Page 34 of Keep Her from Them

“Screenshots or it didn’t happen.”

I disconnected and stared at my phone like it could bite me. Then I pulled on my big-girl pants and wrote out a text from my pseudonym account.

PennyAllen: How did you enjoy the animal show earlier?

The message displayed as read almost instantly, but there was a pause before a reply came in.

Highlandspilot: How do I know who this is?

Ever the cautious bodyguard. I snapped a picture of my face.

Highlandspilot: Ah, my regular Disney princess, taming birds with biscuits in her pocket.

Ha, so observant. No one else had seen me lay my trails.

PennyAllen: Actually, it was chopped nuts, stolen from the kitchens.

He was typing, but I quickly fired off another text before I could lose my nerve.

PennyAllen: Are you busy?

Highlandspilot: I have nothing else to do in London except take care of you.

Butterflies fluttered in my belly, and I took a deep breath, momentarily lost in his interesting choice of words. Then an idea came to mind. A glance out of the window showed me dusk neared on the warm summer evening.

PennyAllen: Can we meet up to talk?

Highlandspilot: Tell me where to come in the palace.

PennyAllen: It would be boring if it were that easy. See the location setting on my profile? In twenty minutes, it’ll turn on just for you. Find me.

Then I switched the phone off, bit down on a huge grin, and skipped to the wardrobe to find a wig.

Chapter 14

Raphael

Goddamn it. My fifth message to Alex went unanswered. It didn’t even display as read. I’d even tried calling her but with no reply, and now, I stood outside one of the side exits of Ossington palace, pacing the pavement under the eye of a watchful guard.

If she was going rogue, I wanted to catch her in the act, but the building had multiple exits she could slip out of. I had half a mind to message Riss, except I wasn’t sure what Alex was doing. Not enough to involve the whole team.

Plus, I had to confess to myself an alternative motive.

I shoved my hands into my jeans pockets, scowling at a group of tourists who blocked the pavement.

This evening, I’d get Alex alone, even if just for a short while. The thought had my chest tight, and apprehension mixed with a sharp spike of excitement that had me pacing all over again.

It felt like I was going on a date. I’d rapidly changed my shirt and put on aftershave.

I didn’t even attempt to process why my mind had gone there.

For the fiftieth time, I refreshed her profile, willing a reply to have come in. Nothing. But then, the indicators changed to show me she’d read my messages. With my heart in my mouth, I tapped the location icon.

It displayed a map with a green flashing dot.

Holy fuck.

I scanned the road names around her beacon with urgency. She was on the other side of the palace and moving quickly. Gritting my teeth, I took off at a sprint and pounded the pavement, hugging the palace boundary and passing the formal frontage.

---