I want you back here at four this afternoon.”
“Why?” groaned Ross. He wiped the annoyed look off his face when he saw the anger flash in Brodie’s eyes.
“Because I say so and if you hadn’t noticed, I’m the boss around here. Suddenly everyone seems to be forgetting that. Now sod off before we get moany arse from upstairs coming down here and whinging about the smell.”
They left in a toxic cloud and Cass returned two minutes later clutching coffee and pastries. She paused and sniffed the air before grimacing. “What’s that smell?”
“Christian and Ross. They returned from their search for Fred.”
“Anything?”
“Nope.”
“Oh,” she said, disappointed.
Brodie knew exactly what was going through her mind. If they’d found Fred she would have been free and clear to date Lucas Thorne.
“Where’s my coffee then? I’m gagging,” he said.
“Here you go,” she smiled, placing the coffee and a sticky doughnut on his desk.
Cass returned to her own brand new desk and switched on her computer, Brodie covertly studying her. He was afraid it was too late. Lucas Thorne had already burrowed his way under her skin.
“Did you take a shower?” Brodie demanded of Ross.
“Yes, twice.”
“Then why do you still stink?” When Christian sniggered Brodie turned on him. “I don’t know why you’re laughing, you’re not much better.”
Christian’s dark eyes narrowed but he decided not to answer. “Why do you need us anyway? It’s just sitting here listening.”
“Because I want to get your impressions on Lucas Thorne.”
“Why?” said Ross.
“Because I do,” snarled Brodie. “Now shut the fuck up so we can hear what they’re saying.”
Brodie was back in Cass’s flat and wanted the opinions of his other two employees because he was doubting his own judgement, for the first time in his life. What if Cass had a point and he was completely on the wrong track? Sometimes his imagination did runaway with itself and in hindsight his theory was a bit batty. Wasn’t it more reasonable that Lucas took casts from these people’s faces? Then why did his gut rebel at the very thought?
The sound of Lucas’s voice drifting through the speakers set up on Cass’s coffee table drew him back to the present.
“I heard this is one of the best restaurants in Glasgow,” said Lucas as he and Cass took their seats at a table towards the back of the room, as requested by Lucas, who treasured his privacy. “Have you ever been here before?”
“No, it’s a bit out of my price range,” she said wryly. Not strictly true, Brodie paid her extremely well but she had to stick to her cover. However she didn’t like lying to this man, for a reason she couldn’t define.
He looked mortified. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“It’s okay, you didn’t.”
He flashed her a nervous smile. “Good. I don’t want to upset you.”
“I’ll let you know if you do,” she smiled back.
Their eyes connected and their smiles broadened.
“What can I get you to drink?” said the waiter loudly, breaking the moment.
“Orange juice please,” said Cass.
“Nonsense, we’ll have champagne,” smiled Lucas.
“Not after last night,” she grimaced. “I’m still feeling a bit delicate.” That was only half true too, she was sure a hair of the dog would shift the headache that still vaguely pulsed behind her eyes but she’d promised Brodie and the last thing she was going to do was piss him off again.
“In that case, I’ll have orange juice too,” Lucas told the waiter.
“Please don’t on my account,” she said.
“I insist. Champagne should never be drunk alone.”
The waiter nodded and scurried away.
Lucas rested his elbows on the table, closing the distance between them. “Tell me more about yourself.”
Oh oh, dodgy ground. “There’s nothing much to tell really.”
“Well, you’re not Scottish, that’s for sure.”
“No, Lancashire born and bred.”
“How
“Why?” groaned Ross. He wiped the annoyed look off his face when he saw the anger flash in Brodie’s eyes.
“Because I say so and if you hadn’t noticed, I’m the boss around here. Suddenly everyone seems to be forgetting that. Now sod off before we get moany arse from upstairs coming down here and whinging about the smell.”
They left in a toxic cloud and Cass returned two minutes later clutching coffee and pastries. She paused and sniffed the air before grimacing. “What’s that smell?”
“Christian and Ross. They returned from their search for Fred.”
“Anything?”
“Nope.”
“Oh,” she said, disappointed.
Brodie knew exactly what was going through her mind. If they’d found Fred she would have been free and clear to date Lucas Thorne.
“Where’s my coffee then? I’m gagging,” he said.
“Here you go,” she smiled, placing the coffee and a sticky doughnut on his desk.
Cass returned to her own brand new desk and switched on her computer, Brodie covertly studying her. He was afraid it was too late. Lucas Thorne had already burrowed his way under her skin.
“Did you take a shower?” Brodie demanded of Ross.
“Yes, twice.”
“Then why do you still stink?” When Christian sniggered Brodie turned on him. “I don’t know why you’re laughing, you’re not much better.”
Christian’s dark eyes narrowed but he decided not to answer. “Why do you need us anyway? It’s just sitting here listening.”
“Because I want to get your impressions on Lucas Thorne.”
“Why?” said Ross.
“Because I do,” snarled Brodie. “Now shut the fuck up so we can hear what they’re saying.”
Brodie was back in Cass’s flat and wanted the opinions of his other two employees because he was doubting his own judgement, for the first time in his life. What if Cass had a point and he was completely on the wrong track? Sometimes his imagination did runaway with itself and in hindsight his theory was a bit batty. Wasn’t it more reasonable that Lucas took casts from these people’s faces? Then why did his gut rebel at the very thought?
The sound of Lucas’s voice drifting through the speakers set up on Cass’s coffee table drew him back to the present.
“I heard this is one of the best restaurants in Glasgow,” said Lucas as he and Cass took their seats at a table towards the back of the room, as requested by Lucas, who treasured his privacy. “Have you ever been here before?”
“No, it’s a bit out of my price range,” she said wryly. Not strictly true, Brodie paid her extremely well but she had to stick to her cover. However she didn’t like lying to this man, for a reason she couldn’t define.
He looked mortified. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“It’s okay, you didn’t.”
He flashed her a nervous smile. “Good. I don’t want to upset you.”
“I’ll let you know if you do,” she smiled back.
Their eyes connected and their smiles broadened.
“What can I get you to drink?” said the waiter loudly, breaking the moment.
“Orange juice please,” said Cass.
“Nonsense, we’ll have champagne,” smiled Lucas.
“Not after last night,” she grimaced. “I’m still feeling a bit delicate.” That was only half true too, she was sure a hair of the dog would shift the headache that still vaguely pulsed behind her eyes but she’d promised Brodie and the last thing she was going to do was piss him off again.
“In that case, I’ll have orange juice too,” Lucas told the waiter.
“Please don’t on my account,” she said.
“I insist. Champagne should never be drunk alone.”
The waiter nodded and scurried away.
Lucas rested his elbows on the table, closing the distance between them. “Tell me more about yourself.”
Oh oh, dodgy ground. “There’s nothing much to tell really.”
“Well, you’re not Scottish, that’s for sure.”
“No, Lancashire born and bred.”
“How
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