Page 115 of Criminally Yours

“Three days? Why three days?”

“I can’t trust you, Randolph. Everything involving your family this week has risked Millie, and now it’s threatened my team. I need time to ensure the safety of the people around me.”

Millie rubbed the hand that Finshaw had hurt. Strike stared at the movement, gripping the table and gritting his teeth.

“I’m a politician with a reputation as a family man. You can trust me. I will leave you alone until you visit our house.”

Strike scowled at the phone. “I can’t take your word after everything. If Millie or any of my people feel unsafe for even one second, I’ll go to the press. We’ve given you and your family the benefit of the doubt, but you’ve fucked with us multiple times.” His arms shook. “Three days where you don’t come near us, or you’ll suffer the consequences.”

“Don’t threaten me, Strike.”

“It’s not a threat. It’s an assurance. Tell Hugo to stay away as well. We’ll see you both at Speavington House at eleven a.m. Sunday morning.”

“I look forward to it.”

The phone went dead.

“You heard him, Finshaw,” Strike groused as he untied him, and he and Bear dragged him out of the house, Roy behind them.

A few minutes later, Bear returned alone. “Finshaw’s gone.”

“I’ll go to Strike,” Millie said, walking to the door.

“Leave him for a second.” Bear squeezed her shoulder. “I’ve not seen him like this in a long time.”

Millie stared at the doorway, her chest tightening. “Why three days until I see Randolph?”

“Because Luke thinks he’s close to retrieving the video, and what we said about preparing the team was true,” Bear replied. “Also, I heard today that the victim might be improving.”

Three days with Strike like this. Her future was blurry, but it wouldn’t be for much longer.

CHAPTER 49

Strike

Strike explained the plan in detail once he and Millie returned to Stal’s Cornish home.

The victim Hugo stabbed still hadn’t woken, but the tests suggested he might soon. Three days would help, if someone else didn’t get to him first.

“I’m surprised you can share the plan when you’re struggling.”

“What do you mean?” But he knew. He was doing everything he could to stop shaking and revealing the swells of rage he was drowning under. The drive should have helped, but each thought brought another wave, leaving him on the edge of destroying everything around him.

Everything but her.

“You’re fisting your hands, and the muscles in your forearms are throbbing. You need to fight something. You can’t stop pacing.”

Strike froze. “I’m fine.”

Millie closed her eyes and shook her head.

The way she’d wanted to touch him after he’d fucked up Finshaw made it worse.

He couldn’t manage who he was around her. He strode toward the front door, desperate to isolate himself.

“Do you think they’ll leave us alone for three days?” she asked, stopping him.

“Yes. I learnt when I was Randolph’s bodyguard that he’s scared of press intrusion. We need to be cautious, but we have a little freedom,” he replied between gritted teeth.