Dying For LA by Ian Jones (best adventure books to read TXT) 📗

He turned back to face Tom Reed, but Sammy wasn’t going to give up that easily.

‘I’ve been looking for you John. I really want to talk to you. I heard what you did. On the platform I mean, and I know you are working with the police. Helping them.’

John looked at Reed for help, but he clearly had no idea about how to deal with this either and just wore an exasperated expression on his face.

‘I suppose you just heard right?’ Reed asked her.

‘I know how it looks. But yeah, sometimes people talk to us. Look, we aren’t saying anything we’ve been asked not to. I’m just interested in John.’

Sammy stepped closer.

John sighed.

‘Listen Miss King. Samantha. I don’t know what you’ve been told, but I’m just a tourist. Yes, I was in the subway and yes, I do remember saying something to a camera when I came out but thankfully that was the end of it, so now I’m just hanging out in LA with a friend of mine. Happy to be here. Enjoying the sunshine.’

John had spent many years of his working life lying and believed he had it down to a fine art but now, sitting next to Tom Reed who knew exactly what was going on his words sounded flat, unbelievable.

But Sammy nodded.

‘It’s just Sammy. Or Sam. Well, ok, maybe you and I could just talk about what happened? It must have been terrifying.’

‘Listen Sammy, I’m not interested in being in the public eye. It doesn’t suit me, I’d rather fade into the background, just be anonymous. I’m sure you do a great job, I will check out your show but that’s just not me.’

Sammy smiled, a winning, heart melting smile. John could feel himself being pulled in.

She looked at him carefully. She liked what she saw, she had been desperate to find him and here he was, and he was interesting. Suddenly what Moran thought seemed even less important. She glanced at Reed.

‘Wow, he’s big. He your bodyguard?’ she asked.

Reed raised his eyebrows.

‘Round the other way, miss. It ain’t me doing the protecting. People don’t wanna mess with John, trust me.’

Her mind was whirring. Now she didn’t need Jimmy Frost any more, which was a relief. She moved closer still.

‘Alright. Maybe we can go for a drink then?’

John looked at her carefully. He knew what he wanted to say for an answer. She was a ten, easy, and she seemed lovely.

‘Maybe. But no interviews, no microphones?’

She smiled wider.

‘Of course. Look, I’m new in LA, just trying to make a name for myself. The whole Metro thing, it’s a big deal, massive. Nothing like that happened here before. Yeah, ok, so I want your story. But it can wait. Truthfully, I needed something to make an impact and I’ve been spending every waking second hoping I can find you and guess what? Now I have and of course you’re just a guy, same as all of us. Right now I’m way the hell out the office and down by the ocean, and for the first time in too long I feel free.’

John nodded, and smiled in return. He would love to go out with her. But this wasn’t a good idea. Unfortunately.

‘I’m sorry. It’s great to be asked, and any other time it would be yes. But I can’t, right now. Maybe another time.’

Sammy stepped back, she wasn’t used to hearing no from men. But she was a professional.

‘Ok, I understand.’

She dug in her bag and passed over a business card.

‘I would really appreciate a call before you leave, just to hear your side. My editor is kind of a pain in the ass, and this has been such huge news.’

John took the card and slid it in his pocket. Now he felt bad. He had been asked on a date by this crazily cute woman and turned her down. All he had to do was not say anything.

‘Well, I better go. I’ve been told about a rooftop bar, just along from here, close to Venice Beach. I’ll be there later, around seven I guess, if you change your mind,’ Sammy said.

‘Ok, thanks. Nice to meet you, take care.’

Sammy went to the cashier and paid, then John watched her fill her car and drive away.

Reed looked at him and shook his head.

‘Man, you are crazy. She is hot.’

‘Yeah, I know, but what with everything going on right now it can’t be a good idea. Whatever I think or want doesn’t matter. You know what I mean. I don’t need my name in the papers.’

‘It doesn’t have to be that way John, and we can’t do any more than we are doing anyhow. It won’t hurt to take a couple of hours off you know.’

John sipped some awful coffee and gazed out the window.

‘Maybe, I suppose,’ he said finally. ‘Yeah, ok, why the hell not? It’s just a drink, it’s not like anything’s going to happen, worse luck. But you’re coming too, right? Make sure I don’t blunder into something.’

‘Yeah, why the hell not. I’ll ask Cindy.’

‘Who’s Cindy?’ John asked, wondering if Reed knew the area. He’d never mentioned it.

‘Chick from the hotel.’

‘Ah, you did notice. I wondered.’

‘I notice everything John. Always.

Chapter Thirty-One

After a couple of hours of walking round and round the yard with his mobile phone glued to his ear Pinsky came back in and demanded gate keys.

Rico handed his set over without a word.

‘You off out then?’ Voorhees asked.

Pinsky stood still and stared at him. All the men were together in the main room and every one of them apart from Pinsky wished they were somewhere else. The tension was getting worse and worse.

Unsure of himself and desperately regretting saying anything, Voorhees blinked and looked away. Pinsky was clearly annoyed about something, it had to be down to the phone calls. Something must have gone wrong, but what was it? It couldn’t be Voorhees or his team, they hadn’t done anything. And nothing had been said about what they were supposed to be doing