Inamorata

Chapter Thirty-Seven - The Modest Rose Puts Forth a Thorn

Robin looked uneasy but Nightingale could not afford to spend time wondering why. Her thoughts were entirely focussed on Rose. Everything else was secondary and so Robin's perturbation did not even faze her.

"Robin," she demanded, when he did not speak. "I'm not asking you to help. I'm just asking you to help me talk to him."

Robin sighed. "Very well," he said, taking her by the elbow. Then, to the computer, he said: "Directions to the front desk, please."

The glowing arrows seemed to struggle as they leaped from wall to wall, attempting to keep up with the speed of Nightingale's pace. Even Robin seemed to struggle, too, for he maintained a sporadic half-jog behind her.

When they reached the atrium, the way through which Nightingale had first come when David had brought her for questioning the first time, Robin pulled her to a long desk. Even with her focus devoted to Rose, Nightingale could not help but notice the similarity to the long desk at the Corporation's head office; the place where, so long ago, she had met Michael.

"May I use your com, please?" enquired Robin of the young woman seated at the desk. When she arched her eyebrows at him, he smiled in his charming lopsided way. "I don't carry one. Old-fashioned of me, I know, but it's still the truth."

She nodded as she pushed a tablet and an earpiece his way. "Simply authenticate and then place your call," she said.

Robin nodded, laying his hand flat against the screen. The tablet first came up with a photograph of him and a long list of information, and then his profile vanished, leaving in its place a keypad, complete with a full set of numbers and letters.

Robin's fingers flew as, with one dexterous hand, he placed the piece in his ear and, with the other, keyed in a long string of letters and numbers.

Nightingale waited in an impatient, agitated silence before Robin appeared to start a conversation with the open air.

"David," he said. There was a little pause. "Yes, I know it's strange that I never call you. But this is important. I'm here at Headquarters with someone who would like to talk to you."

During the briefest of moments, Robin turned his face and threw a rueful little smile Nightingale's way. "Why, yes, that is who wants to speak to you. She's just been to visit her sisters and would like an explanation about a certain person's absence."

This time, the silence was much longer. As Robin listened, Nightingale watched his brow begin to furrow more and more as the pause became drawn out, till his forehead seemed as though it would be permanently creased with wrinkles.

Nightingale could bear it no longer. Leaning forward, she snatched the com out of Robin's ear - earning an astonished look from him - and shoved it in her own ear.

"Rose has been arrested. By your team. I want answers," she snarled.

She could practically see David's response in his words. As he spoke, she was able to picture how his eyebrows would rise with incredulity and his cold eyes would flash at being so rudely addressed.

"Ah, so you're giving me orders now, Nightingale?" he replied. His voice was frigid in tone and Nightingale knew why. This was the first time they'd spoken since they'd slept together.

"Yes," she said.

"And I'm just to obey them?" he snorted. "Why?"

"Because you're angry with me for a personal reason. But this is a professional problem. And who was it who was so keen to teach me the distinction between personal and professional affairs?" challenged Nightingale.