Scoop! by Hannah Dennison

Author:Hannah Dennison
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2008-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

18

As we turned out of Peking Road and into the High Street, the theme to Mission Impossible burst into life. It seemed to be coming from Steve’s top jacket pocket.

“Damn! I’ve got to answer this. It’ll be work.” Steve grabbed his mobile, swerved onto the hard shoulder, and cut the engine. “Yo! Burrows here.”

I couldn’t hear the voice on the other end but, judging from Steve’s somber expression, it sounded serious.

“Yep. I’m on it,” he said, then slipped the mobile back into his pocket. Without another word, Steve started the car and we went on our way.

He seemed uncharacteristically quiet. His expression was hard to read in the semidarkness but, call it my reporter instincts, I knew something was wrong.

“Is everything all right?” I said.

Steve gave a heavy sigh. “Sorry, doll. Duty calls. I have to go to work.”

His disappointment at cutting our evening short was rather touching. However, I wasn’t finished with him, yet. I still needed to check out the rest of his flat for hidden drugs.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ll come with you.” I wasn’t averse to a traffic accident or the odd domestic stabbing. There was nothing like capturing a first-at-the-scene snap.

“You can’t,” Steve said quickly. “I’m taking you back to your moped.”

I was astonished. “I don’t want to go back to my moped. It’s my job to report the news.”

“I know, but—”

“Remember, your photograph is going to appear on page one,” I said firmly. “You, in an emergency situation—I can see it now!” Pete would definitely buy that: MEDIC MIRACLE WORKER: GIPPING’S QUIET HERO. I knew I’d never persuade Pete to use the paramedic-relaxing-at-home photographs taken earlier.

“I know, but—the thing is … it’s a bit—”

“I would have thought you’d want me to come.” I was growing suspicious.

“Don’t hate me.” Steve slid his hand up my leg under my skirt and gave a pained groan. “Goddamit! She wants you tonight, Steve.” He snatched it away with an anguished cry. “No! You can’t come.”

My suspicions were fully aroused now. “What about the food? Aren’t you hungry?”

“You take it, doll. I’ll grab a bite at the station.”

“I don’t want it now.” There was no way Steve would pass up a Chinese meal in favor of a hospital vending machine. “What’s going on?” I demanded.

“Nothing. I told you. It’s work.”

A light went on in my head. “You’re seeing someone else, aren’t you?”

Steve shook his head. “It’s not what you think.”

Not what you think? That tired old line! I couldn’t believe it! I’d been tossed aside by someone I wasn’t even interested in. The signs had been there all along: his tantrums, his possessiveness, the endless questions. Mum always says that a man who can’t trust a woman only acts that way because he can’t trust himself. Steve had only wanted to get me into bed and had admitted as much. The moment when I called him on it, he lost interest. That phone call must have been from an old flame. Maybe it was Sadie Evans? Hadn’t her mother told me Steve had never gotten over her?

I wasn’t upset.

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