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Adam did not look particularly enamoured with Jonathan’s prescribed choice of birthday entertainment, but (alas) it was not his decision to make. If it were, there would undoubtedly be more female flesh on display. Nevertheless, he gave what he hoped was an agreeable smile, though it came off as little more than a grimace.“The Trick Joint it is,” he said. “I guess you’ll be wanting decent seats?”Jonathan nodded eagerly. “Yeah. You couldn’t go and save us a table, could you? I just need to check over a few things for tomorrow’s show.”“I suppose I can oblige,” he agreed grudgingly. Extending an arm towards the exit, he indicated for Maddy to go ahead of him. “After you, Madeline.”She glanced at Jonathan, who gave a barely visible head-shake, and blurted out an excuse she hoped sounded convincing.“Um, actually, I’m… I could do with the loo. You go, Adam. We’ll catch you up in a bit.”Completely oblivious, Adam retracted his arm. “Fair enough. I’ll see you there.”Maddy watched his retreating back as he walked the length of the auditorium and disappeared into the foyer, the door closing behind him. When she was sure he was clear of the building, she turned to face Jonathan, who was leaning back against the stage and reading the blurb on the back cover of the book she’d bought him.“Why so desperate to get rid of him?” she asked.He put the book down carefully, on top of Adam’s gift set.“So I could say ‘thank you’ properly.”“What do you mean, prop—“Her question was cut short by Jonathan reaching out, pulling her towards him, and kissing her thoroughly. The surprise of it caught her off guard, her balance faltering enough that she had to hold onto him for a moment afterwards; he was quickly learning it was the most effective way of rendering her temporarily speechless.“Erm. Right. Safe to say I did well with that one, then?” she surmised, once she’d recovered.“It’s brilliant,” he enthused. “Absolutely brilliant. I wanted to do that as soon as I opened it, but...”“Still haven’t told him yet?”They’d finally decided to come clean a few days ago, as it was becoming more and more apparent that Adam had figured it out for himself. Rather than face an awkward confrontation if and when he inevitably pulled them up on it, Jonathan preferred to get a head start.“Not quite. I’ve been waiting for the opportune moment, but with the show coming up it’s been a bit difficult.”Indeed, preparation for the latest magical extravaganza had kept Jonathan so busy that Maddy had barely seen him, which turned out to be quite fortuitous when Barry decided to send her off to see a potential client in New York – another crime writer whom he was rather keen to have on the books. The meeting went swimmingly, and she had the remaining three days to herself – two of which were spent trying to find the elusive book she’d acquired for Jonathan. That part was most definitely true, even though she’d mentioned it offhandedly so as not to show up Adam’s last-minute, egotistical gesture. Jonathan knew she’d been on the trip; until now, he had no idea how she’d spent the time there.“Anyway,” he added, “a few weeks ago, you didn’t want to tell anyone.”“I know,” she said, “but a few weeks ago, things were different. Besides, he’s already noticed something’s going on. It won’t be long before he puts two and two together.”“Are you saying I’m transparent?”She was about to make some kind of sarcastic comment about the fact that he was often very transparent indeed… but something about the look he was giving her caused her breath to catch. The majority of the time, interpreting Jonathan’s silences was easy – he was either pondering over their latest mystery, or planning another grand illusion for Adam Klaus – but lately, neither of those options seemed to fit.She still hadn’t given him an answer, so she muttered the first thing that came to mind.“Maybe… translucent.”“You what?”“Oh, never mind. Come on, then – let’s hope Adam hasn’t sat us right at the back…” —J|M—
A day later…
Disconnecting the call, Jonathan could only stare incredulously as Maddy gave him an embarrassed smile from the back of the stage. As she hit the ‘End Call’ button, Jonathan ambled over.“I’ve been trying to call you all bloody morning,” he complained, not even attempting to hide his exasperation, “not to mention last night.”“I know,” she blurted out, flinching. “Sorry. You’re absolutely right, obviously, about me seeing you get into that woman’s car. I got Adam to drop me home and spent all night thinking of new and creative alternatives to the phrase ‘two-timing bastard’.”Jonathan had opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it closed in surprise. Whatever he had been about to say did not reach fruition, stopped in its tracks by the concept that she considered they’d reached a point where betrayal was a danger.A little oblivious, Maddy continued, “You wouldn’t have wanted to talk to me last night, anyway. I was most of the way through a bottle of wine when you turned up, and halfway through my second by the time you tried to ring.” “Probably just as well you ignored my calls, then. Two bottles is a bit much, though. That’s an overreaction even for you…”“All right,” she conceded, caving under his gentle persuasion and curiosity. “Maybe Adam’s comment struck a nerve more than I thought.”“What comment?”“’Not exactly underweight’,” she quoted. Jonathan mouthed an ‘oh’, but let her carry on. “I mean, I brushed it off, at the time, but then… I dunno, I saw you get into that car and something clicked in my head all of a sudden that—"“Good God, is that what this is about?” spluttered Jonathan incredulously. “Just because Adam upset you and I got in some strange woman’s car?”Sobriety (and a killer hangover) had brought along more sensible thought patterns, and the more logical and likely reason for Jonathan’s late-night meeting had formed in her brain almost immediately on waking. It was hardly surprising people would recognise him and ask for help with their strange problems.“Sorry,” she said again, biting her lower lip sheepishly. “I hope I didn’t ruin your birthday.”He shook his head absently. Yes, she had effectively deprived him of a bed for the night, and the wait for the last train had hardly been pleasant, but at least there’d been something else to think about when calling Maddy and leaving pleading messages had failed. Fathoming her out didn’t get any easier, but at least she was becoming more forthcoming with an explanation.“Look,” he said, his tone mock-serious, “Adam’s got less tact than a Pritt-Stick at the best of times; get a few beers down his neck and he turns into a caveman. But I happen to fancy you, if you hadn’t noticed. Quite a lot, as it goes.”He gave a half-smile to convey what he was too cowardly to say, and she seemed to understand.“Well,” she said, leaning up to give him a kiss, “that’s all right, then.”He assumed he was forgiven.It occurred to them both, on the subsequent walk to the pub, that the conversation hadn’t gone too badly, all things considered. Only a few weeks ago, Maddy’s reaction would have triggered a heated discussion, maybe even a row, followed by a few days of icy silence on her part and grovelling on his, until she considered he’d suffered enough. For the first time, a sincere apology had been forthcoming, not to mention a brief glimpse into the strange workings of her mind.Perhaps he could have been more honest, in retrospect. She had, after all, laid a very sensitive issue at his feet. His initial reaction had been to quash any and all fears immediately, but he simply didn’t know how to do so, at least not without it sounding horribly contrived. He fell back onto familiar joviality because it was easier, but at least she’d got the message.It wasn’t until very much later, after he’d recounted Karen’s story and they were on their way to the police station, that Maddy likewise admitted that she happened to fancy him, too. Quite a lot, as it went.Well, at least they were on the same page.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Frog Hollow…
