4
The rain seemed to settle as the darkness softened into the early morning light. The car was still frigidly cold but Robin didn't really want to move. Her beloved ancient 4x4 was stuck in the muddy field with her and her best friend stuck on the back seat. Sighing contentedly she tried to imagine a more bizarre situation as Cormoran snored slightly as she rested her head on his chest.
I'm a field, in Wales, in the middle of sodding nowhere with the man I've been in love with since he stopped me falling down a flight of stairs. Problems - its winter, its freezing cold, we don't really know where the nearest humans are and he loves me the same way he loves his sister and her kids. Not the way I love him. And now I have on as if I just didn't make a complete prat of myself last night.
He sighed heavily as he felt the darkness change to light. The spell of being in their own little world was about to be broken. He knew they had to get back to London, that the office wouldn't run itself without them there but he didn't want to let her go. He didn't want to get hypothermia either so he knew at some point he would have to suggest that they abandon the Land Rover and head out into the countryside to find somewhere they could ring work and the AA.
"Morning." He smiled as he felt her stir slightly. "You ok?"
"Mm." Robin didn't actually trust herself to say proper words. He smiled slightly. "You?"
"Yeah." He looked out of the window. "Rain stopped."
"Yeah." Robin agreed, still not moving. He smiled, glad to see that she was as reluctant to move as he was. He closed his eyes for a moment, knowing that one of them would have to suggest moving sooner rather than later. He tightened his arms around her for a moment, almost as if he was afraid daylight would ruin everything. "What's the time?"
"Er." He looked at his watch. "Just after 6."
"Oh God." Robin sighed. "No one is going to know we didn't get home yet. Not unless Matthew is still stalking me."
"He's what?" Cormoran felt his blood begin to boil. It was rare that he actually hated anyone and while initially he had thought Matthew Cunliffe was a self absorbed little scumbag who didn't deserve to be in the same room as Robin Ellacott he had kept his thoughts to himself. Now that Robin had finally divorced him he didn't feel the need to hide how he felt about the other man.
"He was there when I got home the other night. Sarah has apparently decided she doesn't want to marry him."
"She's not that thick then." He raised an eyebrow as Robin sighed. "Is he bothering you? Do you want me to have a word?"
"No." Robin knew what the 'word' would possibly involve and the last thing she wanted was to bail him out of custody again. "I told him to leave me alone or I'd get an injunction on him. Guy told him he'd call the police. I think that he got the message. I'm not going back there. I'm not." He relaxed at the determination in her voice.
"If we don't move soon." He sighed.
"I know."
Cormoran shifted slightly so that they had to sit up properly. He touched her face for a second, tilting her head so she had to look at him.
"Last night."
"Is your coat dry enough to wear?"
"Dunno, dun care." He watched her raise an eyebrow.
"And I don't want you getting pneumonia."
"Anyone would think you cared." He teased.
"I do." She held his gaze for a moment as his eyes slipped from hers to her lips. A moment later they were kissing as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.
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Vanessa walked into the office - not surprised to see that neither of her friends had arrived. Sighing heavily she began to wonder why she bothered going to them for help anyway. She looked around the office, noticing Robin's desk was immaculate whereas the space Strike occupied most was a bit of a shambles. Not for the first time she began to wonder how the pair made everything work.
"Hi."
She turned to see Ilsa walk into the office. "Hi."
"Any sign of Robin and the Idiot?"
"Strike? No." Vanessa smiled. She had always liked the couple but knew his sister was even more direct than him. "I was wondering."
"Where the Hell they are? Robin didn't come home. He's not answering that phone. I mean, why have a phone if you don't answer the damn thing?"
"I'll try her again." Vanessa picked up her mobile as she began to think his sister was more angry than worried. "You don't think they are together?"
"They better be!" Ilsa snapped. "I even tried ringing our Lucy." She shook her head. "Little Miss Sensible hasn't heard from them either. What with that prat of an ex husband of hers hanging around like a bad smell."
"You think?"
"Corm can handle him." She smiled.
"Its ringing. Robin! Where are you?"
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"Oh its ringing!" Robin grabbed her phone as it sprung to life. Cormoran sighed as she rested her hand on his chest, effectively stopping him from kissing her again. "Vanessa! Hi. Yes, I know." She paused. "Car accident. No, what? We're fine." She smiled as Cormoran looked at her, she averted her eyes so she could concentrate. "Yes, we are both fine. No signal, no none. We're in a field in South Wales somewhere near the M4 motorway." She paused. "Is that Ilsa?"
She handed the phone to Cormoran who tried his best puppy dog innocent eyes to try to get out talking to his sister. "Hiya." He answered. "Calm down. Like I'd let anything happen to her! For fuck's sake! As soon as you get off the phone we can call the AA or whoever to get the car and we can get to the train station and get back to London." He paused as his sister berated him. "Ok, ok. I'll call when we are on the train. Ok? Yes, I am sure. Of course. BYE!" He hung up. "Why couldn't I have been an only child?"
"You don't mean that." Robin pulled her coat closer to her as she took the phone back from him.
"Nah, not really." He huffed. "Its just."
"What?"
"She knows me too well, sometimes."
Robin smiled, knowing her friend's sister was the more sensible and stable member of the Strike family. "She worries."
"I know."
"I do too, when you go off and well."
"Work?"
"Almost get killed."
"Are we going to ring the AA?"
"Yup." She pressed the speed dial on her phone as her other hand rested on her lap. Cormoran took her hand, linking her fingers with his before brining her hand to his lips. She quickly explained the problem to the operator before hanging up. Her eyes fell to his as he squeezed her hand. "They're on their way. Could be a while before they get to us. Said to sit tight."
"Ok."
"Now what? When we get home?"
"We carry on."
"As us or as us?"
"Us." He wiggled his eyebrows as she laughed. In that moment he knew that he had to make her laugh more often. "My sister is going to kill me."
"No she isn't." Robin smiled. "She'd have to get through me first." They both looked at their joined hands as he realised this was it. This was them and maybe, just maybe getting stuck in the Welsh countryside wasn't the worst thing that could happen after all.
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