Hiding Within The Betrayal

Chapter Fourteen: Record Timing

Since Tess had to take off, I thought that I might as well too.

We left together, and stood by the path by the pub. As I went to say goodbye to her, I stopped myself. Like a flashback, the last time Tess was ordered to come home early crossed my mind vividly.  Although I didn't know him on a personal level, I had seen and heard enough of Tess's boyfriend to despise the way he treated her. Not that I told her.

"I'll wait til he turns up, yeah?"

She wasn't sure what to think of it. "What's with you being nice Myra?"

Offended, "I'm always nice!"

He was very quick to kick off. I can't be sure if he had ever hit her but the last time this situation occurred I was maybe two minutes away on foot. I could hear him yelling at her. Getting overly aggressive over absolutely nothing. Maybe it wasn't my place to say anything.

"Don't be silly." She told me politely, "Get yourself home. Need to be on time tomorrow remember? I can wait for five minutes on my own for  Tony."

After being dismissed, I kept on. I was stubborn, I wasn't leaving until I wanted to regardless of if she wanted me to leave or not. I didn't trust the guy, at least if I lingered around I could explain the situation so that he believed what had happened. I could understand him being overprotective of her at work (even if his beliefs were stupid) but times like this, no.

Afraid to leave her, "Tess, can I ask you something?"

She hadn't looked at me since the comment made about a serious relationship. She knew why I wasn't in one, I don't blame her for snapping though.

This wasn't any different.

Her eyes flickered in my direction by she wouldn't let them land on me.

For the entirety that I had known Tess. she had been with him but part of wondered about her personal life. Since we had to work closely with one another, we tended to get sick of seeing each other. It was rare that we met up outside of work, when we did it was often a quick catch up about a case that we were working on rather than things going off away from work much like this evening's reason.

"What are you going to ask about?" She finally looked at me, taking her eyes off the road.

I shook my head feeling out of place, "You know what, never mind."

"Oh, come on Myra," she huffed, "If you have something to say just say it!"

I wasn't expecting that tone of voice to come. Not when it did at least. I had made many coarse comments before that she could have should have snapped at me for, either at work, on the phone or inside just now. I might not be as chill with my staff as Detective Bakshi was but Tess was honestly my closest friend. Not that I would admit it. I barely knew anything about her life out of the office. She just had this way about her that I got on well with. Unfortunately, Tess was often closed off. Much more private than a friend should be. Even then, I knew her man was a handful of trouble.

"I just don't get why he's so defensive about you being out." I realised how rude it came across, so before she could say anything back, I tried to make light of it, "With me of all people."

"He cares about me," she defended. A plastic smile bit into her tone, "He's my boyfriend Myra. Someone to worry about me. Something that you don't understand."

Hurt wasn't fitting enough, "Excuse me?"

"Oh, you know what I mean," she suddenly realized how it came across and was trying to correct herself, "I mean a relationship. Right now at least. You don't have someone to-"