She barely saw the playing card leave Jonathan’s hand before the shots rang out overhead, echoing through the surrounding countryside, her would-be kidnapper going down instantly from the shot to his shoulder. It was just as well she was already on the floor because of her fake swoon, because now her legs had turned completely to jelly.Maddy’s first instinct was to get as far away as possible, but she was struggling even to crawl, let alone stand. The warmth of Jonathan’s arm wrapped around her shoulders at that point, so instead she allowed herself to collapse against him until her limbs would cooperate.The enormity of what had just happened dawned. “If you’d missed…I’d be dead.”“I did,” he replied. “I was aiming for his balls.” He was trying to make light of the situation and defuse it, but she could feel his hands shaking.Jonathan adjusted his uncomfortable, crouching stance to kneel beside her. The police were too busy fussing over the fallen criminal to pay them any attention, and the jeep behind them jolted as various officers boarded and disembarked. The crackle of radios and the barely audible sound of approaching sirens served to create a strange atmosphere of organised panic.“Are you okay?” he finally managed to ask.She gave a weak nod and attempted to suppress a shudder, without success.“God,” she said, “you think you’re safe with someone, just because they’re dressed like a copper… He could have been anyone. Done anything.”Jonathan found himself reaching for her hand instinctively, giving it a comforting squeeze.“But he didn’t,” he said reassuringly, “that’s the important thing.”Maddy fought off a sudden wave of nausea at the prospect of what might have happened.“I want to go home.”“No can do, I’m afraid.” The voice of Detective Inspector Gallow floated over their heads. The criminal was now cuffed and held fast by two uniformed police officers, and an ambulance had pulled into the clearing. A pair of paramedics jumped out of the cabin and the gunman was bodily manoeuvred into the back of the jeep for treatment to his wound.The D.I. continued, “The medics want to check you over, Miss Magellan. Just to be sure. In case of shock, you know.”She looked at Jonathan for confirmation, and that was the only proof he needed – as if the entire ordeal hadn’t been enough on its own – that she would be better off in the capable hands of professionals. With a nod, he managed to coax her to stand up; thankfully, her legs supported her weight, and the D.I. waved her gently towards the ambulance.A few feet away from the vehicle, she seemed all of a sudden to snap out of it and change her mind.“This really isn’t necessary,” she said, “I feel fine.” The D.I. seemed wholly unconvinced, and Jonathan raised a sceptical eyebrow. (Though to be fair, it had been twitching since the slug incident.) “Honestly,” she continued, “I’m fine.”She came to a standstill, pulling her thin jacket around herself in what she hoped was a nonchalant manner, and attempting to hide the fact that she was now shivering. One of the paramedics sat patiently on the back step of the ambulance with a first aid kit by his side and a gentle smirk on his face; he’d obviously seen this sort of thing before.The D.I. was called away again, excusing himself with a polite gesture and leaving Jonathan to deal with the stubborn patient.“I really think you should—““Jonathan, I’m fine,” she stated firmly, now beginning to quake all the more violently.Jonathan rolled his eyes, removed his duffel coat, and wrapped it around her shoulders in a firm but gentle manner.“You are not fine,” he told her in a no-nonsense tone of voice. “Now, for once in your life, stop arguing, do as you’re told, and get in the bloody ambulance.”She pulled the coat tighter and looked at him quizzically. He adopted his severest business expression, and when that failed to elicit the correct response, placed both hands on her shoulders.“Please?”Their gazes met for a moment, and despite the fact that her heart was racing erratically from the adrenaline, nonetheless she felt a momentary skip at the concern on his face. She hadn’t realised at the time, but he had obviously been just as terrified as she was. It made his feat with the playing card all the more impressive.She nodded, dropping her head. Jonathan gave a sigh of relief and guided her towards the ambulance, sat her down next to the paramedic, and left them to it.A quiet evening was definitely called for, if they ever got back to civilisation. And chocolate. That much was obvious; for all his generic failings with women, chocolate always seemed to be the answer to most of life’s problems.He went to retrieve his playing card from where it had ricocheted into the field. As he stooped to pick it up, a patch of blood-stained grass caught his eye, still glistening ominously from the gunshot wound to the man’s shoulder. He grabbed the card, bolted behind the police jeep, and promptly threw up. Ordinarily, the sight of blood alone was enough to induce nausea to Jonathan’s delicate constitution. In this case, he was not so much concerned by whose blood it was, but rather whose it was not.Recovering, he sat down on the back footplate of the jeep, attempting to regroup his sanity. The events of the past few minutes were something of a blur; one minute he’d been ferreting around in the glove compartment of the car for her mobile, the next there was a policeman looming behind him. His immediate instinct was to apologise and hastily explain that he wasn’t trying to steal the vehicle, but it soon transpired not to be necessary.The police back-up team, overseeing the cottage from afar, had seen him leave the building and climb the hill, and their immediate assumption was that he was the one responsible for taking out their colleague. It became apparent very quickly that Jonathan had no clue what they were on about – and in any case, what kind of criminal just casually walked away from a crime scene that was under police surveillance? As the realisation dawned, Jonathan felt sick with fear and guilt; he’d left Maddy at the mercy of who-knew-what.“Oh, God…” he remembered saying. “It wasn’t just me. There were two of us. My… my…” His brain froze; he couldn’t think of how to describe them, not in any kind of way that would make sense to complete strangers, but time was of the utmost importance – so he improvised. “My friend is still in there.”Then he was in the jeep, getting briefed in the more subtle nuances of rectifying hostage situations, before finding himself in the unenviable position of having to make a snap decision that could very well inform the difference between life and death…He came back to himself again as Maddy approached, the duffel coat folded in her arms.“Given the all clear,” she explained. “Just minor shock. Nothing a good cup of tea won’t solve, apparently. Actually, I could murder a Mars Bar.”He had to smile at that.Soon enough, D.I. Gallow joined them again, followed by another officer in uniform.“We’d best get you two home,” he said. “This is P.C. Drake – show them your badge, Constable – all kosher, I assure you. He’ll drop you off in the squad car and we’ll send someone to pick up your vehicle for you.”“Thanks,” said Jonathan.“Very messy business, all this. Just sorry you had to get involved.” Neither of them said anything. “Well, get some rest. We’ll need you down the station tomorrow morning for a statement.”They dispensed with farewells and followed the constable to the waiting car, where another officer sat in the front passenger seat. Jonathan and Maddy clambered into the back, Jonathan provided his address and some vague directions and landmarks, and they were shortly on their way.For the first few minutes of the journey, Maddy stared out of the window at the passing countryside, until hedgerows blocked the view. Jonathan extended an arm, not entirely sure how she would react to the gesture. Instead of the resistance he had expected, she gave him a thankful expression and moved closer, resting her head on his shoulder. After a while, her breathing slowed and he realised she’d nodded off. Moving awkwardly with only one free arm, Jonathan managed to unfold his duffel coat and cover her with it.Maddy dozed fitfully through the journey to Briar Hollow. It was only during the very first quiet moment of sleep that Jonathan allowed himself the luxury of placing a kiss to her brow, if only to reassure himself that the horrible ordeal was over.—J|M—
Some time later...
