Page 56 of Criminally Yours

“What?” Strike grunted.

He looked between Strike and Millie, lines forming across his forehead. “The inner tent is missing.”

A vein in Strike’s neck pulsed as his lips flattened. His eyes pinched as he replied with such menace that Millie stepped back, “Who had it last?”

“Stal last week. I didn’t check it before we left, and I should have. I’m sorry, Strike.”

Strike slammed his fist against a tree. “I’m having words.”

Millie dived in front of him and yanked his phone away. “Don’t you dare.”

Strike stepped closer, and she backed away. “Millie,” he warned between clenched teeth. “It could’ve been more serious than a tent.”

“He’s got enough going on without you starting on him,” she snapped.

“Fine. I won’t shout at him right now.”

“I’ll get another tent. It will be okay,” Cam replied. “I’ll be a couple of hours.”

“No. You need sleep,” Millie stated. Strike cocked his eyebrow at her, and she turned to him. “Cam needs sleep. You’re running your team ragged. He’s exhausted. He was at the shoot-out, too, and he’s still got to sort out a vehicle.”

“It’s okay. I’ve had worse than this.” He stifled a yawn.

“No,” she declared. “You need to rest, and I need sleep. Strike and I can share.” Strike shuffled awkwardly. “There are two sleeping bags, right? Please tell me there are two sleeping bags.”

Cam nodded.

“I probably won’t sleep much anyway,” Strike grumbled. “I can stay outside and keep watch.”

She rose on her tiptoes and pulled on the collar of his jumper. Watching this big man bow to her touch made her want to bury herself in his neck until he made her forbidden promises.

“You stay in the tent with me. I need you to be alert when we reach Cornwall. You’re meant to keep me safe. No wonder your team are pushed to their breaking point if you treat yourself like this. Lead by example, Strike, and take care of yourself.”

Silence descended, broken by crickets in the grass and something swooping overhead.

“I’ll go then.” Cam edged toward the car. “You can use the ground sheet of the spare tent to keep your stuff dry, at least.”

Millie eyeballed Strike. He glared back, his jaw sharper than a knife.

“Fine. See you at six tomorrow morning, Cam, and get some rest. You’ve been through a lot today, and you did really well. You kept Millie and me safe. Well done.”

Cam’s mouth briefly dropped open, but then he nodded and gathered the rest of the things from the vehicle.

CHAPTER 25

Millie

Millie shoved down her sleeves to stop from scratching at her goose-pimpled arms. She wanted to play with her mobile, but as Strike was extra cautious, Cam had taken the phone and SIM to destroy and would bring her new equipment in the morning.

Her phone was less secure than Strike’s, and they were willing to do anything to eliminate the possibility it had been traced.

Her fingers twitched as she stared at the tent.

Just me and Strike in one fucking tent.

Silence highlighted the sounds of her dragging saliva into her dry mouth. Exhaustion sat deep in her bones. She forced a yawn to convince herself she could sleep, but the proposition of sharing one tent with her first and only love made her breath kick.

“You know you have to getinthe tent to sleep in it, right?” Strike asked as he leaned against a nearby tree, his eyes refusing to leave her.