Expulsion gave Liam Barrett a dangerous choice. Needing to transfer for his final year, he'd known immediately where to go. It was a distantly familiar place that'd taken everything from him; had once ruined him so absolutely and twisted his persona...
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Charlie was alert the moment the front door opened. Ahead, Liam's shoulders had stiffened, hesitating in the frame. He ducked his head slightly, inching behind Liam's back, and cautiously glanced over the other man's shoulder, seeking the danger.
ㅤAs if sensing Charlie's proximity, Liam waved a hand behind him, signalling him to stop. Without a better conclusion yet, he did so.
ㅤSilent moments dragged on with nothing happening, not a word, not a sound, and Charlie grew restless of the uncertainty. He shifted to the side, blocked by the wall beside the door, peering a better glimpse of Liam's panicked face.
ㅤ"Nice house you have here," a man drawled, a sarcastic hum to his voice. "You must be Hazel, right?"
ㅤWary, Charlie backed himself against the wall further but his shoe scraped against the ground. He silently cursed himself.
ㅤ"Oh, there's two of you is there?" The blatant faux intrigue seeped between the words. "Excellent. Do you and your friend want to step out here for a moment?"
ㅤDespite Charlie's blatant giveaway and the clear knowing of the man, Liam didn't slip a single glance his way. His head was kept defiantly forward as if no one else was with him.
ㅤCharlie's heart pounding a racket with adrenaline coursing through his veins made it difficult to think calmly but, in a spur-of-the-moment decision, he placed a gentle hand on Liam's back and gently nudged.
ㅤ"It's fine. Let's do as he says for now."
ㅤAuthority dripped out of that man's mouth. He was either in a position where giving orders came naturally or, by the sounds of it, the man recognised them. Running away wouldn't end well in that case.
ㅤ"Okay," Liam breathed. He stepped out cautiously with Charlie following closely behind.
ㅤLeaning casually against the garden wall, an older man with a crumpled suit hiding under his tattered leather jacket was smiling pleasantly. It was difficult to assign an age; the whites of his eyes were pinkened with sleeplessness with dark bags underlining them, casting an ageing shadow across his face. Stubble darkened his chin, no more unkempt than his unstyled hair. And, although Charlie wanted to estimate him in his forties, he was equally likely to be in his thirties.
ㅤ"There you are—the little shadow." The man grinned. Charlie only blinked in response.
ㅤWhen the man began pulling something out of his pocket, Liam jolted as Charlie tensed, both equally guarded. Something like a wallet slipped out, and the man flipped it open to present it to them.
ㅤ"Stiff as wooden boards you two are. Detective Inspector Justin Millers... Hello!"
ㅤ"Shit. Did that old fart call us in anyway?" Liam whispered to Charlie.
ㅤBut, this man wasn't in uniform. Was he off duty?
ㅤCharlie's brows furrowed slightly in consideration, his observation careful. "No, his badge says MET. He's a London pig."