Maddy stumbled groggily up the staircase and made a beeline for the sofa, still half-asleep and muzzy from the journey. She didn’t question his decision to come to the windmill, understanding his reasons as easily as if they were her own. She didn’t want to admit that being alone was completely out of the question, and the windmill was the best place to be, despite – or perhaps because of – its uncivilised surroundings. Besides, there was something oddly calming about Jonathan’s organised clutter, as opposed to her own not-quite-so-organised bombsite.She breathed a sigh of relief at being in familiar surroundings, following it with a large yawn. Jonathan hovered for a moment, wondering what to do for the best, then made a decision.“Come on, I’ll rustle up something to eat.”“Don’t go to any trouble. I’m not that hungry.”“You need to have something. I’m fairly sure jelly babies don’t count as a nutritious lunch.”“Go on, then. Just a sandwich’ll do. Nothing too fancy.”Unlike Maddy, Jonathan had not eaten anything since breakfast, and was now beginning to wish he’d taken up the offer of jelly babies when he’d had the chance. They were supposed to have found lunch in a country pub after scouting out the cottage, but obviously, that plan had been thwarted by the latter events of the day.Instead of sandwiches, he cobbled together something far more substantial. Despite her claim of not being particularly hungry, Maddy polished off the plate. Clearly the stress had distracted her from her own appetite, at least until the food was presented to her.She put her plate down on the table and sat back contentedly.“That,” she announced, “was delicious.”“Good.”Jonathan began to clear the plates, gathering them into a neat pile and taking them downstairs. She called down – “Do you need a hand?” – but he answered in the negative, continuing to the kitchen.In the silence and momentary solitude which had descended in his absence, Maddy found herself recalling the events of only a few short hours ago – the gunshot echoing in her head and the sirens blaring in the distance. An involuntary shudder ran through her as the gunman’s face reappeared in her mind’s eye. The discovery of the dead policeman in the cupboard would haunt her for a while, but that gaunt face staring through the window would take much longer to shift.Jonathan soon returned; the sound of his approaching footsteps gave her an unprecedented sense of relief, and she forced herself to look unaffected, even adopting a smirk as she realised he was carrying two steaming mugs.“Coffee?” she guessed.He handed her one. “No, cocoa.” Maddy blew on the drink and gave him a questioning expression, so he clarified: “I thought it might help you sleep.”“Oh. I can’t remember the last time I had this.”She took an experimental sip, finding it pleasantly warming. She was glad to have been wrong about the coffee; the adrenaline in her system was slowly ebbing away, and caffeine would not have helped her edginess. Halfway down the mug, she was almost tempted to ask for seconds.They drank in silence, both becoming aware that the grey skies had finally acted upon their threat of rain, the weather suddenly taking a turn for the worst. As the heavens opened and raindrops battered against the windows, Maddy’s sense of being safe and warm indoors was enough to lull her into drowsiness.She downed the last dregs of cocoa and gave a yawn, stretching out muscles that felt stiff and achey. She realised she hadn’t properly relaxed until a few minutes ago.“Definitely bedtime,” she muttered, resisting the overwhelming urge to curl up on the sofa rather than tackle a flight of stairs. She stood decisively and headed for the staircase, but Jonathan was stuck as to what to do for the best, feeling suddenly awkward and wary.“Right,” he said. “Yes. You go on, then, and I’ll… I’ll be fine on the sofa. I mean, you probably want me out of the way.”Neither of them could tell where this sudden streak of chivalry had come from, but Maddy soon put him to rights.“Okay. Firstly, I think it’s a bit late now to relegate yourself to the sofa… that is, unless the experience has been so mind-numbingly boring that you’ve forgotten already?”Suitably chastised, he couldn’t think of an appropriate response – or at least, one that wouldn’t get him in trouble – though he detected the sarcasm to her tone.“Secondly…” She froze, whatever she’d been about to say becoming stuck in her throat. She thought about it for a couple of seconds, weighing the odds, then took a deep breath. “Today’s been a bit of a nightmare, to be honest, and I know why you had them bring us back here… So you could look after me.”“It just seemed the right thing to do,” he mumbled.“I really appreciate it.”He tried to look nonchalant, a little embarrassed that she’d noticed his concern and worried that she might consider it unwarranted. She was right – he did want to look after her, but he was cautious of coming across as too overbearing.“As long as you’re sure. I mean, I don’t want to smother you or anything.”“You won’t. I feel safe here, Jonathan. Out here in the wilderness, where no-one can find me…”Jonathan recognised instantly that he was being offered a rare glimpse behind the protective barriers that so often kept him at a distance. She hated showing any sort of vulnerability, and he struggled to remember the last time she’d been this honest. Gordon Hill sprang to mind; it seemed a lifetime ago. He knew full well that if he didn’t act on the privilege, he would regret it for a long time.He gave a sigh and walked over, wrapping her in a tentative embrace. She returned it eagerly, almost crushing the air out of him, and the intensity of her gratitude was almost tangible.“You’ll always be safe here,” he wanted to say. He forced the words down with a monumental effort; verbally acknowledging her fragility might shatter the moment, and he didn’t want to ruin it. The desire to reassure her was overwhelming; he wanted to make ridiculous empty promises like never letting anyone hurt her again, but he sat on them firmly. In any case, with his own penchant for misreading situations and saying the wrong thing, it was a promise he might easily break himself.The pause had given Maddy time to reflect.“You saved my life earlier. If you hadn’t been there…”“Then the police would have been,” he said, trying to play down his heroism. “It’s all over with.”She gave a nod, pulling out of their hug to wipe at her eyes. For a moment, she couldn’t meet his gaze, staring at the floor instead. This particular moment of weakness was lasting longer than she’d hoped, perhaps because Jonathan had made no more fuss over it than offering comfort when it was needed. She was more grateful for that than the comfort itself – for some reason, she always expected the floodgates to open and everything to end in a torrent of hysterical crying, never the quiet acceptance that actually came.Jonathan distracted her from her train of thought with a kiss, lifting her face gently towards his own, which effectively brought her back to reality again. She smiled a little, and he took that as an indication of having done the right thing.“Right,” she said. “Now it’s bedtime.”He retrieved the empty cocoa mugs and followed her towards the stairs, continuing past her down to the kitchen. At her confused expression, he explained, “I’ll be up in a minute. Just want to get these washed up first.”She rolled her eyes in amused acknowledgement of his house-proud nature, and he carried on to the ground floor.It was true that Jonathan valued a clean and tidy home, but even he was not so fastidious as to clean plates and mugs last thing in the evening. Rather, he had gone down to the kitchen in an effort to clear his head, hoping that the washing up might distract him from the suddenly terrifying concept that had taken up residence in his brain.Something had changed. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint why, or even when… but something in the universe had drastically altered. He considered the events of the day again, the sudden and persistent urge to protect Maddy from further – or indeed any – harm that might befall her. That made sense, after all – they’d had a harrowing afternoon, life or death in the balance. He could pass it off as nothing more than a card trick, but in reality he’d been petrified. Still, though – that wasn’t it.The birthday present, then? She’d definitely caught him off guard with that. He’d only mentioned it once, months ago – the fact that she’d remembered it, let alone traipsed around New York trying to find it, spoke volumes. Adam had clearly forgotten all about his birthday entirely until the very last minute – though in fairness, his gifts were not usually that awful, and he’d paid for the remainder of the evening to make up for it despite his misgivings. Maddy had known him for a considerably shorter period of time and had both remembered the day and procured probably the best present he’d ever had.Still, though – that wasn’t it either. They’d been testing the waters for quite some time, finding their way around the new dynamic of their relationship. Only very recently had things progressed further, thanks to continual interruptions and other commitments always getting in the way. Even that seemed not to have been the defining moment. If anything, the hotel room might even have ended up being a step backwards, had things not been salvaged on their return to familiar surroundings. It didn’t matter, anyway, when it had happened. It had taken Jonathan too long to realise what had been slowly burbling away under the surface of his consciousness, and now that the realisation had hit, he felt stupid for not seeing it coming. There was no going back now; no time to think rationally. This was a feeling which was not remotely alien, and of which Jonathan’s only other experience had been entirely negative and shrouded in self-pity. Moreover, the prospect did not fill him with the proverbial joys of spring, but rather the sinking realisation that for all his good intentions, and all their history, it would inevitably end in nothing. He heaved a sigh, watching the suds swirl down the drain. Perhaps tonight was not the best time to be mulling such things over, after a traumatic day and all the associated police business to follow up on tomorrow.He climbed the stairs to the first level. A lamp was on, the room otherwise unlit. Maddy was standing by the window, staring out at the trees and distant village lights. He stepped on a squeaky floorboard and she started, though she recovered quickly as she turned to face him.