Page 59 of I Would Die for You

“I’ve not noticed this one yet,” says Hank, close on my heels.

“We’ve got to hope that something they’ve written will give us a clue as to what this is all about,” I say. “Because someone clearly has an axe to grind and won’t have gone to all this trouble for it to fall on deaf ears.”

“Could it be political?” he moots.

“I would have thought it’s going to havesomethingto do with the city council decision next week,” I offer. “I spoke about it at a conference last night, and it seems like too much of a coincidence for it not to be connected.” I don’t tell him that it’s one of many.

“B… E…” Hank reads aloud as the seal nears the first wave-break. “Is thatBE-ACH?” he questions, sounding disappointed. “OrBE-WARE? Maybe it’s a threat of some kind…”

I attempt to get closer, knowing I only have a second or two to see what someone so clearly wants to be read. But when I see “N” as the third and final letter, my blood turns icy cold and, as the seal disappears beneath the surface, taking my secret with her, I realize that this isn’t about the petitionorpolitics. This is about me.

28

LONDON, 1986

“What’s wrong?” asks Nicole, as Cassie rushes into her bedroom, sobbing.

“I-I… just never thought…” she cries, as Nicole puts an arm around her. “I never thought he would do this.”

“Shh, it’s OK,” soothes Nicole, sitting down next to her on the bed. “What’s he done now?”

It occurs to Cassie that Nicole thinks their father is responsible for her tears. She shows her the newspaper to put her straight.

“STAR LICKED COCAINE OFF MY BREASTS,” the headline screams. “Secret Oktober star in drugs rap—could this be the end of their world takeover attempt?”

Nicole stares at the front page, her muscles twitching in an effort to keep her face expressionless.

“What’s this?” she says, her tone clipped and abrupt.

“It’s Ben,” Cassie blurts out.

Nicole shakes her head. “Ben?” His name comes out as a throaty gargle.

Cassie nods fervently. “The guy from Secret Oktober who I’ve been mad about since forever.”

Nicole’s cheeks instantly flush as she goes to pick the newspaper up before seemingly thinking better of it. “What’s he… What’s he done?”

“It’s a four-page blow-by-blow account of how he’s screwed some model in America,” cries Cassie bitterly.

Nicole gets up from the bed and walks across to the window overlooking the tree-lined avenue below.

“And that’s a problem because…?” she says eventually, after she’s needlessly adjusted the net curtains.

“You just don’t get it,” says Cassie, as her head falls into her hands. “This could be the end ofeverything.”

Nicole forces a laugh. “Don’t you think you’re being a little melodramatic? They’re some crappy band who you’ve clearly developed an unhealthy obsession with.”

“It’s so much more than that,” says Cassie. “I’d have thought you, of all people, would understand.”

Nicole’s jaw spasms. “And why would you think that?” she says through gritted teeth.

Cassie considers her, wondering how much she should share. If she tells her everything, the unbreakable bond she thought would forever join them will be severed, neither of them able to trust the other again. But isn’t it already too late?

“Me and Ben… we…”

Nicole looks at her little sister with raised eyebrows. Cassie knew this would get her attention.

“We’ve got this thing…” she goes on.

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