Nothing to Hide by James Oswald

Author:James Oswald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2019-07-24T23:00:00+00:00

We stare at each other, motionless, for what feels like minutes but is likely only a few heartbeats. He doesn’t make a sound. One of the professional bodyguards, then. I realise my phone camera is still recording video at the same time as he reaches to snatch it away from me. That’s not happening.

I palm the phone as I duck and twist, ready to make good my escape. I’m not exactly doing anything wrong here, but the heavy security presence doesn’t bode well. Two steps and I reckon I’m away, but then my foot clatters against the pile of chairs.

‘Security!’ His shout is loud enough to wake the dead, although whether it can be heard over the ecstatic wails of the young woman in the middle of the hall is anyone’s guess. I’m too busy smacking my shins against chair legs and struggling to regain my balance to care. Stay classy, Con.

At least the fallen stack slows the bodyguard from following. I’m limping badly as I push through the half-open doorway and hobble into the street. A glance to the far end, where the front of the hall opens up onto a small square, shows three more burly acolytes appearing around the corner. My car is that way, which buggers up my chances of escaping to it. At least they’re hesitant, getting their bearings before charging at me. That’s the only thing that saves me from being caught.

Behind me, the first bodyguard has made it through the maze of fallen chairs and is shoving his way through the door. I pause just long enough to pull over the nearest wheelie bin to block his route, then half run, half grimace away. My only advantage is that they’re none of them locals. I know these streets well enough, and better yet I know where the pubs are. The ones that will be full of people, and which have handy back doors I can escape through.

Heart pounding, I do my best to ignore the pain in my ankle as I dart down a narrow close. It’s tempting to pause and pull more obstacles in the way of my pursuers, but speed is more important. I risk a glance backwards and see two people in pursuit, worrying since there should be four. I might know these streets, but it’s been a while. Have they doubled back in an attempt to head me off? Or is my infringement not important enough to justify that amount of manpower? Maybe they’ve gone back to guarding Masters. He pays their wages, after all.

The first pub I reach is closed, which wasn’t part of the plan at all. My pursuers are still following me, although they’re not running to catch up now, which is reassuring. I’ve got my hoodie up, and I’m fairly sure the first bodyguard didn’t get a good look at me. Maybe that’s what this is all about, simply them trying to identify me. It’s not as if Masters is heading up some crime syndicate and I just filmed them planning their next drug run.

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