“All done?” she asked, her tone lightly, affectionately mocking.“Sorry. Those cocoa stains are a bugger to get off otherwise. Not to mention the beetroot in the salad.”“You’re a lost cause sometimes, you know that?”Jonathan occasionally got the distinct impression she could read his mind; he faltered, wondering if what he’d been agonising over was that obvious, before realising she was referring to the washing up.“Yeah. Probably.”He couldn’t think of any other response, so instead he excused himself to perform his nightly ablutions, stripping off his t-shirt and disappearing into the bathroom. By the time he came out again, Maddy was tucked up in bed – wearing the discarded t-shirt. For a moment he couldn’t do anything except stare at her, not trusting himself to speak.To her credit, she looked appropriately contrite about it.“Sorry. All of my stuff is in the boot of the car, which is… well, probably still stuck in the ditch, actually, unless the police managed to haul it out. You don’t mind, do you?”“Of course not,” he said, “but you could have just asked. I’d have given you a clean one.”“Consider it a gesture towards saving the environment,” she suggested. “It’s one less thing to wash.”Jonathan went to close the curtains, blocking out the world – and the events of the day – before sliding into the bed. Maddy had stolen his side, as usual; he didn’t really mind. He had to lean over to turn off the bedside lamp. Maddy yawned tiredly, bade him goodnight, and cuddled up to his side. The drama and exhaustion took its toll; she was asleep within a few minutes.Jonathan would have a few more hours to wait before he enjoyed any kind of sleep at all. —J|M—Maddy’s car arrived bright and early the following morning in the company of a squad car. The two officers politely informed Jonathan that there would be a standard identity parade at the station, for which they should both be present, followed by taking their statements.It transpired that a good night’s sleep had done a world of good where Maddy was concerned – she was not overly worried about facing her would-be kidnapper, and indeed seemed willing and ready to see him sent down. They attended the station after breakfast, both identifying the same man. Detective Inspector Gallow assured them that murdering and subsequently imitating a police officer was a highly punishable offence, quite apart from everything else that had transpired at Frog Hollow.Later that day, they found themselves back at the station again, as Jonathan went through the usual rigmarole of explaining the perfectly normal circumstances of Geiger’s stair-climbing body. Once that was over with and they were several miles clear of both the theatre and the local police station, sharing well-deserved drinks and a pub dinner, Maddy made an announcement.“I don’t know about you, but I need a long holiday after this. Somewhere with a bit of peace and quiet and no bloody locked rooms full of dead bodies.”Glancing at the still-dismal weather outside, Jonathan was all too willing to agree with her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
One week later…
With the events of Frog Hollow over and done with finally, the murderer and would-be kidnapper identified and safely locked away in a police cell, and the mystery transformed into the mundane once again, all Jonathan now had to contend with was the British Magic Awards. As much as he disliked all the fakery and overblown atmosphere of the ceremony and post-show party, he felt responsible, in no small way, for Adam’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Any small bitterness he might have harboured for the fact that he had done all the hard work – at least, if they wanted to be technical about it – was immediately quashed by the remembrance of exactly why he wasn’t a show illusionist in the first place. He tried to imagine himself prancing around dressed as a Pharaoh, or indeed any of the other characters Adam had concocted over the years, and felt slightly sick.Maddy was late. He wasn’t remotely surprised by that, although the ceremony was rapidly approaching now and if she didn’t turn up soon he wasn’t sure they’d let her in. He’d been nursing the same glass of champagne since arriving and having it deposited into his hand – not out of any particular dislike for the drink, but because he had been mostly preoccupied with glancing at his watch and searching through the crowds. Thus far, and more worryingly, there was also no sign of his employer.Eventually, with five minutes to spare, Maddy arrived. Any relief Jonathan felt was immediately scuppered, however, by the subsequent realisation that she’d done precisely what he’d said, and not told Adam anything. He began to formulate a scathing comment about how it was very difficult to try and keep up with her unpredictable personality, even when he was trying his damnedest to understand her, but then the foyer lights dimmed and indicated the start of the ceremony. Maddy downed her drink, then relieved him of the now-slightly-warm champagne and necked that as well, and they hung back for a few moments just to make absolutely sure Adam wasn’t amongst the crowds. At that point, it occurred to him that perhaps, instead, he should just be pleased that she’d actually listened to him for a change.-J|M-They were over halfway through the ceremony. From previous experience, Jonathan knew the Lifetime Achievement Award was announced towards the end of the proceedings, and he had rather naively hoped that Adam might have a change of heart and miraculously turn up. As the background music faded to something softer and the lights changed hue, it became all too obvious that his hope had been misguided.A little introduction was read out about Adam’s achievements over the years, whilst newspaper headlines and photographs were projected onto the back wall. Jonathan’s gaze flicked between the stage and the auditorium doors, as a video montage played featuring some of their finer feats of trickery. Finally, the MC announced Adam’s name and applause rang out, dwindling to confused silence when the stage remained empty. One of Adam’s entourage – whichever female assistant he was wooing that week – nudged Jonathan expectantly. A bit further down, their long-suffering stage manager was staring at him intently. He looked over at Maddy, who merely shrugged unhelpfully and offered a sympathetic smile.With a sigh, he got to his feet, shuffled to the end of the row, and made his way up to the stage.-J|M-When Jonathan did not reappear after his hastily-improvised and visibly uncomfortable acceptance speech on Adam’s behalf, Maddy excused herself from the rest of the group and went to find him. It didn’t take very long – he was in the bar, nursing a pint and glaring at the shiny Lifetime Achievement Award.She gave him a round of applause from the doorway, making him jump, before joining him on an adjacent barstool.“It wasn’t that bad, you know,” she told him.“Maybe not from where you were sitting,” he muttered.“I’d keep it, if I were you,” she said. “As recompense for all those years of creative genius.”“Adam can have it with pleasure,” responded Jonathan grumpily, “once he’s managed to extract it from his—““All right, I get the picture.” She dragged it across the bar to look at it. A glass top-hat and magic wand sat on top of a silver-plated star, set into a black, heavy base. Adam’s name was etched into a little silver plaque on the front, along with what the award represented. It was somewhere between smart and tacky. “We could get it re-engraved,” she suggested. “He’d never know.”“I don’t bloody want it!” He gave a sigh. “I didn’t go into this business for the recognition; you know that.”“I was joking.”