Page 28 of Finding Lord Landry

I opened my mouth to try to explain some part of this but remembered at the last minute that I couldn’t. As far as the Brotherhood was concerned, I was a poor kid from the wrong side of the council estate.

The lie was a familiar bitter lump in the back of my throat, but it felt larger than ever now. Hard to swallow around. Hard to breathe through.

I clenched my back teeth. There was someone other than Jim Winthrop I could call for help. My father had been friends with the current prime minister for as long as I could remember. “Guys, I have an idea. Let me see what I can do.”

After a quick shower, I threw on clean clothes and went searching for Nan. As soon as she saw the look on my face, she dropped her affectionate smile.

“What’s going on?” she asked, closing her laptop on the desk in her office.

“I need to get in touch with Teddy Baines.”

“We should get our PR team on hand before you announce anything,” she said hesitantly. I realized she thought I’d meant to call the prime minister to start the process of taking a spot in Parliament.

“Not about that. It’s about Kenji. He’s in San Cordova, caught up in a violent protest.”

She opened the laptop again and went searching for the information I needed. “Oh, Landry. I’m so sorry. I’ve got Teddy’s mobile number right here.”

“Thanks, Nan.”

“Of course. Let me know what else I can do.”

After retreating to my bedroom again, I took a shaky breath and called the prime minister. It immediately went to voicemail, which didn’t surprise me since I was calling from an unknown number.

I texted.

It’s Everett Davencourt, Viscount Hawling. Need help re: San Cordova. Please.

“Everett?” Teddy asked gruffly as soon as I accepted his call.

“Yes, sir.”

“I’d ask where you’ve been, but I have bigger concerns right now. Who do you know in San Cordova?”

I swallowed. Calling Kenji a friend would sound stupid and unimportant and was patently untrue, so I avoided calling him anything.

“His name is Kenji Toma. I want to know if you have a plan to get anyone out of there.”

“I’ve already heard from several other British families affected by this situation. Send the info on your friend. UK passport number would be ideal, but if you?—”

“He’s American.”

There was a pause. “Everett, I’m sorry, but I can’t?—”

“He’s my fiancé,” I blurted, shocking myself as much as Teddy. “We’re getting married. He’s my partner. I need to get him out. Money’s no object?—”

“It’s not that. This is a delicate situation because of our history with San Cordova,” he said. “In addition, the political ramifications of expending our resources on an American?—”

“I’ll do anything,” I said in a low voice. “Pay any amount of money. Make any calls. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

I knew it was unwise to give someone carte blanche like that, but I meant it. I would burn the world to bring Kenji home.

Teddy paused. “I need your father to retire?—”

“That’s already in progress,” I assured him. “His health is… precarious.”

“—and I need you to take his place.”

Fuck.How had I not seen this coming?

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