can see it as clear as day. The way he walks, his physique. Holy fuck. I have got to get out of here. There must be a mistake.
What’s going on?
I shake my head in a confused fog. “No… I… No. I don’t know who it is,” I stammer as the clip finishes. I need to talk to him. This must be a mistake he wouldn’t do this. He isn’t a criminal… is he?
Dear God.
I smile politely. “I have a lot of work to do.” I stand. “Do you need me for anything else, Mark?” I ask.
The detectives shake their heads. “No, that’s fine. Keep us posted if you think of anything.” He smiles.
I fake a smile back at him. “Thank you.” I stand and leave the office and practically run to my desk. I open the bottom draw in a rush and take out my handbag.
“Where are you going?” Deirdre asks.
Huh. “Oh.” I try to control my panicked breathing as I look around for an excuse to leave. “Oh, um. I just threw up in the bathroom. I was really unwell last night.”
“Oh.” Deirdre screws up her face. “I hope it’s not contagious. I go on holiday on Saturday.”
Huh, funnily enough, I do, too. To a castle to marry a criminal I don’t even know.
I screw up my face. “Me, too,” I whisper as I look around in a panic for my boss.
“Don’t worry, just go. I will tell him you have gone home sick.”
I nod my head nervously. “Yes, yes. You tell him. Thank you.” I start to throw my things in my drawer in double quick time.
“Stay home tomorrow, too. I don’t want to get it,” she replies flatly.
“Sure thing,” I breathe as I stand with my bag over my shoulder. Can anyone tell how panicked I am? Fuck. I leave the office and run to the curb, holding my hand in the air. “Taxi!” I call.
Seemingly one second later I am pulled from my disturbing thoughts by the car coming to a halt.
“Here we are.” The cab driver smiles from his position in the front seat.
I scramble through my handbag for my purse to pay him and tentatively get out of the car. He drives off and I stand and look at the opulent house in front of me. He didn’t do this.
He’s honest.
He loves me.
He wouldn’t do this.
I rattle around in my bag for my keys to the house, and a strange thought crosses my mind. This is the first time I have ever had to use them. Alastar picks me up and brings me home every single time. His car isn’t out the front, but then it may be in the garage. I open the front door and walk into the house. It’s just after midday. He’s not expecting me for hours. I can hear music on upstairs in his office and I know he’s home. I look all around and I notice the door down to the cellar is open. I walk over and peer down the darkened staircase. I look around the room and then back to the stairs leading down into the basement. I want to know what’s down here.
I hear a creak from above me. Alastar is definitely upstairs.
Shit, what do I do?