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“You think it’s a set up?” I ask concerned.
“It’s possible and why you aren’t coming anywhere near it.” I go to interrupt, but Seb holds a hand up. “I have something else I want you to do. I want you to go with Jay and try to talk to Natalia again. She seems to trust you, so she might be more inclined to tell you something important.
“I can do that, but don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, Seb. I don’t need wrapping in cotton wool,” I tell him pointedly.
Jay laughs, and I see Seb shaking his head. “As if I could,” he mocks.
After clearing the dishes, Jay goes home, and we arrange to pick him up in the morning before going to the safe house. Seb and I sit in the lounge where we watch The Last Kingdom because I can’t believe he’s never watched it.
* * *
In the carthe next morning, Seb tells me he needs Natalia to agree to testify otherwise there won’t be a case. The voice recordings aren’t enough on their own. They need a witness, and Natalia is our only hope at the moment. I agree to try but tell him not to hold his breath because if I was her and the cartel were involved, I wouldn’t be jumping up and down to basically sign my own death warrant.
Dean is waiting outside when we arrive, and we say a quick hello before swapping places. I tell Seb to be careful, and he rolls his damn eyes making me want to poke them out at his blatant boldness. Before I can reprimand him for being a too confident jerk, he grabs me behind the neck and kisses me so thoroughly I forget why I’m mad at him.
It’s early and Natalia is still asleep, so Jay and I unpack the clothes and food we brought for her, and then Jay makes poached eggs on toast for breakfast. Just as he’s plating up, Natalia comes into the kitchen, bleary eyed, but otherwise looking much healthier than the last time I saw her.
“Hey. Jay made breakfast.” She hesitantly steps further into the kitchen and takes a seat at the small corner table. “How are you feeling?”
“Good, thank you,” she says before picking up her knife and fork and begins eating.
We eat in silence, and then when she’s finished, she turns to us and asks, “How long do you intend to keep me here?”
I’m a little taken aback by her question because I thought she understood that we are trying to help her.
“Natalia, you’re not a prisoner. We simple want to keep you safe, that’s all.”
“So, I am free to leave if I choose?”
Jay looks at me with a subtle shake of his head. Great. “Not exactly, no. We are concerned that whoever took you will be looking for you. Do you understand?”
“They will look, and they will find me, you can be sure of that. These men are not to be crossed. And I know what happens to those that go against them.”
“I understand that, but you are safe here, Natalia. We won’t let them hurt you again.” I almost promise, but I’m not stupid and know that’s a promise I might not be able to keep. “Natalia, what else can you tell us about these men?”
“I’m not telling you anything more. I’ve already said too much. And you can say I’m safe all you like, but if you work for the police then I am definitely not any safer with you than I am with them or even on my own.”
I look at Jay because whilst they don’t work for the police in the way she thinks, they do work alongside them.
Tempest has an exclusive clientele, and we already know of one detective that frequents there. The fact Jasper wasn’t there Friday could mean he either doesn’t know or chooses not to partake in the auctions, but that’s not to say there aren’t others who do.
Natalia doesn’t give me an opportunity to ask any other questions as she gets up from the table and trudges back upstairs.
“That went well,” I remark sarcastically.
“I’ll go talk to her in a bit. But she’s not wrong, you know.”
“You mean about the cops?” He nods. “Yeah, I know. I looked up the cartel she mentioned yesterday, and they are ruthless, Jay. If she’s right about them, then this goes much deeper than you, me and even Rick imagined. And that means that no one can be trusted.”
