The Liberation of Alice Love - Abby McDonald [95]
“Do you think it’s her real name?” That one, all-important question had been distracting Alice ever since confirming the check-in log.
“Could be.” Nathan looked up. “If she thought she put enough distance between herself and the Ella Nicholls identity, or even using your name…She might have risked it.”
“But you’re not convinced.” Alice read his expression.
He sighed, his shoulders seeming to lift and settle with the breath. “I really don’t know with this one. She’s not like the other cases I’ve worked.” He gave Alice a rueful smile. “It’s not just about the money here. To be honest, I’m not sure how much more help I can be. I’ll keep looking for your savings,” he added quickly, as if to reassure her. “And I’ll run that name through whatever checks I can, but if she’s gone, there’s not much good it’ll do.”
Alice nodded slowly. She didn’t like to think of Nathan hunting down that Safe Haven money, but after his talk about rules and regulations, now probably wasn’t the time to ask him to leave it be.
“And you shouldn’t be chasing after her either,” Nathan added, a warning note to his voice. “You’ve seen what can happen when you get tangled up in someone else’s fraud, and that’s only the start of it.”
“I know,” Alice answered, trying to sound agreeable. Yes, she did know what could happen: she could discover the information she craved. “Still, you got to polish up that rusty armor of yours.”
Nathan grinned. “Yeah, thanks for that.”
“My pleasure.”
***
Although it was only two a.m. by the time the taxi deposited her outside Flora’s house later that night, Alice felt as if she’d crossed great continents in her quest. Part of her was still disbelieving, as if the weekend had been simply an idle fantasy her mind had conjured while she sat in the garden, reading the newspapers, perhaps, before finishing up some outstanding contracts and meeting Jules for a drink. That was her usual territory, Alice knew, but even though the familiar Hampstead streets were dark and drizzling as if she’d never been away, she still felt wrapped in warm, golden light of Italy and that sense of freedom.
Nathan climbed out the other side and pulled her suitcase from the trunk. He looked exhausted and unkempt now, having snatched even less sleep than Alice in the past few days. “You got everything?”
She nodded. The excitement of her search was ebbing away, and now every part of her seemed heavy and dull. “Thanks. And you’ll tell me—?”
“The minute anything about Kate turns up.” Nathan managed a curved smile. “I’ll start running her through some databases first thing: police records, credit agencies, all the rest.”
Alice yawned. “OK.”
“You want me to walk you up?” Nathan nodded toward the door, hair falling into his eyes.
“No, I’m good. You go get some sleep.”
“Oh, I will.” Nathan looked wistful. “I have a breakfast meeting. Remind me to ruin the man who invented those.”
“Will do.” Alice mustered a tired smile.
There was a pause. She glanced up, meeting his eyes for a moment. In the light from the taxi, they were warm, and Alice felt a sudden rush of affection. He hadn’t been obliged to come running from Switzerland or help on her determined expedition to Amalfi, but he’d done it all, with grace and—mostly—good humor.
Impulsively, she reached up and hugged him—a swift, strong embrace that surprised them both. “Thanks for everything,” Alice whispered, her cheek against his stubble. Nathan’s arms closed slowly around her and they stood for a moment, pressed against each other, closer than they’d ever been.
“Anytime.”
There was something intimate about standing there in the dark, and his murmured reply, that made Alice flush and quickly disentangle herself. The sun-baked terraces of Positano were an ocean away. They were home now.
“So. I’ll…see you.” She grabbed for her case, almost tripping on the curb in her haste. The night before, she’d been coolly stripping in a stranger’s bedroom, and now she felt utterly thrown by a single embrace. Alice backed away. “I mean, of course I will.