Page 126 of The Other Side

“I know he was working undercover,” Purbeck replied.

Waterford let out a weary sigh. “Then you also know I have to oversee this process. Drummond’s identity and the operational details must remain secure.”

They’re fighting over me. Under different circumstances, Drum might have been amused. Instead, he gave his statement.

Waterford repeated the names of the men who had attacked him. “Barney Cotton. Ahmed Hussain.”

Drum confirmed them both. The third man he could describe, but didn’t know.

“You should have gone to a safe house,” Waterford said.

“They’d probably have found me there too.”

“Well, you’re going into one now.” Waterford held his gaze. “There’s an officer stationed outside your room until you leave here.”

“I don’t want to go into a safe house.”

Both detectives argued with him, but Drum knew that if he agreed, it would be a long time before he saw Osian again.

“By the way,” he said. “I’m resigning.”

That was greeted by a shocked silence.

“Don’t try so hard to deter me,” Drum said.

Both men laughed.

“I don’t blame you,” Waterford said. “Still want you in a safehouse though.”

“Not happening.”

They continued to try and persuade him but eventually, he closed his eyes and pretended to fall asleep.

The room fell quiet as they left.

Drum could only hope Osian found a way past his guard.

Of course he did.

A hand, pleasantly cool against Drum’s warm skin, lightly brushed the hair from his forehead. Drum felt the kiss on his cheek and opened his eyes.

“You look like hell,” Osian whispered, a fragile, exhausted smile breaking through the tension on his face.

“Missed you too,” Drum croaked, his throat still dry. He tried to shift to make room on the narrow hospital bed, but the sudden movement made his ribs hurt. He let out a sharp, hissed breath and froze.

“Don’t move, you idiot,” Osian scolded softly, his hand immediately moving to Drum’s shoulder to pin him gently to the mattress. “I had to glamour my way in. I don’t want them coming to see what’s making you yelp.”

Drum wrapped his fingers around Osian’s wrist. “They want to put me in a safe house. I said no. But we need somewhere to go.”

“Faeryland?”

Drum rolled his eyes. Then gaped as Osian told him what had happened when he’d crossed over.

“So we could go there,” Osian said. “Nowhere safer.”

Osian sat in the plastic chair and leaned his forearms on the edge of the mattress, his face only inches from Drum’s. Their fingers linked.

“I heard them arguing in the corridor,” Osian said, his voice dropping to a barely audible murmur. “They’re going to try and force you, Drum. They’re worried Ashford will just send others to do the job.”