dark.’
Annie laughed. ‘He’s such a wimp. What can I do to help, Will?’
Will thought that Jake probably had the right idea because he couldn’t shake the feeling he was being watched: he didn’t like it. ‘You did say you have a key for the mansion, didn’t you?’
‘I do, would you like it?’
‘It’s just, I’m thinking we need to cover all our bases. I know there is no way she could get in but I need to check all the same and besides I’ve always wanted to go inside but it’s been boarded up as long as I can remember.’
‘Of course, but I really wouldn’t suggest going in there tonight. It’s a bit of a wreck and would be dangerous in the dark. Like I said, I didn’t see anything when I was in there earlier.’
Will shivered as the temperature dropped along with the rest of the daylight. ‘No, tomorrow is fine. What time is good for you?’
‘I’m up at the crack of dawn so come as soon as you start work. You’ll need some old clothes though, not fancy suits and Italian loafers.’
Will pretended to look hurt. ‘Are you disrespecting my Tesco designer suits and Matalan shoes? What’s wrong with this look?’
Annie giggled and he liked the way it transformed the mask of worry she had been wearing since he first saw her earlier.
‘Nothing. They are very nice but you wouldn’t want to ruin them, would you?’
He shrugged and turned to leave.
‘Would you like a coffee?’
He told her he would love one and she opened the gate. Tess, who had decided that Will was OK, was running around his legs almost tripping him up. ‘Is she being friendly or purposely trying to break my neck?’
‘Both. She’s a lovable pain in the arse.’
Will bent down to scratch behind her ears and she flopped down on her belly. ‘Oh I see, one of those, are you? One stroke and you are anybody’s?’
‘So is her owner.’
Will’s expression of mock horror soon put the colour back into Annie’s cheeks and she stuttered, ‘I’m not her owner. I meant my brother.’
‘Oh that’s disappointing I could have given you a really good scratch between your ears.’
Annie laughed. His sense of humour was making him more attractive by the minute: Mike had been so miserable all of the time. Will followed her into the kitchen. ‘Tea, coffee or, if you’ve finished for the day, would you like a glass of wine?’
‘After today the wine would go down very well but I best stick with the coffee. I still need to go back, update the missing person’s report and go over everything we have up to now, which isn’t very much.’
Annie busied herself making a pot of fresh coffee and hoped the disappointment didn’t show on her face.
Of course he can’t drink wine on duty, you idiot. You of all people should know that
. For a brief moment she had imagined the pair of them getting drunk. She would give anything not to be alone tonight.
‘I’d love to come up some other time though when I’m not working, if the offer is still open.’
‘Anytime you’re passing. If you’re passing. I’m not sure how long I’ll be staying here but it’s at least the next two months.’
They drank their coffee and chatted about work and Jake. When Will stood up to leave it was completely dark outside.
‘Thanks, Annie, that was really nice. Do I turn left at the bottom of this path? I’ve never been up here in the dark and I don’t fancy getting lost. I’d never live it down.’
Annie wasn’t sure whether he was joking or if he was just as scared as Jake had been but was too manly to say. ‘I can drop you off at your car if you want. I need to go to shopping.’
‘That would be great, I’d really appreciate it.’
Will climbed into her Mini with far more grace than she would have credited him for. She drove along the narrow lane and had a near miss with a dog walker who was dressed all in dark clothes with nothing remotely reflective on him apart from the handle of the dog lead.
‘Bloody hell! Who in their
Annie laughed. ‘He’s such a wimp. What can I do to help, Will?’
Will thought that Jake probably had the right idea because he couldn’t shake the feeling he was being watched: he didn’t like it. ‘You did say you have a key for the mansion, didn’t you?’
‘I do, would you like it?’
‘It’s just, I’m thinking we need to cover all our bases. I know there is no way she could get in but I need to check all the same and besides I’ve always wanted to go inside but it’s been boarded up as long as I can remember.’
‘Of course, but I really wouldn’t suggest going in there tonight. It’s a bit of a wreck and would be dangerous in the dark. Like I said, I didn’t see anything when I was in there earlier.’
Will shivered as the temperature dropped along with the rest of the daylight. ‘No, tomorrow is fine. What time is good for you?’
‘I’m up at the crack of dawn so come as soon as you start work. You’ll need some old clothes though, not fancy suits and Italian loafers.’
Will pretended to look hurt. ‘Are you disrespecting my Tesco designer suits and Matalan shoes? What’s wrong with this look?’
Annie giggled and he liked the way it transformed the mask of worry she had been wearing since he first saw her earlier.
‘Nothing. They are very nice but you wouldn’t want to ruin them, would you?’
He shrugged and turned to leave.
‘Would you like a coffee?’
He told her he would love one and she opened the gate. Tess, who had decided that Will was OK, was running around his legs almost tripping him up. ‘Is she being friendly or purposely trying to break my neck?’
‘Both. She’s a lovable pain in the arse.’
Will bent down to scratch behind her ears and she flopped down on her belly. ‘Oh I see, one of those, are you? One stroke and you are anybody’s?’
‘So is her owner.’
Will’s expression of mock horror soon put the colour back into Annie’s cheeks and she stuttered, ‘I’m not her owner. I meant my brother.’
‘Oh that’s disappointing I could have given you a really good scratch between your ears.’
Annie laughed. His sense of humour was making him more attractive by the minute: Mike had been so miserable all of the time. Will followed her into the kitchen. ‘Tea, coffee or, if you’ve finished for the day, would you like a glass of wine?’
‘After today the wine would go down very well but I best stick with the coffee. I still need to go back, update the missing person’s report and go over everything we have up to now, which isn’t very much.’
Annie busied herself making a pot of fresh coffee and hoped the disappointment didn’t show on her face.
Of course he can’t drink wine on duty, you idiot. You of all people should know that
. For a brief moment she had imagined the pair of them getting drunk. She would give anything not to be alone tonight.
‘I’d love to come up some other time though when I’m not working, if the offer is still open.’
‘Anytime you’re passing. If you’re passing. I’m not sure how long I’ll be staying here but it’s at least the next two months.’
They drank their coffee and chatted about work and Jake. When Will stood up to leave it was completely dark outside.
‘Thanks, Annie, that was really nice. Do I turn left at the bottom of this path? I’ve never been up here in the dark and I don’t fancy getting lost. I’d never live it down.’
Annie wasn’t sure whether he was joking or if he was just as scared as Jake had been but was too manly to say. ‘I can drop you off at your car if you want. I need to go to shopping.’
‘That would be great, I’d really appreciate it.’
Will climbed into her Mini with far more grace than she would have credited him for. She drove along the narrow lane and had a near miss with a dog walker who was dressed all in dark clothes with nothing remotely reflective on him apart from the handle of the dog lead.
‘Bloody hell! Who in their
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