Chapter 24
Det Cyntaf - First Date
Lucy
Investigating who might be sending the weird messages to Cai occupies us all the way to Glasgow.
With Aled on a video call, we pull apart IP addresses, pick through the lyrics for hidden messages, and call the number they’re coming from over and over. The coward doesn’t pick up. Googling the number proves fruitless, too.
We’re still at it when Deryn pulls the coach into another long driveway in the middle of nowhere. Grassfell House sits high on the North Ayrshire moors, isolated and moody-looking with dark grey clouds looming behind it. The house’s only neighbours are fields of heather and sheep.
‘Scotland stop number one,’ Deryn shouts from the driver’s seat. ‘Big posh house for Cai and his entourage.’
A row of golf carts wait at the approach, ready to ferry us to the white-bricked manor house.
There are fewer rooms here. It’ll only be the main group of us staying.
Me, Rhys, Bryn, Gethin, Cai and Bethan. The tour manager as well.
Everyone else will be stuck on the coach for another thirty minutes until they reach the original hotel in the middle of the city. I much prefer staying here.
Rhys is first out of his seat, chatting away to Gethin about the texts. I hang back, making sure everyone who needs to disembark does so. After a quick headcount, I step off and wave Deryn away.
Only one golf cart remains. Rhys hovers next to it, my suitcase already loaded alongside his. He plays with his phone, not bothering to lift his attention from it as I approach him.
‘Are you cancelling our date?’ The words spill out before I register speaking them. We can’t go on a date now. Not with the threat against Cai rising.
‘No!’ His eyebrow knits together and he shoves his phone into his pocket. ‘Unless you don’t want to go out with me anymore?’
‘Of course, I do. But I didn’t want you thinking we had to if you needed to stay here and work.’
‘Nah.’ He throws an arm over my shoulder and guides me towards the golf cart.
‘Not much more we can do right now. Said as much to Gethin. It’s all handed over to the police, you’ve ordered a new number for Cai, and I have his phone with me in case anything else gets sent.
And’ — he lowers his voice — ‘it’s the only evening I’m not working while we’re here, and I want to make the most of it.
With you. I’m going to have to rethink my plans since I didn’t realise how far away from Glasgow this house actually is.
Planning to murder us all when you booked it, was you? ’
I turn from him, tilting my head towards the house. ‘It really is the middle of nowhere. Perfect, isn’t it?’
He chuffs a laugh. ‘If you say so. You okay with staying here? Bryn’s good at his job, but—’
‘You’d rather be close. Just in case.’
‘Yeah. I’ll work something else out. Promise. Why don’t I come and get you at six?’
‘You’ve got a lot on your plate at the moment. I could always—’
He quiets me with a kiss. ‘No way. I’ve got a plan. Gotta make it work with what’s around the house. Trust me with this, will you?’
‘I trust you. A million percent.’ How could I not, when he’s keen to make plans for us.
When he mentioned us going out, I assumed we’d wing it, like we did at the market.
I didn’t consider that he might have made arrangements.
For one, he’s not the planning type and two, we’ve not exactly had much spare time.
Him cramming in the extra effort makes this evening all the more special.
‘Good. Leave it in my capable hands.’
At least the smile is back on his face, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. I wouldn’t be the most cheerful if someone were threatening Felicity the way they’re terrorising Cai. It’s a bit guilty-making that he feels the need to organise something for us, too.
I’m about to offer to take over, to sort something out for us so he doesn’t have to stress about it, but I swallow my words. He’d tell me if it was too much. Instead, I let him help me into the cart. As soon as he’s settled next to me, I slide my hand to his thigh and let him drive us to the house.
I let myself into my own room after the quickest allocation exercise ever. I’ve already got this down to a tee, and it’s only destination number two.
The bedroom at Grassfell House is more beautiful than the one in Manchester.
Decorated in light greys and creams, it’s clean and comfortable, even if it is the smallest suite in the house, and right next door to Cai and Bethan’s in case he needs something.
Most importantly, it’s quiet. The rush of the wind through the heather outside is the only thing I can hear. Perfect.
I lug my suitcase one-handed onto the luggage stand and sink into the small sofa at the foot of my bed, closing my eyes for a moment. My wrist aches. I rub the skin at the edge of the cast, trying to massage out some of the pain but it doesn’t help.
