Undercover by Gerard Brennan Read Free Book Online Page B

to the check-in desk. The orange-faced Ryanair rep beckoned them forward from the red line on the floor they'd obediently stopped behind despite there being no queue. The rep rattled through her list of security questions in a robotic voice and was satisfied with Rory's equally robotic answers. Then she weighed and sent Rory's case down the conveyor belt.
    As the case disappeared behind a rubber flap curtain Rory came to a realisation. He pointed at Lydia's hand luggage.
    "Is that all you're bringing with you?"
    "Em, yeah? You realise that I haven't got John and Mattie with me either, don't you?" Her insides knotted at the thought of her family but she kept herself in check. Maintained a mask of calm.
    Rory's face reddened. He coughed into his fist. "Aye, right enough. Sorry, I've only just woke up to be honest." He drained the dregs of his Red Bull can and shuddered with displeasure. "So what's the story? They taking a later flight?"
    "No, I'm going to come back in a few days and finish up the week with them. No point cutting their holiday short when it's only a quick flight back over. It wouldn't have been fair on Mattie."
    "Thought you said he was bored."
    Lydia picked at an imaginary thread on the sleeve of her coat. Her eyes stung with the threat of tears. "Well, yeah, but you know kids. They'd get bored on a rollercoaster then moan when the ride ends."
    Rory shrugged. He hadn't a clue about kids and didn't pretend otherwise.
    Airport veterans both, Lydia and Rory breezed through the security process. They had all their toiletries in clear plastic bags, wore slip-on shoes and didn't bother with belts. When they got to the departure lounge, Rory led them straight to the coffee shop. Lydia's mouth watered at the smell of fresh scones, bagels and fried bacon but when Rory offered to buy her breakfast she passed.
    "That's the second time you've knocked me back in two days. One more KB and you might just hurt my feelings."
    She forced a smile. "It's not you, it's me."
    "You'll waste away."
    "Chance would be a fine thing."
    "Ach, wise up, you eejit. I could pick you up and stick you in my pocket."
    A devilish look crossed his face and he stepped towards her with his arms outstretched. "Come here and I'll show you."
    Lydia reeled backwards. "Stop it. Don't touch me." She crossed her arms in front of her breasts and shuddered.
    Rory's face dropped as if she'd just slapped him. "Fuck's sake, Lydia. I was only joking." He slipped his hands into his hip pockets and bunched his shoulders. His expression went from angry to bewildered.
    Her skin crawled at the memory of the previous night's humiliation. She could still feel the bastard's sticky fingerprints on her face. Organising the flight to London and trailing Rory out of his bed had allowed her to push her disgust to the back of her mind, but one little joke was all it took to bring the horror back with a vengeance. She couldn't act like this around Rory, though. For the sake of John and Mattie, she tried to shake it off. She forced a laugh that had as much humour about it as a death rattle.
    "Ignore me. You just caught me off guard. Didn't mean anything by it. I'm dead tired and, you know, it's that time of the month and all..."
    Rory's face scrunched up for a second then ironed back out to expressionless cool. He nodded meaningfully and then turned to study the chalkboard menu behind the coffee shop counter. She knew it was a cheap trick to play the "time of the month" card but it had done the business.
    Without turning to face her Rory asked, "Will you have a coffee, even?"
    "How about a bottle of water?"
    "No sweat."
    She dropped her overnight bag at his feet. "Will you watch this while I nip to the ladies?"
    He waved her away, a little too eagerly. She hadn't the time to worry about it. On the way to the toilets she dug her phone out of her pocket and called the office. Gloria, her PA, picked up.
    "Benson and Gallagher. Can I help you?"
    "I hope so."
    "Oh, hi, boss. How's