Page 133 of Inbetweeners
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Nix had a lump in his throat that wouldn’t shift. Emmett looked like a different guy. Years younger, happier somehow, less worn down, and so sexy that Nix’s heart thumped against his ribs.
“We good to go?” Emmett asked.
“We’ll park in the multi-storey. But if we’re going to keep the shop under observation, we need to find a café to sit in or we’ll have to take it in turns to stand on the road trying not to look conspicuous. Hmm. Did we think this through?”
Emmett laughed. “You’re going to stand out like a very handsome thumb.”
Once they’d parked, they emptied the battered violin case and put in both knives, the belts, some of the cable ties and the holy water. The other cable ties went in Nix’s suit pocket.
Nix locked the car. Cat sat by his foot, licking his paw.
“Sure you want to come?” Nix asked Cat.
He looked up at him and Nix could have sworn the feline rolled his eyes.
“Maybe I’d be better with the violin case,” Emmett said. “There’s no way I can hide a knife in my clothes but you could.”
“Okay.” Nix took out a knife and slipped it into an inside pocket. The blade sliced through the lining but the handle stopped it falling further.
“See how fast you can pull it out,” Emmett said.
Emmett’s eyes lit up when he felt the blade at his throat. “Oh Christ, you really are James Bond.”
“You’re wearing mascara.”
“I’m offended you’ve only just noticed.”
“It’s smudged.”
“Then I look perfect. We separate now. I’ll stay well back, watch where you go, and then follow you after a few minutes, okay? If there’s no café or restaurant that gives us a view of the shop keep walking and we’ll have a rethink around the corner on Tottenham Court Road.”
“Be careful. Really careful.” Nix kissed him, his fingers sliding onto Emmett’s bare midriff. He felt Emmett’s skin flutter under his touch and Emmett groaned.
Nix walked away backwards for a few steps so he could keep looking at Emmett and almost tripped over Cat. He laughed, turned the right way and headed down the stairs with Cat on his heels. They both looked different enough that this might just work.
Before Nix reached the street level, he scooped up a copy of theMetrothat someone had dropped and tucked it under his arm. It might be useful to hide the knife. The shop was a street away and his heart beat faster as he reached the road whereBump in the Nightwas situated. There was a café halfway up the street and it looked as if it would give a view of anyone entering or leaving the shop. Nix made straight for it and walked in with Cat. Even better, there was a table not quite in the window, but close to it from where he could see the door of the shop. A woman and child were sitting in the window seats and Nix dropped down at the table next to them, Cat at his feet.
The place was busy, but a waitress came within a couple of minutes to take his order.
“What can I get you?”
“Black coffee please. And er…” What would take them the most time to make? “Too late for a full English?”
“I’ll see what we can do.”
“Thanks.”
He and Emmett had not discussed whether or not they should sit together, but when Emmett came in, he headed for a table on the far right. Both the woman and the little girl stared at him as he passed. He did look kind of…dangerous. Emmett put the violin down by his chair.
Now they just had to wait and watch.
The good news was that the shop was open. Over the next thirty minutes, three customers went in and out. Nix ate with one eye on the window of the shop, the other on the windows above. There was a door to the side that might just lead to a flat over the shop. The building was three storeys high.
Nix had finished his meal, had his second cup of coffee and was deciding what to do when Emmett wandered past him.
“I’ve just seen a glimpse of Harry in the top window,” he whispered.