“Oh, and I suppose not telling Adam was a joke, too, was it?”Maddy didn’t respond. She had evidently misread the situation entirely; she hadn’t heard him use that tone since the Charlotte Carney incident. Normally a bit of light banter would be enough to kick him out of a mood, but she had clearly underestimated quite how horrendous he’d found the experience.When the silence continued to extend, Jonathan took a moment to refocus his thoughts. Maddy was rubbing at a fingerprint smudge on the plaque with her sleeve, not meeting his gaze. It wasn’t right to blame her for Adam’s non-appearance; he’d told her in utmost secrecy, after all. It wasn’t Maddy’s fault that Adam had chosen to spend the evening somewhere else. If anything, Jonathan should have been honest with her from the start. Besides, after everything that had happened, he could hardly expect her to second-guess his every intention when she was busy recovering from an ordeal which was decidedly more terrifying than a brief stint in front of an audience.She was still rubbing away at the plaque, even though the smudge had now vanished. Jonathan reached for her hand, effectively ceasing her actions.“I’m sorry. It wasn’t your fault.” She gave a little nod, and he took that as a silent affirmation of forgiveness. “The bar’ll be filling up soon,” he suggested. “I don’t particularly fancy sticking around after that display earlier.”“Fair enough. Let’s chuck this thing in the boot and find somewhere else.”They headed towards the exit. The distant sound of applause and dramatic music could be heard from the auditorium, indicative of the ceremony coming to a close, and Jonathan was glad he’d suggested they move on. They made their way to Maddy’s car, parked down a side street some distance away, and she opened the boot to deposit the award inside, covering it with a blanket just in case.“Where are we going, then?” she asked.He gave a shrug. “Pub?”“Is that the best you can do? Come on, Jonathan, I didn’t get all dressed up for nothing. It makes a change not to see you in a pair of jeans, too, so you could at least let me enjoy it.” He gave her a long-suffering expression that she took to be agreement. “Surely Adam must have gone to some swanky clubs.”“Yes, but nowhere I would recommend to anyone with decent morals.”Her response was to grab him by the arm and lead him off towards the West End. “Looks like we’ll have to find somewhere else then.”-J|M-Half an hour later, they were standing in Leicester Square and looking around at the various brightly-lit buildings, still failing to agree on where to go. On the way there, Maddy had announced she was hungry, and now that the adrenaline from his attempt at public speaking had worn off, Jonathan had to admit that he could do with some dinner as well. Everywhere they had gone to had been too busy, too loud, or presenting the same menu as the place next door; nowhere was particularly inspiring, not helped by Jonathan’s insistence on something halfway healthy.Staring at the surrounding buildings was not getting them anywhere, unfortunately. Leicester Square on a Friday night was hardly the best place to be dawdling, as a relentless crowd of revellers and theatre-goers ebbed around them. As Jonathan got shoved out of the way for the sixth time by a group of tourists, he felt his patience snap.“If we don’t decide on somewhere soon, I’ve a mind to call it a night,” he said moodily.Maddy latched onto his arm to stop him from leaving, craning her neck through the crowds and scouting the area. One particular side street seemed a little quieter than the rest, so she urged him forwards. “There, that looks better. One last try, and then we can get a curry back at mine or something, all right?”“Fine,” he said, allowing her to drag him through the sea of people. Before they could even reach the street she’d pointed out, they were approached by a man carrying glossy menu cards. Clearly noticing that they looked harangued and spoilt for choice, he stepped in front of them and handed them one of the cards, before disappearing again in pursuit of someone else.They were both about to dismiss him out of hand, but on closer inspection of the menu card they realised the place sounded halfway decent: a basement tapas bar, off the beaten track and only recently opened.“Well?” asked Maddy.“Go on, then,” responded Jonathan.With that, they headed off to the street in question, using the little map on the back of the card. It took some time to find the entrance, as it was hidden away between two larger restaurants, but eventually it emerged: an unassuming A-board outside proclaimed the price of their set menu, the same as on the card, as well as chalk drawings of beer and spirit logos. The doorway, opening straight onto a downward staircase leading into the basement, was prettily decorated with white fairy lights; the stairwell was lit warmly with terracotta uplighters on the walls, and adorned with what appeared to be trailing vines. The two restaurants either side were packed to the gills, with queues out of the doors; straining to hear over the general noise, however, they couldn’t hear very much at all coming from the bottom of the stairs, other than the distant strum of a Spanish guitar and the occasional clanking of dishes.“We might as well give it a try now we’re here.” Maddy was using a placating tone on Jonathan, who had already decided that the place seemed decent enough and thus did not even answer her, merely began to descend the stairs. “I’ll take that as a yes, then,” she called down, before following him.They emerged at the bottom of the staircase into a small room populated by a few tables and chairs, with a bar at one end and a kitchen tucked away behind it. Three of the tables were occupied, the surfaces laden with so many dishes that there was barely room for plates. The solitary waitress checked on one of the tables before ambling over towards them.“Table for two?”They nodded, and the waitress led them to a vacant spot, tucked into a corner. As she handed them a menu each, she seemed to notice their attire, initiating a brief exchange about how they’d spent the evening so far. Jonathan had forgotten, for some reason, that he was still wearing his dinner jacket and bow-tie; the other diners were dressed in smart-casual attire, fresh from theatre-going, but he still looked a little out of place. The feeling of self-consciousness had not really abated from earlier in the evening; he was overcome once again with the desire to cause injury to Adam Klaus. In the absence of his elusive employer, however, he instead elected to loosen the cumbersome bow-tie and shirt-collar, to at least enjoy the rest of his evening without being strangled.The waitress took their drinks orders and gave them a few minutes to decide on the food, moving away to attend to another table’s bill. They perused the menu, finding it very hard to decide. Everything sounded delicious.Maddy scanned the menu a few times, struggling to narrow down the choices. She peered around the menu to address Jonathan.“See anything you fancy?”Without looking up, he responded, “Actually, there’s a certain brunette in black I’m quite partial to, but I suspect she might be out of my league.”Maddy immediately, instinctively examined every other woman in the room with a judgemental eye, scrutinising them thoroughly. None of the other diners fit his description. The waitress, however, had her long brown hair swept back into a messy pony-tail, and was wearing a non-descript t-shirt-and-jeans combination, both of which were indeed black. Whether she had any Spanish heritage was debatable, as she had no discernible accent, but her general appearance seemed to suggest as much.Maddy turned back to Jonathan and gave him a sour look. “Yes, well, I think you might be punching above your weight there, Jonathan.”He put the menu down, the pretence immediately abandoned, and fixed her with a serious, frustrated expression.“For God’s sake. I meant you.”It was clear from her sceptical silence that she wasn’t sure whether to believe him. She wouldn’t meet his gaze for several drawn-out seconds, but as soon as she found enough courage to do so, the honesty in his face cast any doubt from her mind. Her irritated, potentially jealous expression wilted into an embarrassed, self-conscious smile.“Besides,” he added, “she looks about twelve.”“Fair point.” The menu options forgotten briefly, she let out a sigh. “If we’re being honest,” she said, “then I wish you’d been straight with me. If you wanted me to tell Adam about the award, you should have just said so.”“I know. I’m sorry for snapping at you.”“I do understand, Jonathan. About why you do what you do. I know you’re not in it for the recognition, or the showmanship… but sometimes I think you should give yourself more credit.”He laughed off her compliment. “Yeah, looking after Adam is a full-time job in itself…”“Don’t play it down. You’re…” She struggled for the right word, found it, hesitated, then bit the bullet. “You’re amazing. Adam works with you almost every day – if he hasn’t figured out by now how utterly invaluable you are, then he’s more of an idiot than I thought. When I said you should keep the award, I wasn’t just being facetious. You deserve it much more than he does.”Jonathan was surprised: they rarely communicated on such a personal level, and he wasn’t sure how to take it. Banter and humour were a safety net that had been in place for their entire relationship, such as it was, and before now he had never really understood how Maddy perceived his work. Being appreciative of his assistance in solving impossible crimes was one thing; this was the first time she’d ever expressed how she really saw his very specific abilities.The chance to respond was interrupted by the return of the waitress, and he realised they’d entirely forgotten to pick out any food. Maddy went first, giving the menu another quick glance before reeling off a long list of items – almost everything on the menu, or so it seemed.She then regarded Jonathan with a wide-eyed, earnest expression. “So, what are you having?”The waitress gave a small, nervous laugh, not entirely sure if Maddy was joking, and even Jonathan seemed uncertain for several seconds; then he broke into a knowing half-smile, shaking his head in exasperation, before reassuring the confused girl that yes, Maddy was pulling her leg.