Page 144 of A Long Way Back
“Idon’t need to say anything. There are justice-seeking blogs who’d be only too happy to make your life a misery. You know what I want from you. Your story. And I’m not going to get palmed off by you telling me to come back tomorrow. You start talking to me today or I’ll talk about you to the guy who runs this hotel. I doubt you’ll be long in this job. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll make sure everyone knows this place gave a job to a child killer. See how many people want to stay here then.”
Ink felt as if he’d been glued to the floor. He wanted to run but his legs wouldn’t move.
“Can I help you?” Jonty appeared at Ink’s side. “It’s Ink’s first day on the job so he’s not up to speed yet. What can I do for you?”
“When’s your lunch break?” Carter addressed Ink.
“Twelve until one,” Jonty said.
“I’ll check in and I’ll wait in the lounge. Bring me a coffee.” Carter moved away to the reception.
“What’s wrong?” Jonty whispered. “You’ve gone white. Who is he?”
“Someone I…” Ink shook.
“Come on, let me show you something you’ve not seen yet. The kitchen!”
When Ink didn’t move, Jonty took his arm and tugged him across the lobby and down through a door into a corridor and from there to the kitchen.
“Pretend to be interested,” Jonty whispered.
“What do you fu… want?” snapped a guy in a white chef’s jacket.
“Good job on not using all of the f word, Wayne. I’ll tell Devan. He’ll be so impressed. This is Ink. He started today. I wanted to show him the fabulousness of the kitchen.”
“Don’t get in the fu… way.”
“Why don’t you use a complete word?” Jonty asked. “Something fun likefurryorplucking.”
Wayne came right over and put his mouth to Jonty’s ear. “Fuck off.”
Jonty gulped and tugged Ink to the far end of the kitchen. “Right. Who was that guy? Why are you scared of him? Shall I call Tay? Do you want me to talk to Devan and get him thrown out?”
Ink’s gaze was drawn to the clock. One hour until twelve. One hour left of the life he’d hoped to have. Jonty was still talking and Ink was frantically thinking what to do. Get his stuff and run was top of the list. And yet…
“I’m okay.” Ink forced a smile on his face. “But I need to speak to Devan.”
Jonty nodded. “I’ll take you to his office.”
Ink took out his phone and texted Tay.Carter is at the hotel. Everything is going to unravel.
Jonty knocked on Devan’s door and Ink heard him say, “Come in.”
“Shall I go away?” Jonty asked.
“No.”
Ink pushed open the door and the two of them went inside.
“What’s wrong?” Devan asked.
Jonty pressed his lips together and pushed Ink towards a chair, but Ink stood behind it and grasped the back.
He took a shaky breath. “I…”Oh God.He couldn’t think of a way out of this. If he ran and said nothing, Carter would probably still manage to reveal that Ink had just started work at a swanky new hotel in Northumberland. If he stayedand said nothing, Carter would do the same. If he told Devan, he’d still have to leave his job and… He exhaled.
“Twelve years ago, I was found guilty of a crime I didn’t commit. I spent ten years locked up. Because of the nature of the crime and because I was only twelve years old, I was given a new identity when I was released. What I was supposed to have done was so terrible that people wanted me dead then, and still want me dead now.”
Ink made himself stare straight at Devan whose face remained blank.
