Page 49 of The Undercover Bookshop

That shifts something within him and a true, albeit small, smile breaks out. “I’m glad you did. It actually explains a lot these past several days. You’ve been terribly distracted.”

I think back to the few times he’s come to the store’s storage room to share lunch and a couple of dinners with the others at the Unicorn too. “I have, haven’t I?”

He nods. “I’m glad it wasn’t me. I thought maybe you’d tired of me.”

“Never.” The word bursts out much too loudly, too quickly, and I feel a red-spikey tide of embarrassment rush up my neck.

“Good to have that sorted.” He gives us a moment of levity before turning serious again. “But, Gemma, you’ve got to be careful. Say you are actually right. I’m not saying you are, but if you are, then this is inherently dangerous. It’s not one of your novels. All might not work out well in the end, and in real life, too, people get murdered.”

“That’s a bit of a leap.”

“Is it? You’re talking about Soviet spies. I thought we made that leap about a half hour ago.”

Quite right. We did.

“And if someone was transmitting messages from Great Rollright, they could be traced. It’s the Kidlington house that interests me. The military built an airport there during the war.”

I lean forward. “I don’t understand.”

“Too much radio traffic to trace any singular communication. Anyone could transmit anonymously from there.”

“Then—” I burst out at the same time he says, “I suggest—”

A booming voice silences us both. “PC Charles, why aren’t you at the front desk?”

Charlie pops up. “I’m back here, sir. I was just—” He looks at me and I see the awkward position I’ve put him in. Either he says I’ve come to report a spy and I sound crazy and gossip could start up, or he’s caught chatting with the girl he’s kind of, sort of, seeing in his boss’s office.

He races around the desk. “I was talking with Miss Brown. She had a concern.”

“Did she now?” Chief Wilmot’s voice rises with interest.

I follow Charlie into the main room with every intention of defending him, but a subtle shake of his head silences me.

“If you’ve got that all sorted, it’s best she be on her way and we get back to work.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll walk her out.”

Chief Wilmot turns to me with a gleam in his eye. “Good day to you, Miss Brown.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

I follow Charlie out the door, and as soon as we hit the sidewalk, he takes my elbow and walks me a few feet away. “I’m sorry about that. It was the easiest way out.” He flicks his hand back towards the constabulary. “I promise he’s not thinking anything bad. He—”

“It’s fine.” I grab Charlie’s arm. “I’m sorry I put you in that position. And thank you.”

His eyes cloud in confusion. “For what?”

“For not thinking I’m crazy.”

He chuckles and deposits a lovely light kiss on my cheek. “I never said that. It’s just that you’re my kind of crazy.” He takes a step back. “I must get back, but we need to talk more.”

“Yes.”

He steps back again, still facing me. “And promise me you’ll not do anything dangerous?”

“Never.” I repeat the word.

His smile tells me he caught my meaning.