The Girl Who Tweeted Wolf - Hobson & Choi Case One

FIFTEEN - A Long Weekend

"No, look," tears again, "I know I get worked up sometimes, but it is only because I worry. There is real danger too, I don't think I'm being hysterical."

"I know."

"If this is really what you want, okay, but can you at least try and stick to less dangerous cases?"

"I suppose so."

"Okay."

"Okay."

They paused for a while, then Angelina instigated a hug. Her observations of past conversations suggested that would bring proceedings to a close. Sure enough, she was soon on her way back upstairs.

Maybe Angelina was biased, but her apology had been way better than her Mum's. More sincere too.

As she flopped backwards onto the bed in her personal loft conversion, Angelina wondered if it was time to move on. If her real parents would understand her more. If Hobson was the right guy to help her find them.

She'd have to get her feet properly under the table first.

*****

Hobson obtained access to the Inspiration Gestation Station by calling the building owner until he agreed to open the building up on a Sunday just to end the phone calls. After taking a huge dose of painkillers to stop his leg complaining too much, he jumped on the train over there.

Tell the truth, he could have met Tony at a more mutually convenient pub last night. Still, what use is a horrific injury if it doesn't get favours out of your friends?

He rolled up outside the IGS and looked around. He'd been told someone would meet him to open the doors. Sure enough, Jacq ran up from the street behind him a minute later, breathless and falling over herself to get there on schedule.

"Mister Hobson! Sorry! Running late! My local Overground was closed!"

"Building owner got you out of bed? Sorry 'bout that, just want to take a look at something."

"Oh, it's no trouble, Mister Hobson."

"Just Hobson, c'mon."

Jacq shrugged as she rooted in her bag for the building key. "Calling people by surnames just seems strange to me," she said, "sorry about that."

"Stop apologising, too. So you're still alright? Not gone back to crying on a sofa?"

"No sir. No point in that, I told you. Don't want people to think I'm silly."

"Good girl. Like your spirit."

She might've blushed, hard to tell against her already-flushed cheeks. "Thanks, Mister Hobson."

Jacq pulled the key out, opened the front door and they stepped into the darkened reception. Hobson was hit by a flashback to last week's bloody night when Matt died, but shook it off with a twitch.

The lights flickered on, and Jacq dashed behind her reception desk, dropping her massive bag on top of it. Immediately, she seemed more comfortable. "Did you want me to turn the lift on for you, Mister Hobson?"

"No worries thanks, I'll take the stairs. Gotta size the place up, see if there's any furniture worth saving."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm moving in, Jacq. Taking over the old Social Awesome office."

"I thought you hated it here?"

"I do. But it's much bigger. Also negotiated the chief twat of the building down way low, 'cause I don't care about working in a bloody murder site. Choi might not like it, I suppose, but she can man up."

"Aha. Very clever."

"Also, most of the pricks phoning offering me jobs live in this area. Gotta move with the times, Ms Miller. Now, if I give you some money, will you run out and get us both Subways?" He paused. "Or is that demeaning?"

"No, I like Subway, and it's better than just waiting around here." She grinned.

"Good. Bring it up when you're back."

Jacq seized her bag and ran round the desk to pluck the money from his hand. Within seconds, she locked the door behind her again. Another quick smile before she dashed down the pathway. Hobson shook his head, unused to dealing with this kind of cheer.

Putting it out of his mind for now, he barged through the door to storm the stairs. There was another reason he'd obtained this office: Edward Lyne had reams of interesting paperwork still in his filing cabinets. Hobson wanted all of it; there were leads to follow up, and the building manager had agreed to turn a blind eye for a while.

Mostcrucial of all was a large folder labelled JOHNHOBSON. He'd glimpsed it the other day when he and Choi had searched the place.Looked like a full account of his life to date, covering incidents that eventhe police shouldn't know about. He wasn't letting Lyne's personal effects outof his sight until he'd solved that mystery.

-----

The end! Of Case One! For anyone reading here on Wattpad, that is the conclusion of the first Hobson & Choi storyline. There are two more on sale as both physical and ebooks as we speak, with more to come after that, check them out if you enjoyed this.

You can find them either by going to HobsonAndChoi.com or by searching your book provider of choice. Be sure to check out the free ebook of The Girl Who Tweeted Wolf too, as it features a book-only bonus short story.

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