“Okay, thanks,” said the waitress brightly, her best customer service smile in place once more. “The dishes might come slightly apart, but they shouldn’t be too long.” With that, she jogged in the direction of the tiny kitchen, pad in hand.Jonathan knew he should scold Maddy for acting out her light-hearted revenge on the girl – after all, she didn’t even know she’d done anything wrong – but after her earlier kind words, he didn’t want to ruin things.The food, when it arrived, was as delicious as it had sounded from the menu; unsurprisingly, there was far too much of it to finish, even though they made sure to try everything. Maddy somehow found room for dessert nonetheless, whilst Jonathan nursed his final half-glass of wine thoughtfully. They were the only two people left in the bistro by the time the bill arrived, and thankfully neither of the staff seemed in any particular hurry to get rid of them – the waitress and chef were taking a well-earned break by the bar, smoking and chatting.A discussion ensued over who would pay, and eventually Maddy won him over with the succinct argument that it was the very least she could do, after he’d saved her life and everything. Jonathan left a generous tip as his contribution; they’d enjoyed a pleasant evening which had almost not occurred due to his moodiness earlier on.They began to ascend the stairs to street level, and they could see already that the road was clearer of people than it had been on their arrival. Halfway up, on a small landing midway between the warmth of the restaurant and the cold night air, Maddy found herself suddenly trapped, her back to the wall and Jonathan’s familiar weight keeping her in place, as he swept in for an unexpected kiss. It was not the first time he’d surprised her in such a manner, and once again she was left breathless and lost for words – not just from the ambush, but the resultant cacophony of emotions that followed. She was very much accustomed to experiencing two entirely disparate feelings where Jonathan was concerned – more often than not he provoked both violence and affection at the same time – but there were too many noises in her head, and some of them scared her to death.Jonathan gave her time, his forehead resting lightly against hers. When he sensed she was about to speak, however, he interrupted her, predicting what her first words would be.“Don’t ask.”“What?”“Don’t ask,” he repeated, pulling away to look at her. “You always ask why, or what you did to deserve it.”She couldn’t deny that – he was quite right. For a second she tried to think of something more intelligent to say, but nothing would form. “Yes, but why?”Jonathan rolled his eyes, exasperation entering his voice. “Why not?”Maddy bit her lip at his tone, feeling like she was about to ruin a potentially romantic moment. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the surprise – quite the opposite – but she had somehow never envisaged their “giving things a go” to become what it had. Jonathan seemed to perpetually astonish her with kind gestures and unexpected honesty, so far removed from how things were before that it always caught her unawares.“I just wanted to,” he said, filling the silence. “There’s no reason why I shouldn’t, is there? We’re… you’re my…” He struggled to define them, as he had done before, feeling as though a word had not yet been invented that was adequate for the purpose. “We are,” he settled on, “and you’re mine. That’s why.”That word – “…mine…” – held connotations she was not entirely willing to acknowledge, another terrifying noise to join the others in her head. But she knew the value of the rare and precious gift she’d been given, nonetheless, and that she shouldn’t take it for granted. Soon enough she would have to start listening to those noises, face them without panic or fear, and act on them accordingly… because Jonathan had made it more than obvious that he wasn’t going anywhere.She tugged gently on the loosened ends of the bow-tie, hinting silently, her arms snaking around his neck as he bent his head to reach her. A hair’s breadth away from another kiss, she hesitated.“I think I’d like to go home now.”-J|M-The windmill was too far away – at least an hour even in good traffic – and considering they’d barely even made it to the car, necessity dictated they choose the nearer location of her flat. Jonathan had practically dragged her out of the restaurant, and the long walk back to the theatre, where she’d parked on arrival for the awards, was made all the longer for the fact that every side-street provided another opportunity for him to yank her into semi-darkness and snog her senseless. There was a brief reprieve whilst actually in the car, but only because Jonathan was entirely too sensible to interrupt her driving.It didn’t last long: once through the door, everything turned into a blur again. En route to the sofa – nearer – he somehow managed to save his dinner jacket from the floor and deposit it on the back of a chair, but beyond that he gave up. Besides which, it was rather tricky to do anything by the time she’d pinned him to the cushions.It was at that point that Jonathan’s brain re-engaged – a niggling thought that had been dancing around his consciousness all evening finally clicked into place. As ever, his timing was impeccable; Maddy was just leaning in to kiss him again when the thought in question found an outlet.“Wait.”There followed a deathly silence. It was dark in the flat, other than some dwindling external light, so he couldn’t see her reaction, but in truth, he didn’t have to. The last time he’d demanded that of her, it had been to make the entirely sensible suggestion of not ploughing head-first into what would inevitably have been a mistake; a suggestion which had, it transpired, served them quite well. They’d been sprawled across his sofa last time – the irony was not lost on him.She sat up; there was enough light to tell that she was upset, already gearing for a fight. “Hang on. You were the one dragging me into dark alleys earlier, and now you’re backing out?”“I…” he faltered. “No, just, let me exp—““You’re priceless, Jonathan,” she intoned sarcastically, then got up and crossed the room. The lights clicked on, temporarily blinding him, and when his vision cleared he was met with the unwelcome sight of her holding the door open. “Go on, then, bugger off.”He left the sofa and approached. A flash of surprised anger lit up her eyes, immediately turning to confusion – even relief – when he closed the door himself, shutting them both in.“No. Just hear me out. Then if you still want me to go, I will.”Of course, she didn’t want him to go at all – showing him the door was just instinctive: providing him with the option of giving up instead of fighting. Trevor had always given up without question: she opened the door and he walked straight out of it. Jonathan, however, had done the opposite. She deflated a little, moving away, and fixed him with a challenging glare.“Fine.”“It’s just… something’s been bugging me all night, rattling around in my head and niggling away. Like I’d forgotten something important. At the ceremony, at the restaurant… it’s been driving me mad.”“Well?” Monosyllabic answers were all she could manage. Jonathan had been worryingly unpredictable all evening, and this was no exception.“Just now it clicked,” he told her. He gave her a slightly embarrassed half-smile. “I forgot to tell you, when you arrived. How nice you looked.”She stared at him incredulously – of the many things she’d envisaged him saying, unwarranted flattery was not among them.“You… that’s all it was? That’s it?”The realisation crashed down on her like a wave, utterly beyond her control, and then she was fighting a losing battle against tears. After everything that had happened that evening – the compliment in the restaurant, the kiss in the stairwell, the look in his eyes as he told her she was his, a million different pieces finally clicking into place – it was all she could do to keep from crumbling on the spot. “Oh, Jonathan.”He noticed immediately that she was faltering, and in two short strides was beside her. “What did you think I was going to say?”“I don’t know,” she admitted, melting into the arms he’d folded around her. “God, you know how to pick your moments, sometimes. I thought you were going to…” She stopped herself from saying what she was thinking, but it seemed he wasn’t going to let her get away with it.“You thought I was going to what?”“Nothing. Never mind.”“You promised to stop doing that,” he reminded her. He took a step back, pulling reluctantly out of her arms to look at her properly, lifting her face with one hand so she couldn’t avoid his gaze. “Now, come on: what?”She didn’t want to tell him. It sounded ridiculous in her head, and would be just as ridiculous out loud. In the heat of the moment, her brain had fired off a reaction based on nothing but paranoia, and to verbalise it would not help either of them… but his patience was relentless, a little infuriating, and she knew full well he would never let it go.With a sigh, she attempted to explain. “I thought you were going to… to give me some stupid excuse and then leave.”He dropped his hand again, out of the necessity of using it to gesticulate. “Why on earth would I do that?”She hoped the defeat was not obvious from her voice. “I dunno. Realised what you’d gotten yourself into?”