The Master Of Rain by Tom Bradby

Author:Tom Bradby [Bradby, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller

Twenty-seven

The process took longer than Field had thought. The Chinese sergeant refused to let Natasha go without someone from C.1 signing her out and wouldn’t budge even when Field got angry. Caprisi was nowhere to be found, and in the end Field had to summon Macleod to the phone, to tell the desk officer to do as he was asked.

He didn’t want to bother with arranging a car, so they got a rickshaw outside and crammed in together. He was conscious of the fact that their legs were touching. She made no attempt to move away.

Natasha let him into her flat. She slipped off her raincoat and stood in the middle of the room. She wore a simple, dark blue dress, cut close. Its hem rose above her knee as she ran her fingers through her hair.

“Do you want something to drink?” Her voice was an octave lower.

“No thanks.”

“Tea?”

“No.”

“You want something to eat?”

“No, I had lunch… of sorts.”

“You don’t think I can cook? Most Russian girls can’t. Lena couldn’t boil an egg when she came here. But my mother died when I was a little girl, and sometimes I used to cook for my father.”

“Perhaps sometime… you could cook me something.”

She smiled for the first time today and it lifted his spirits. “I’d like that.”

“Perhaps tonight.”

“Perhaps.”

Field did not know if that was a yes or a no. “But you must be hungry. Please don’t let me stop you.”

“I can wait.”

Natasha sat down, indicating that he should do the same, but the atmosphere had changed now.

“I hope you’re not thinking that your freedom comes without cost.”

She looked at her shoes. When she raised her head, Field saw that she was smiling.

“What’s so funny?”

“You are funny. I’m watching you wrestle with yourself.”

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“Do you want me, Mr. Field, or will you reject me? Which of you will win?”

“I’m doing my job.”

“Of course you are.” She stood, walked to the mantelpiece, and took down a packet of cigarettes. She lit one and then sat back down, her dress riding up her thigh.

Field’s throat felt dry.

“Is it because you think I belong to him? Does that disgust you?”

“You do have to help me.” Field no longer trusted his voice, which sounded as if it belonged to someone else.

“I don’t have to do anything.”

He stared at her. “Have you ever seen the inside of a Shanghai prison?”

“No.”

“I doubt you’d survive a month.”

“Perhaps you’d be doing me a favor.”

“If that’s what you think, I might as well take you back right now.”

“You cannot hide behind your badge.”

“You don’t believe we can protect you from Lu?”

“Half of you work for him.”

“And you think-”

“No. That’s why I’m talking to you.” She shook her head in irritation. “Please. Do what you want with me, but don’t talk about this anymore.” She took a deep breath. “You ask me if I know who Lena was seeing, but I don’t. She was secretive those last few months.”

“She told you nothing about him?”

Natasha shook her head.

“And yet you lived next door.

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