Moments like this, when I’m hurt or ill, are when I miss my dads the most. Pappa would force me into bed, build a pile of cushions to get my wrist elevated and pour pain killers into me every four hours.
Steve would load a boxset onto the TV to make sure I don’t go insane from the boredom – and Tom’s fussing.
But they’re over four hundred miles away. I’ve not called them to tell them about my injury. I haven’t had time.
The throbbing under the cast would be enough to drive me straight to bed under normal circumstances, but I don’t want to delay or cancel my date.
Rhys would understand. Heck, he’d probably be happy sneaking here and looking after me if I asked him to.
But he’s made such a big effort already and I don’t want to disappoint him.
Even if I doubt he’d grumble about it out loud.
I reach for my handbag and take two of the painkillers Bethan gave me.
I’ve no time to wallow. I’ve got a date to get ready for.
I stare at my suitcase, cataloguing what I packed.
What does one wear to a date with a colleague you were fighting with only a few weeks ago?
Especially when I don’t have a clue what I’m doing.
Should I dress up, or does the fact he fingered me earlier make what we’re doing a little more casual now?
Oh, God. My entire body cringes at the memory of letting him do that in Cai’s bed.
It usually takes me months before I get intimate with someone, and then I skip all rules and boundaries and go straight to my boss’s bedroom. What is Rhys doing to me?
Felicity would be my first port of call in this situation – fashion and career suicide both – but I can’t ring her now.
If she hears I’m going out with Rhys, she’ll drive all the way here to put a stop to it.
She still hasn’t gotten over him bitching me out to Gethin, even though I forgave him ages ago.
Bethan’s out of the question, too, since we’re keeping things quiet. Going to his sister isn’t exactly discreet.
Okay, I can do this. I’m an adult. I packed a perfectly good tea dress. It’ll do the job nicely. But first, I need a shower.
At precisely six o’clock, Rhys raps on my bedroom door. I rush to answer it, but pause with my hand on the knob. Calm it, Luce. I smooth a hand down my dress, check my reflection in the mirror on the wall next to me, then take a deep breath.
My first glance of Rhys makes me swoon. He’s dressed down, reinforcing my decision to pair trainers with my dress. His knitted jumper stretches over his chest, and his dark denim jeans are tight. I swallow my request to get him to do a little turn and instead match my grin to his.
‘Hey!’
‘Hey, yourself. God, you look’ — he pulls in a sharp breath as if composing himself — ‘beautiful.’
‘So do you. Look handsome, I mean. It’s… you look hot in those jeans.’
‘Oh, these old things? It’s only what I normally wear. Didn’t think to pack anything casual but tidy. Wasn’t planning on dating on this tour.’
‘Me neither.’
He steps towards me, but stops a little short of kissing distance.
His eyes flit along the corridor, to Cai’s closed bedroom door, then to me.
‘I want to kiss you, but we shouldn’t. Not here.
Everyone else is in the dining room, but it’s a risk.
We gotta sneak out while they’re all stuffing their faces. ’
‘You said you didn’t want to leave Cai.’
‘We’re not. We’ll be in shouting distance, but also they won’t be able to find us. Promise. Come on, let’s go.’
I want to take his hand, but I settle on keeping as close as I can without it looking too weird if we get stopped.
He leads me down the stairs, giving Bryn a quick nod before guiding me out of the front door.
Once we’re outside, he ushers me around the side of the building.
I snatch his hand as soon as I’m sure nobody’s watching us.
Good job it’s dry this evening. A small blessing.
‘I’m not complaining, but if everyone else is at dinner, where do they think we are?’
‘We’re at the police station in the city, giving a statement. We got a lift, which is why the hire car is on the drive. Had to leave it in case Bryn needs it.’ He squeezes my hand.
‘Not sure I’m comfortable about you lying to our employer, Rhys Pritchett. But I’m also kind of impressed.’
‘I’m not just a pretty face. I gave Bryn the same story, too, though I reckon he’s suspicious about us. Didn’t question it, and he’s happy to stand guard. Nobody else is allowed out, because, you know… risks.’
‘And where are you taking me if we’re not using the car?’
‘Here.’ He stops in front of an old barn lingering on the outskirts of the grounds. Warm, yellow light radiates from behind the closed doors. ‘Everyone’s having Chinese. Made Gethin think it was his idea so I could make sure we had enough for a small picnic for us.’