“I know exactly what I’ve gotten myself into,” he said, somewhat confused. “You said it yourself: I was the one dragging you off into dark corners. So why would I—?”Suddenly it clicked. The same old issue, rearing its head again. Thus far he’d tried to counter it with humour and subtle comments, but obviously it hadn’t been enough. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to do everything in his power to make her see sense, but he couldn’t help a tinge of frustration entering his voice.“Do we really have to go over this again?”“Go over what?”“You know what. Every time I try to pay you a compliment, you automatically assume the worst of me. I don’t know what else I can do to get it into your head.” With a sad sigh, he let his hands rest at her waist, giving her a gentle shake to drive the point home. “I’m not interested in Spanish waitresses, or undercover coppers, or anyone else, for that matter.” Then, pulling her closer, hands clasped at the base of her spine: “I want you.”His closeness was overwhelming, melting away some of the worry that had been brewing in her head for the past few minutes. She gave him a small, ironic smile, toying absently with the loosened collar of his shirt. “Even when I fly off the handle?”“Especially when you fly off the handle,” he said, adopting a familiar, knowing smirk, “because that shows me you care.”Ordinarily, her response to a statement like that would be to call him some sort of name, usually with the word ‘smug’ prefixed to it, but she found that sarcasm failed to surface. He’d been truthful with her, allaying her fears as effectively as he could, and the gravity of the conversation suddenly hit home.“Sometimes,” she said, draping her arms around his neck, “you’re really bloody wonderful. When you want to be.”He smiled at that. “I’ve only ever been honest with you – I hope you realise that.”“I know.” She thought for a moment, internally debating with herself, before making a decision. If Jonathan was being honest with her, the very least he deserved was the same in return. She took a deep breath, a little nervous. “I… I’m not very good at long-term. It makes me jittery. But for what it’s worth… even though it scares me half to death, and even if I don’t act like it sometimes… I do want this to work.”Jonathan’s response – the only thing he could muster which didn’t paralyse him with fear – was to finally bridge the gap between them and kiss her: softly and full of promise. She stared at him in bemused surprise: the various detours on the way to the car didn’t even come close, and she was under no illusions as to his feelings on the matter.“I should let you know,” he said after a few seconds, “that your sofa is not exactly comfortable.”There was a lot to be said for non-verbal responses, he noted briefly, as she dragged him down into oblivion.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Two weeks later…
Maddy came bursting through the door to the coffee-shop, struggling against her umbrella as it got caught in the doorframe. Not only had parking been near-impossible, once she’d found a space and exited the car, the heavens had opened and drenched her on the walk down the road, a strong wind making the umbrella mostly pointless.She manhandled the contraption and finally managed to close it, giving it a hefty opening thrust to shake off the excess rainwater and accidentally soaking a passer-by. Mumbling an apology, she finally managed to tame the device and close the door, scanning the busy interior of the coffee-shop.Jonathan had arrived half an hour or so beforehand and managed to find a table just before the weather turned and drove several more patrons indoors. He noticed her commotion by the door, watching in amusement as she battled with the inanimate object in her hand. She spotted him at the back of the room, making her way over and depositing the umbrella behind his chair.“Sorry I’m late,” she said. “Parking was an absolute nightmare. I just clamped it and left it in the end.” She let out a sigh of relief at having finally made it. “Right. Excuse me. Coffee.”She disappeared to the counter, returning a few minutes later with a steaming mug of something frothy and a ridiculously large slice of cake. Sitting down, she shifted over some of the table’s contents to make room for the mug, and noticed for the first time what Jonathan had been reading when she arrived.“Blimey,” she said, picking up one of the glossy publications, “you must be keen.”“A solid week of rain, and another forecast,” said Jonathan by way of explanation. “If you hadn’t already suggested this holiday idea, I would have been sorely tempted anyway.”The summer thus far had been something of a wash-out, the weather either threatening rain or acting on it, with no sign of ever warming up. Jonathan had suggested meeting for coffee and a chat the day before, as they’d been busy for the past week – Jonathan with Adam’s latest show (and all the extra performances that had resulted from his Lifetime Achievement Award being publicly announced), and Maddy with the beginnings of another book. She was not expecting the vast array of travel brochures currently littering the table, which seemed to contain every destination imaginable.“So, I take it you’ve planned everything in my absence?” she asked.“Not exactly… I ruled most of them out straight away – the package deals, coach trips, anything involving the words “good nightlife”… I do have a few ideas, though, if you’re interested.”“Go on, then.”Jonathan pushed a couple of the brochures towards her, opened to specific pages. One was for Europe, the other Japan. The European brochure seemed to have several dog-eared pages – city breaks with interesting culture. He’d clearly put a lot of thought into it, choosing tourist-heavy areas which nonetheless gave several quieter options. Japan, however, was not something she’d been expecting at all.“Tokyo?”“Well, that was a bit of a wild card. Thought it might be interesting. Plus Adam’s got it in his head to do some kind of Geisha theme – you know what he’s like.”“It’s supposed to be a holiday, not a research mission. Besides, it’s a bit much – I was hoping for something more relaxing, not being herded about like cattle.”“Fair point.” He conceded, moving the brochure out of the way. “Europe it is, then. Unless…”He hesitated, debating whether to suggest it or not.“What?” she prompted.“No, never mind.”“Go on, it can’t be that bad.”After a few seconds of thinking it over, he produced a folded-up brochure from one of the large pockets of his duffel-coat, hanging on the back of the chair, then carefully smoothed out the creases and showed it to her.The images struck her immediately; she scanned the blurb with interest.“Egypt.”He nodded, hoping she’d see his point of view, and explained, “It’s got everything. The weather, the scenery, a few days on a cruise ship… some really interesting bits of history.”This last point, she knew, was a vast understatement where Jonathan was concerned. He had something of a passion for ancient Egyptian history (she’d still never quite come to terms with the sarcophagus), but suspected he’d never actually seen any of the relics or monuments himself. For that matter, neither had she.“You remember I said something about no locked rooms full of dead bodies?” she asked dryly. Examining one of the example itineraries in the brochure, just out of interest, she balked. “It’s a bit pricey!”“I know, but—”“I don’t have that kind of money just lying around…”“I know,” he repeated, “but… well, I’ve got some savings tucked away, and… I think there should be enough.”She stared at him, suddenly reminded of their Lance Graumann adventure and Jonathan’s ridiculously well-meaning gesture towards the animal shelter.“I can’t let you do that.”He smirked a little ironically. “I was saving it for a rainy day.” She didn’t seem entirely convinced it was a good idea, though she appreciated the attempt at humour. “Besides,” he continued, “we might get a late deal.”She looked to be on the brink of a final decision, reading through the brochure again.“You’re really keen on this stuff, aren’t you?”“Just a little.”“Is that ‘just a little’ like you’re ‘just a little’ bit of a smartarse?”“Exactly.”She sighed heavily, in defeat. “Well, I suppose—” The affirmation was cut short by her mobile ringing. “Damn. Hang on.” She ferreted through her handbag until she found it, examining the caller ID. “It’s Barry. I should probably take this.”Jonathan nodded his assent, returning his attention to the brochure to see how much Valley of the Kings tours might be, as Maddy took the call from her publisher, belatedly devouring forkfuls of cake as she spoke.“All right, Baz? – Not bad, thanks. – I’m glad you called, actually, I need to speak to you. – Hm? Oh, just that I’m going away for a bit, just a couple of weeks… – What? No, not booked yet, I was just about to… – Why?” There was a long pause as Barry explained the reason for the call. “I… right. Okay. Wow. When do they…? – Uh-huh. Okay. – I’ll have to get back to you on that… say, tomorrow? – Okay. Cheers, Barry. ‘Bye.”She hung up the call, looking shell-shocked. Jonathan said nothing, immediately fearing the worst, trying to ascertain the nature of the phonecall from the scattered parts he’d heard. She wasn't forthcoming with any information.