Miss No One Mark Ayre (children's books read aloud TXT) 📖

his daughter's life. If he did, Abbie wasn't sure what she would do. Ndidi had no information for her, but Abbie needed him to find Becker and Isabella.

"I'm Isabella's father," said Ndidi at last. The anger was like storm clouds, and now they were breaking, releasing the rain of misery rather than the storm of fury. “I’ve lost my wife. I have to live with having failed her, but I cannot fail Isabella. She’s my world but also my responsibility. Please, I'm begging you, don’t stand in my way. Let me proceed in the way I believe is right."

Again he looked around the room, and this time his gaze lingered on Christine and Ana, perhaps believing they were more likely to give in than was Abbie. Maybe that was true, but it wouldn't matter. Abbie was taking control of this situation. Neither Ana nor Christine nor both combined could convince her to change her mind.

"I'm sorry," said Abbie. "But your feelings aren't my priority. Isabella is, and while you may not trust or believe me, I can assure you I've been saving lives a long time, and I seldom fail. I'll give everything to save Isabella, but that means doing this the way I believe is right because that's the only way I know how."

Now Ana and Christine were looking at the floor. They couldn't meet the gaze of Ndidi because they empathised with his position. They couldn't meet Abbie's eye because they were unsure she was doing the right thing.

If they thought Abbie was sure, they were wrong. Guilt and indecision seemed to mingle with her blood and flow through her veins. Ndidi was Isabella's father, so what right did Abbie have to take control of any efforts to save the child?

Self-loathing crept in. All Abbie could say to soothe herself was that she believed she derived some right from whatever force had sent to her the dream that forewarned of the grave situation Isabella faced. Because of that, she couldn't give up control. Wouldn't. If she had to hate herself to get the job done, so be it.

The die was already cast.

"I know this is difficult, and I know you hate me," said Abbie, "but for now, having Rachel here makes no difference to having her at your place. Orion's only told you what you need to know, so, as of now, I guess you have no idea where you'll be expected to take Rachel or when. You're awaiting his next call with further instructions. Is that right?"

For a while, Ndidi didn't answer. But silence wouldn't get him any closer to achieving his aims, so, in the end, he gave a single curt nod.

"Okay," said Abbie, nodding back. "Then here’s what I suggest."

As she spoke, she turned and walked through to the kitchen. She withdrew a new glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. After taking a couple of swigs, she tilted the cup towards the living room.

"Drink, anyone?"

Ana glanced at Christine, who was looking at her feet. Abbie reached into the cupboard and withdrew three more tall glasses.

"We should keep clear heads," she said, sensing Christine was trying to be strong and that Ana didn't want to give her an excuse to be weak. "Water? Water?"

She looked at Christine, then Ana as she asked the questions. Both gave rueful nods.

Abbie filled two more glasses, and brought them to the living room, handed them to the two women. She returned to the kitchen, took another swig of her own water, and raised the final empty glass towards Ndidi.

"Come on then, Detective, what's it going to be? Water okay?"

"I'm expecting a suggestion," growled Ndidi. "So why don't you stop messing around with glasses and tell me what you were going to say."

Abbie considered, then placed the glass on the side and nodded.

"Fair enough, the suggestion is this: we four, plus our guest, hole up here until Orion calls you with further instructions. When he does, I’ll tell you how I plan to save your daughter, based on what he's said. If I can convince you, great, we go ahead. If I can't, you take Rachel and walk away. You follow Orion's plan and trust he's a man of his word. I won't want to let you do that, but at least I’ll know you're walking away having properly weighed up your options."

From the counter, Abbie collected the glass again and again tipped it towards Ndidi.

"What do you say, Detective?"

From the living room, Ndidi stared at Abbie and tried to make his decision. She knew he was playing everything she'd said over in his mind and trying to decide if Abbie could be trusted.

She couldn't. Her words were meaningless because whatever Ndidi decided after Orion called, Abbie wasn't giving up control of this operation. But that was okay. Hopefully, she could convince him to involve her by then. If she couldn't... well, they'd cross that bridge when they reached it.

For now...

Ndidi sighed. Pointed to the glass.

"Fill it to the brim. Dealing with you's made me thirsty."

Thirty-Two

While Christine tried to figure out where they were all going to sleep, cramped into that tiny living room, Abbie crossed the hall and entered the bedroom.

It was dark. Christine’s bedside lamp was on, but it only cast a small circular glow across the table, the floor on that side of the room, and Christine's half of the room. It didn't reach the side of the bed on which Christine's boyfriend might sleep, were he allowed to stay with her during her undercover operation. It certainly didn't reach the floor on the other side, or the radiator beneath the window, and the woman handcuffed bound and gagged to it.

"Damn, you must be bored," said Abbie.

Her eyes were fast adjusting to the light. The shape pressed against the radiator was morphing into a human. Within another few seconds, Abbie would probably be able to make out some of the woman's facial features. Maybe those furious eyes. But none of that would be necessary.

Abbie