The Liberation of Alice Love(76)
Author: Abby McDonald

Alice said nothing. She knew it might sound absurd to anyone else, but she really did know Ella now—more than she ever had when they were supposedly friends. The scraps of her life she’d left on the paper trail added up to something more than a blank debit outline: they were moments in her life, dozens of tiny choices.

“I just worry what’s going to happen in the end of all this.” Nathan looked at her, affection clear in his eyes. “When you don’t find what you’re looking for.”

Alice had a different concern: what happened when she did?

But as they sat, Nathan’s body warm beside her, Alice realized what he was offering—and how much she might lose if he found out the true extent of her investigations. He followed the rules, he’d made that clear, and here she was accumulating a whole library of little white lies in pursuit of her truth.

“Maybe you’re right,” she replied carefully. “Maybe I should just let it all go. Stop looking for her, the money—everything.”

“It wouldn’t be like she’d won,” Nathan agreed. “But you’d be saving yourself all this trouble.” He put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer. Alice let herself lean into him, soothed by the steady rise and fall of his chest as a group of people clattered past, their heels tapping on the cobblestones. She felt guilty for what was about to come next, but the opportunity was too convenient not to take.

When the people were out of sight, she slipped her fingers through his free hand, closing it around her palm. “So, should we stop?”

“Looking for Ella, you mean?”

“And the money.” Alice held her breath. It would be such a simple way out; no threat of anyone else tracking it back to Safe Haven, no messy questions tainting their good intentions or Ella’s good deed. It could all just be forgotten to everyone—except her.

Nathan drew back slightly to look at her. “You’d be OK with that?”

“I think so,” Alice lied.

“Then I reckon it’s for the best.” Nathan sounded relieved. “It can’t have been easy for you, having this constant reminder that she betrayed your trust.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Alice murmured. He was wrong: the constant reminder was a good thing—urging her on to delve deeper, risk more. But she didn’t want the chance of the police to find Ella before she did. No, Alice wanted to look Ella in the eye herself and have her know she was the one who found her. Not such a dupe anymore.

“We should get back,” she said brightly, pulling her sandals on again. “Before I get so tired you have to carry me to the car.”

“I could manage a piggyback.” Nathan grinned. He got up and offered his hands: pulling Alice to her feet, and then further, close against him.

“Thank you, for everything.” She stopped for a second. “You’ve been…really great, helping me out with this.”

“Hey, it’s been my pleasure.” He gave her a lopsided grin, clearly flirtatious again. “It certainly made my life more interesting for the while.”

“I think your life was interesting enough,” Alice managed to tease, beginning to walk. “Jaunts to the Caymans, Switzerland…”

Nathan laughed. “I wasn’t talking about the travel.”

Alice felt herself blush, just a little.

“But you’ll drop it now?” Nathan’s tone became more serious. “I know you wanted answers, but every case has a natural life span. This one is just…over.”

Alice nodded, so she wouldn’t have to lie again.

“So I guess this means you won’t need me to bail you out anymore…” He carefully slipped his arms around Alice’s waist.

“That was one time!” she relaxed against him, banishing the sense of guilt. “You’re not going to let me forget it, are you?”

“Nope.” Nathan’s eyes were playful, but they were still intent enough to make Alice’s breath catch. As he lowered his lips to hers, she smiled to herself.

Ella, for now, could wait.

Chapter Twenty-six

And that, it seemed, should have been the end of it: Nathan wrapped up his investigation, the bank refunded her savings, and Alice’s credit rating was restored to its former faultless glory. To anyone else, it appeared that Ella’s brief swath of havoc had been mended, and there was no need to spend any more time dwelling on it all.

But Alice couldn’t let go.

Over the next few weeks, she found herself busier than she could remember: working hard at the agency to establish her new clients and to keep on top of the pile of regular contract tasks, dashing across the city for drinks or dates with Nathan. But through it all, Ella remained a constant presence, lingering in the back of Alice’s mind. Soon, her frustration grew. The dead end that had been Kate Jackson almost seemed to taunt her; she knew there was some vital lead she’d overlooked, a piece of data that might just reveal everything, but no matter how many hours she pored over her files, she just couldn’t find it.

“Earth to Alice!”

Somebody snapped their red polished fingertips mere inches from her face; Alice jolted back to reality to find Cassie staring at her expectantly.

“Oh, sorry!” She slipped down from her stool and greeted her with a hug. “Hi! How are you?”

“I’ll be better with some vodka inside of me.” Rolling her black-rimmed eyes, Cassie shrugged off her leather jacket, revealing a wisp of a white silk that was almost entirely transparent under the spotlights of the cramped, tiny club. “God, it was mayhem on set today. It’s like they’ve never seen Brad in the flesh before.” She paused a moment, letting her gaze drift over Alice’s figure-skimming black jersey dress, draped low to show more than a hint of cle**age. A knowing smile spread over her face. “So, come on, what’s his name?”

“Hmm?” Alice blinked.

“The man you’re f**king.” Cassie gave her a mischievous grin. “’Cause it’s obvious you’re getting something.”

Alice laughed. “I’m not! Well, yet,” she added, with a meaningful look. “And his name is Nathan.”

“Thank God!” Cassie exclaimed, summoning the bartender with a dramatic hair-toss. “I was beginning to think you’d taken vows. I was going to offer Vitolio’s services, for the good cause.”

“Cassie! I can’t believe you.” Alice laughed. “What are you, his pimp?”