“See that it doesn’t happen again,” she snapped before walking with us back to the patrol cars. Lee was silent as I opened the door, placed my hand on top of his head and gently guided him inside. Tony, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, studied Lee through his overhead mirror, his brow furrowing. I walked around and got in the passenger seat, and then we were off.

“Isn’t that the bloke whose house we visited a few weeks back?” he asked me curiously.

“Yep,” I replied, a brick sinking in my gut.

“Huh.”

“You know, I’m right here. You don’t have to talk about me like I’m in another room,” Lee put in, the comment reflective of his usual cheeky personality. It was the tightness around his eyes that told me he wasn’t as relaxed as he was letting on.

“Shut it,” said Tony, eyeing Lee again with a stern expression.

Lee slumped back in his seat, and silence filled the car. All the way back to the station, I was tense and frazzled, especially since Lee wouldn’t take his eyes off me the whole time. They asked a question: Are you going to help me out of this?

The problem was, now that Tony had recognised him, there was no letting him go. If Lee just so happened to disappear, Tony would come looking in my direction for answers. Since I was on shift for the rest of the night, I determined to keep an eye on Lee and make sure Steve didn’t get him alone.

A couple of minutes later we reached the station, but it was almost three hours before we’d finishing booking everyone. Lee was taken to the cells with a number of other young men, and just as he was being escorted off, I shot him a look of apology. There was really nothing I could do for him, not here at the station where there so many watchful eyes.

I was back on the front desk again when I saw a call come in about a home invasion, so I asked Steve to go check it out. He didn’t look too happy to be sent away, but he didn’t seem suspicious, either. He had no idea that I knew Lee in any capacity other than an official one. Once he was gone, I felt like I could relax, and lost myself in paperwork. By the time my shift came to an end, I was ready to spend the day in bed.

However, as I was making my way outside, rummaging in my bag for my car keys, I spotted Lee and Stu leaving through the opposite door. Stu must have come to collect him, and other than appearing a little tired, Lee didn’t seem any different than usual. Steve hadn’t gotten to him, thank God.

“Hey,” I said, a small bit awkward. “Everything okay?”

Stu wore a hostile expression while Lee glanced at me and replied shortly, “Fine and dandy.”

It was only when he spoke that I heard the strain in his voice, which alerted me to the fact he was walking more stiffly than usual. He stood up straight but held his hand to his stomach as though he was in pain. They were both walking away when I hurried to catch up with them.

“Lee, hold on. Are you sure you’re all right?”

He turned slowly and stared me down, a moment passing between us as my gaze flickered over his face. There were no visible signs that he’d been hurt, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t.

“We need to get going, bruv,” said Stu, hands braced on the roof of his car.

“Are you driving home?” Lee asked, and I nodded.

“Follow us, then, and I’ll buy you breakfast.”

With that he turned and carefully lowered his body into the car. I stood there for a second while Stu’s car hovered just outside the station, as though waiting for me to get a move on. Sucking down a deep breath, I hurried to follow them, and a couple of minutes later we were parking along the street outside a small, rundown café.

Stu went in ahead of Lee, who waited for me to catch up. Despite the fact that he was clearly in pain, he held the door open for me. I stepped by him, murmuring, “You don’t need to do that.”

He only stared at me, and we walked to where a waitress was seating Stu at a table by the window. I was momentarily grateful for the fact that I’d changed out of my uniform and into civilian clothes before leaving the station, because if anyone here knew the Cross brothers, I was sure they’d find it odd to see them eating breakfast with a cop.

The brothers chatted while I sat next to Lee, quiet. I didn’t know how to bring up the questions I wanted to ask him, mainly because of how guilty I felt. Not only had I arrested him, but because of that he’d taken a beating. Unease twisted in my stomach. The waitress returned and took our orders. I asked for coffee and a croissant, while Lee and Stu ordered two full English breakfasts. Silence fell over the table as the brothers eyed me and I grew uncomfortable.

Unable to think of anything to say, I suddenly remembered Tony’s brain teaser from the night before. “Hey, are either of you good with puzzles? There’s this one I’ve been trying to figure out. It goes like this: If it were two hours long, it’d be half as long until midnight as it would be if it were an hour later. What time is it now?”

I thought I saw Lee’s lips form something close to a smile at my rambling. Then, without missing a beat, Stu answered, “Nine p.m.”

I frowned and looked at him. “Oh, have you heard that one before?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“Then how did you come up with your answer?”

“Sixty minutes in an hour. X = 60. Midnight minus 180 minutes = 9 p.m.”

I stared at him wide-eyed, trying to figure out his equation and coming up empty. When I glanced at Lee, he was grinning. Stu got up from the table.