’ Layla gave a low, bitter laugh. In a fierce whisper she went on: ‘We had sex because I was upset and you took advantage of that. You used me. Then you dumped me. I apologize if I don’t like that.’
‘Jesus, don’t we have more important things to think about right now?’ asked Alberto in exasperation. ‘Look – I did you a favour. Believe me, I did.’
‘A favour? No, you did yourself one,’ said Layla. She closed her eyes and moaned softly. ‘Oh God. He could kill her, couldn’t he? She could already be dead. She might not even be at this place.’
‘Talking like that won’t help.’ They knew at least that Annie wasn’t at Partyland; that had been checked out. Their only hope was that Malone had taken her to the place out on the marshes. If not, they were stumped. And Annie was finished.
‘Don’t tell me what I can and cannot think. You might boss everyone else around, but not me, OK?’
‘What’s going on?’ asked Max, turning in his seat. He looked at Sandor, sitting there like a slab of rock, then at Alberto, and finally at Layla.
‘She’s upset,’ said Alberto smoothly, his eyes holding hers.
Max reached back and took her hand. ‘I said this was a bad idea. I told you not to come.’
‘I had to come,’ said Layla. Her brain kept presenting her with nightmare images of Precious, beaten to death. And the same man had Mum now. ‘For God’s sake, how could I not? Anything could happen to her, I have to be here.’
Max and Alberto exchanged a look. They both thought that Layla would be in the way, a liability; that they might have to waste time protecting her, when they ought to be able to focus on getting Annie out of danger. They had told her as much before leaving London. But Layla was having none of it.
‘What’s going on with you two?’ asked Max, his eyes moving from his daughter to Alberto and back again.
‘Nothing,’ she said.
‘Nothing? You sounded like you were ripping lumps out of each other a moment ago. You had a fight?’
Layla stared hard at Alberto, who returned her look coolly.
He’d kill you if he knew, her eyes said.
Yeah? Alberto’s gaze said. So do it. Tell him.
‘It was nothing,’ said Layla, dropping her eyes to her lap. ‘Really, nothing.’
Max looked at Alberto. Something was going on with these two.
‘I’d take a dim view of anyone upsetting my daughter,’ he said to Alberto.
‘Of course,’ said Alberto.
‘So don’t,’ said Max.
‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’
‘Good,’ said Max, giving Alberto one last thoughtful look and Layla’s hand a brief squeeze before he turned to stare ahead again.
‘Can’t you go any faster?’ Layla asked Steve.