Page 84 of Wayward
“The Saint Redford.”
“Swanky,” Zane says.
“How far are we from there?” Haley asks.
“It’s on the other side of town, but by the tube it takes thirty minutes.” Zane puts his arm around her shoulders.
“It starts tomorrow.” Easton crosses his arms over his chest. “We don’t know if Rocky will be there. He might videoconference in. But it doesn’t matter. We can still crash the cameras. There’s always a group of protesters outside.”
We’re spread out on the tube but all in the same car. I’m still shocked Nolan agreed to the plan. Well, he agreed after he changed almost every detail we’d worked out. But we’re on our way. It’s an amazing feeling. It feels like we’re almost free. Almost home.
Haley’s holding on to the railing in front of me. Zane stands behind me. He’s definitely got the I’m-home swagger, theI belong here. I can almost picture him with earbuds and a cell phone in his hand. Even though I can feel this is almost over, I . . . I don’t want it to be right now. It’s just us and Nolan, but in a few scant hours we’re going to be put to the test even more so than running from the Zambranos. We’re gonna be tested by societal norms. And I fucking hate it. I do a good job not caring. But I know Sassy is going to care.
Haley changes handholds to the strap above my head and, with her other arm, gives me a quick hug. “Are you doing okay?”
I pull her back to my chest. “When you’re next to me, I’m always good.”
“That’s so sappy. But I feel the same way.”
Zane taps me on my arm. “Nolan says this next stop is ours.” He takes Haley’s other hand. “We’ve got this, Little Bird.”
“Yeah, we do,” I say.
There’s a coffee shop across the street from the Saint Redford London Hotel. There are five-star hotels and then there’s theSaint Redford. I’m pretty sure the damn thing costs $1000 just to look at. I’ve never been inside. And the plan is for us to not go inside now but to stay in the coffee shop across the street.
Nolan came up with a plan to get Easton onto the camera. Hopefully, he can get a reporter to turn around without having to beg. At this point, I’d cross a road of glass to get us out in the clear. I need Haley out of this mess.
We walk along the platform, trying to keep anyone from recognizing Easton before it’s too soon. Though this is London and he’s an American Olympian. Still, he’s a missing billionaire. We come out into the gray morning with people bustling about to their jobs. Just living their normal lives, not dealing with the craziness that has become our daily life.
Nolan nods and enters the shop. There’s a guard at the front who mutters at us as we bypass the front counter. “You have to buy something to use the tables.”
Chapter 37
Bilge Water
Zane
The coffee shop’s bright and modern. I fucking hate it—it’s soulless, and it doesn’t fit in with the classic Victorian architecture of the Saint Redford across the street. The security guard glares at us on our way in.
“Oi, mate, let us put our shit down.” I incline my head at him.
“Get to it.” The old man scowls at me. “You have to buy something to use the tables.” He repeats himself to the couple coming in behind us.
Nolan hands Calvin a wad of cash. “Here, go get us some coffees.”
It’s fucking hysterical, the look on Calvin’s face. “Me?”
“Yeah, or Dante. Everyone has a role to play,” Nolan says. He lifts his eyebrows. And it’s clear he thinks Dante and Calvin don’t have important roles in our plan. But they are making sure that nothing happens to Haley, and that’s the most important thing to the five of us.
“I’ll come with you.” Haley links arms with Calvin, but he has to let go so they can zigzag through the tightly packed tables. Dante follows along behind.
Nolan makes his way to an empty table by the window, with Sam, Easton, and me following. It’s busy here, a real mix of people. If I stop and watch, I’m sure I can pick out a half-dozen reporters, a dozen protesters, and twice as many assistants to the financiers going to the meeting.
“Are you ready?” Nolan’s watching the door and the street. When I glance back at Calvin, he’s doing the same, but his eyes are following Nolan. The fact they are so much the same and can’t see it makes me chuckle and shake my head.
“What are you laughing about?” Sam asks.
“Nothing. Yeah, I’m ready. You ready, Sam?” But it’s Easton I’m worried about. He’s going to go on camera and accuse his stepmother of attempted murder. Or murder. Because Candy wouldn’t be dead if Susan hadn’t arranged the whole thing.
