Page 110 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

The girl said one word and the interpreter translated it. “A Snake.”

Maddie sighed. They’d been talking to the girl for ages now. She was the only one that was actually saying something. All the others were too scared, too frightened to even look them in the eyes. Whatever this gang had said, it had frightened the living daylights out of them.

“I think we should leave it there.” The detective said. Maddie nodded.

“If you get anything else, any other leads can you let me know?” She asked.

“Sure thing.” He replied as they got up to leave.

When the door shut Maddie let out a low sigh of frustration.

“You not gonna tell us why you’re so interested in this particular bunch?”

“What do you mean this particular bunch?” Maddie replied almost annoyed at his tone.

“No offence but we find trafficked girls on an almost daily basis. BlackWater hasn’t shown any interest in them before today.

“I can’t tell you why but this one is different. The players are different.” Maddie said.

“So if we come across any others like this? Similar cases want us to let you know?”

“Yeah that would be great.” Maddie said shaking his hand.

She was done with Kent. Done with this entire week. She wanted to be on the road now and heading back to London. Especially as she only had one god damn week left and essentially little new information to go off.

It waslate afternoon when Maddie got back. She walked into the house, unpacked her bags, dumped her washing in the machine and decided despite the pain in her leg that she needed a workout. A real workout. A proper workout.

She yanked on a sports bra and some shorts and headed down to the basement. She’d been using the gym sporadically, mainly focusing on her arms and her abs. Keeping her muscle strength but not really doing anything that kept her stamina.

She stretched and then sat down awkwardly on the rowing machine with one leg strapped in and her weak one tucked to the side. She shut her eyes, mentally getting herself into the zone and began to row. The machine started roaring, the smooth circular sound of the chain unravelling before rolling back up.

When she grew bored she eyed up the running machine but even she knew that was pushing it too far. She opted for the leg press. Again, letting her weak leg rest while her other did all the work. She half wondered how lopsided she would end up by the time her damn leg healed and then an awful thought came to her head. What if it had healed? What if this was it? This was as good as she was ever going to get? That she would be stuck, in this pathetic, injured state forever. Unable to run, unable to push herself properly again?

She sighed clenching and unclenching her fists. She hadn’t made contact with the consultant despite Cole’s insistence. She’d ignored it, buried it, but maybe now she needed too, maybe now was a good time to start getting some answers.

She gave up her work out, cursing the dissatisfaction of it and headed back upstairs. Was it too early to have a drink? She wondered.

Her phone buzzed and she yanked it out from the pouch in her shorts.

“Well this is a pleasant surprise?” She said.

“Is it?” Richard replied. Even from those two words she could hear the edge to his voice.

“What’s up with you?” She asked before she could stop herself.

“I think the question is more what the fuck is up with you Maddison?” Richard snapped.

“Why?”

“Are you mad? Have you hit your head? Did that bullet do more permanent damage than we all realised?” He growled.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Maddie retorted as she walked into the kitchen.

“Dad. That’s what. You went for lunch with him. Didn’t you?”

“How the fuck did you know?” Maddie asked.

“So it’s true? You did meet him. After everything he’s done…”

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