Page 100 of Tell No One
Tag had been reunited with his clothes, jacket, shoes and wallet, but not his phone. He was told it had been mislaid and he knew there was no point making an issue of it. Though he did wonder if the tracker in the shoe was still working. He couldn’t see where they’d inserted it, but he found it reassuring to think at least someone knew where he was.
Norbury didn’t come to the house for two days. One of the kitchen staff had told Tag that Norbury was in Scotland preparing for the grouse season. Even if Tag had dared to ask where in Scotland, he had no means of contacting Delaney. Well, maybe he could find a way, but picking a pocket would be risky.
Tag was busy trimming a hedge into the shape of a cock and balls when he spotted him approaching. Well, the hedge didn’t look much like that yet, but it would. Tag was wearing grey cargo shorts and a green polo shirt with the Harborne House logo. He’d been shocked that the job had actually materialised. As far as he could see, no one was even keeping an eye on him, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe they were watching his every move.
He put down the electric trimmer when Norbury came up.
“Well, well, well. The wanderer returns. You must really like it here.” Norbury smirked.
“It’s a job, and because of you lot, I needed one.”Keep it simple.Do not blow this.
“George says you’re a hard worker,” Norbury said. “It seems you’re a man of many talents, Mr Blake.”
George Stubbs was the head gardener. Tag liked him and George liked Tag. Tag hadn’t put a foot wrong or said anything inappropriate, though he had managed to make George laugh when he’d majorly freaked out at seeing a slow worm. Tag didn’t like ordinary worms, let alone legless lizards.
“I’ve found I like gardening. Brings out my creative side. Though I did pull out a few plants that I thought were weeds and had to replant them. Now I ask first.”I’m being a good boy.Gardening had helped soothe his nerves when he knew a storm was approaching.
“What was the man who bought you like?” Norbury asked.
“The Russian? Didn’t talk much. Had a big cock.”
Norbury laughed. “Other than that?”
“Why?”
“I just wondered.”
Really?“He was okay. Likes a bit of pain. I thought he was into me, but he sold me on to others and I didn’t like the idea of that. I’m…not very experienced. It got too much and I ran.”
“Not very experienced?”
The look of disbelief on Norbury’s face irritated Tag.
“I don’t sleep around. I’m not a rent boy. I’ve only ever had one boyfriend.”
“I haven’t been able to find out very much about you. Tag Blake doesn’t seem to exist further back than a couple of years.”
“I changed my name.”
“Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted a new start.”
“And did you get one?”
“I was hampered by a lack of skills and no money. Am I going to get any of what the Master said he’d give me? He told me I could have some of it.”
“How would you like to earn twenty thousand pounds for a week’s work?”
Tag’s heart thumped. “Since I’ve not been paid what I was owed from before, how do I know I’ll get paid this time?”
“I promise you will.”
Tag tried not to show what he was thinking.You won’t need to pay me if I’m dead.“Doing what? More…” He glanced around to see if anyone was listening. “More sex? It can’t be just pony play or you wouldn’t offer so much.”
“You’d come up to my house in Scotland and be chosen by one of my guests to be his companion for a few days.”
“Companion?”