“All right?” he asked.“I think so.” She breathed out, composing herself, but he could tell she was excited about something – which was definitely better than devastated, at least. “Barry’s just solved the holiday problem.”“I didn’t think there was a problem,” he reminded her irritably. “You were just about to agree.”“Jonathan, in the grand scheme of things, this might be more important.”“What?”She took a breath, slowing down. “Okay. I don’t think I found the chance to tell you this before, but Barry’s been working closely with some publishers in the US. You remember that bloke he sent me off to meet in New York?” Jonathan gave a nod. “Well, apparently they’ve taken an interest in our… unique take on crime-writing. Barry wants me to go out there and push the books in person – give things more of a human touch. Maybe even do a spot of investigative journalism while I’m out there.”“Makes sense.”“But…?”“I just don’t see what this has to do with our holiday plans.”“The company’s paying for it,” she explained, though he still didn’t seem to understand. “So you should come, too, prove you exist. They’ll never believe me otherwise. After that, we can just… see the sights.”“I suppose…”“What’s wrong?”“Nothing… Just… I thought we were talking a couple of weeks, not… how long, exactly?”“I don’t know. A few months, maybe?”He started at her incredulously. “Months? I can’t just drop everything for an indefinite period – a fortnight is pushing it with Adam as it is, with the new show starting soon. I’ve barely had time to plan anything, with the extra nights we’ve had to put on.”Maddy looked disappointed. He softened his tone, reaching for her hand on the table top. “Look, it’s your career we’re talking about here. I’m really pleased for you. I’d love to be able to join you, but… it’s not practical.”“I know. You’re right, obviously. I can’t expect you to up sticks like that. I just thought it would solve the problem… that’s all.”“So much for the holiday,” he said. “I suppose I’ll just stay here in rainy Blighty whilst you enjoy America.”“It won’t be forever, you know. Four months, five tops. If everything works out, it could be the start of a franchise – they’re already talking television rights, apparently.”He did not find that concept particularly appealing; he objected enough to his life being in print, let alone projected to the masses on mainstream television. The idea of Maddy disappearing to the States for several months was also something he didn’t want to dwell on, but presumably they would cross that bridge when it arrived.“You’re okay with it, then?” she asked.“Of course I’m okay with it. What sort of person would I be if I wasn’t?”She seemed relieved. “That’s settled then. I’ll call Barry in the morning.”The smile he gave her was mostly supportive, but the tinge of sadness did not escape her notice. Maddy wasn’t entirely sure how to deal with that; at some point they needed to sit down and talk about things, but now was not the time. Jonathan stared wistfully at the Egyptian brochure for a moment, then closed it and gathered it into the pile with the rest, a gesture of finality; then he wrapped both hands around his coffee-mug and stared into its depths. He looked so utterly downtrodden in that moment, almost boyish in his disappointment, that she felt a tiny flutter in her heart that was not merely the product of sympathy – nor was it entirely unfamiliar. She let the feeling take hold a little, for perhaps the first time, and found it wasn’t so scary after all.She reached for one of his hands, prising it away from the mug and linking her fingers with his. He stared at their joined hands, still not quite able to meet her gaze.“I’m sorry, love. I know you had your heart set on it. When this is all over with, we can think about it properly. You never know, if it all goes well, we won’t have to raid your piggy bank either.”It was only when he raised his head to look at her that she realised what she’d said: the endearment had rolled off her tongue without any effort or thought. Neither of them knew what to do with it. Jonathan wanted to mention it, to make some kind of fuss, but nothing intelligent would form; Maddy tried to process what had just happened, failing at every juncture to work out where it had come from. In the end, they chose to ignore it. Both of their coffees now finished, and the conversation at a standstill, Jonathan changed the subject.“I could do with some lunch.”“Same here. Let’s see if we can find somewhere a bit quieter.”Maddy rose from the chair, downing the last dregs from the mug. Jonathan shrugged back into his duffel coat and put the brochures back into the travel agency carrier bag. His first instinct was to take them home and recycle them, but he’d picked up every destination imaginable before heading to the café to meet Maddy, and he was pretty sure one of them covered the States. Maybe he could have a look and see if it was possible to head out there for a bit midway through her trip – perhaps even surprise her with an unprecedented visit. The latest show was finally due to end its run soon, so Jonathan would have a few weeks off before they had to plan the new one. Ordinarily he would use that time to let some ideas brew and start jotting them down, but that was only because he had nothing more important to occupy his days.As they approached the door they realised that the rain had not let up in the slightest. The table they’d just vacated, however, had been immediately occupied by some other patrons, so they had no choice but to brave the weather. Jonathan held the door open whilst Maddy opened the umbrella, then followed her out underneath it. They huddled together beneath the canopy, though it provided little protection from the elements.“Got anywhere in mind?” she asked.“Somewhere near enough that we won’t drown?” he provided, unhelpfully, as they battled onwards through the wind.“God, I can’t wait to get away from all this,” she muttered.It took her a moment to realise that Jonathan was no longer walking beside her; he’d stopped dead on the pavement, letting himself get slowly soaked. She wandered back, giving him a questioning expression. “Jonathan?”“So that’s that, is it?”“What?”“Why don’t you just ring Barry now, if you’re that desperate to go?”Realising what she’d said, Maddy looked embarrassed. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He didn’t answer her, and she knew a better explanation was required. “I was talking about the weather,” she clarified, aware that her voice was taking on an unpleasantly argumentative tone, but unable to quell it. “Don’t you dare pretend you didn’t know that.”“Stop sounding so bloody keen to get out of here, then.”“Oh, for Christ’s sake. Am I not allowed to be excited?”Jonathan paused before answering, in an attempt to bring the conversation back to a normal pitch. He was soaking wet already, but that didn’t seem important.“I didn’t say that. Of course you can be excited. You should be excited.”He looked quite forlorn, standing there with his hair dripping. The pause had given her time to understand what was really going on.“I haven’t forgotten what I said the other night,” she told him, reassuringly. “I wasn’t lying, either. I really do want this to work.”His expression in reaction to that was almost comical – petulant confusion, as though she’d kicked a puppy – but she didn’t particularly feel like laughing when he spoke.“I don’t see how. Four or five months away and you’ll forget all about me.”“Jonathan, you are the least forgettable person I’ve ever met. Besides which, I very much doubt you’d let me,” she answered, trying to inject a little humour. He appreciated the attempt, but his smile was somewhat grim. Maddy took a few steps forward until the umbrella covered both of them again. The pattering over their heads effectively blocked out the rest of the world; she stared at him, hoping he would sense her integrity as she tried to find the right words.Before they could form, he interrupted her. “I’m just going to miss you, that’s all.”“I know. I’ll miss you, too. But it won’t be forever.” She tugged on the sleeve of his coat until he withdrew a hand from the warmth of his pocket, then grasped it. “We can make this work. I promise.”He desperately wanted to believe her, but there was a tiny, persuasive voice telling him not to be stupid, not to get his hopes up, not to hold her back – telling him that the best thing would be to let her go. Don’t make a fuss, it was saying. Don’t turn this into something bigger than it is.He ignored that voice. They’d got this far, despite the odds. From the very first moment, the world had changed – insignificantly, barely even noticeable – and within five minutes of that first lunch together, he knew it would be impossible to return to a world where Maddy was not. If her dogged persistence had not brought her straight back into his life almost immediately, he was certain they would have found their way together in some other fashion.Four months was nothing. America was just a country across the ocean. It wasn’t impossible.And even if it was, impossible was what Jonathan Creek did best.