Page 75 of Devious Gambit

“Yes.” That was the truth. I definitely wanted to keep in contact with him, maybe seek out his sister, Trudy, my aunt.

“Do you promise?” he asked.

I hated the word ‘promise’. I hated it when people put folk in difficult situations by forcing them to promise something. Humans are humans, keeping a promise was beyond most humans’ capabilities.

“Yes,” I lied.

“Okay, I’ll tell you where I hid it, but…I can’t promise it will still be there.”

TWENTY NINE

Jace

Fifty minutes past and I figured she’d be coming out very soon. I messaged Cody that I was sitting in Stillwater corrections car park while the bookhugger was inside siphoning information out of her father. I’ll message him as soon as I know where the Klimt was hidden, then I can wipe my hands clean of this whole fucking debacle. First, I had the ordeal of a six-hour drive back to KV with an angry nerd and my searing guilt.

Fuck, I felt bad about all this. Really bad. I mean, what a fucking asshole, I am. It would’ve been so much easier if Gallagher was a slimy, smirking bitch, but she’s not. She’s everything but, and I hurt her really bad.

She won’t see me for dust once we get back to KV. In fact, I’ll make sure our paths never cross. If I don’t see her, I’ll get over it faster. The guilt will fade and I’ll be back to my usual, selfish jock ways again. I won’t be ordering any burgers in Stads or chasing her up in the library or the university gardens.

Sixty minutes past and that meant time was up. I glanced at the gates expecting to see her walk out. When she didn’t I figured she was caught up with paperwork and body searches.

A messaged came though on my phone from my older brother, Max. I left a message thirty minutes ago asking him to ring me back.

Max: It’s Xmas time, did u pull the short straw?

Me: Yep. Big announcement planned on Xmas day. Family wants u there for dinner. My turn to bribe u, so I figured I’d just ask u first.

Max: Any clues what the announcement is?

Me: No. Erin doesn’t even know.

Max: Fine. I’ll show up for an hour.

Me: Awesome.

Seventy minutes past and still no Rhys and I lost myself in Tiktok vids again to pass the time. “Hurry up, bookhugger.”

Eighty minutes past and a message came through from Rhys with the location of the Klimt, but I was more concerned about her.

Me: Where r u?

After waiting several minutes for a reply, I rang her number only for it to click over to answer phone. She’d switched her phone off.

“Rhys, where are you? I’m still here waiting for you? Get back to me ASAP.”

At the ninety-minute mark, I rang her again. “Please, Rhys, turn your phone on.” At the 100-minute mark, I decided to leave the prison car park and go look for her. She must’ve slipped out, while I wasn’t looking.

It was a six-minute drive from the prison to the town and an easy walk. Luckily, the town is small, hopefully not many places to hide.

110 minutes and Gallagher finally makes contact. I pulled the car over by the river to read the text.

Gallagher: Go home. I don’t want to see you ever again.

Me: No. Where r u?

Gallagher: It ends here. Don’t contact me again.

Me: How r u getting home?

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