Page 25 of Skin In the Game (The BlackWater)

He laughed again.

“Listen, can you do me a favour?” She asked. “I lost my phone at the warehouse, someone took it. Can you give me some numbers?”

“Sure, who do you want? I’m guessing Holden, you want Curtis too?” He said.

“Yeah so I can call him up later and tell him to go fuck himself.” She muttered and they both laughed knowing that despite her bravado she wouldn’t dare.

“Not sure your nickname really fits him, think ginger arsehole is more appropriate.” He stated.

She smirked.

“I’m dreading Monday.” She said after a moment.

“It’ll be alright. Just act normal. Go for a run, I’ll have a coffee ready and waiting and anyone that pisses you off you let me know and I’ll tell them where they can stick it.” He stated.

“Thanks Burke, I owe you one.” She replied smiling but feeling convinced.

Monday it turned out was just as bad as she thought it would be. She woke up early, before the sun was even up and she went for a run more to clear her head than for exercise. She ran further, harder, more aggressively than she had in a while and when she made it back to her apartment she was practically heaving with just the effort of breathing.

She’d bought new clothes, ordering them online because she couldn’t face the thought of actually walking into a shop and having to pick stuff out and paid extra to get it delivered the next day. She pulled on new knickers, a new bra and then some new black jeans and shirt.

She looked at herself in the mirror then.

Her hair was up in a high ponytail and out of her face and she wondered if it might have been better to wear it down to hide the concrete graze still very visible on her cheek. But she never wore her hair down, at least not at work. Her hair was long, down to her waist almost and at work it felt more appropriate to keep it up, to keep it out of the way. She looked tired, she had bags under her eyes. Thank god for the shirt because if anything it made her look normal, in control, the same old Maddie.

She rode the tube to work, one ear plug in listening to a podcast to distract herself while not really listening at all. She felt like she was being followed, like someone was tailing her but she wondered why? She kept glancing around, wondering if she was going crazy, if she was paranoid.

She walked into the building and smiled at the guards flashing her pass but even they gave her a funny look. Just great, she thought, as she took the elevator up.

She walked into her office and it felt like the whole place went dead. She raised an eyebrow looking around at everyone and just sighed. What did you expect Maddie? She thought and she walked to her desk and chucked her bag down before walking over to where Burke was no doubt waiting with a coffee.

She smiled at him and he gave her a mug. The same mug he always used.

“Don’t let the fuckers get to you.” He said and she laughed but it sounded hollow, empty.

“COOPER.” Holden shouted from the corridor, his head barely round the office door but his eyes right on her.

“Here we go.” She muttered putting the mug on the side before walking back out to face him.

He’d turned before she even got through the door and she followed behind him, narrowing her eyes and keeping her focus on the back of his head as it felt like everyone in the damn place watched her walk to the gallows.

“Sit.” He said as he walked in and she sat right in front of him.

“What the fuck is this about a trip to Winchester?” He asked.

“Excuse me?” She said.

“You heard, you apparently went on some kind of spring clean and then disappeared off down the south coast for a few hours over the weekend.”

“I’m not sure my weekend excursions are any concern of yours.” She snapped.

“But they are when you’re under investigation Cooper.” He said leaning right in over his desk.

“For what?” She asked narrowing her eyes at him.

“Your team member is dead and BlackWater found highly incriminating evidence in your apartment.”

“For fucks sake, we both know that evidence was planted.” She said.

“By who?”

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