Page 113 of Savannah Royals
“I dropped out of home ec before we got to the really fun parts,” I admit, pulling a joking face. “I could call Florence though, and she could probably put together a roast.”
He laughs again. “Noodles will be fine.”
“Good.” I grab a bowl and dish out a hulking portion for him. He takes it to the table and starts inhaling it.
“How was your day?” he asks between bites.
“It was good. I ran into Paul at Ray’s shop this afternoon…” I trail off, the drugs looming large. So dangerous.
“What was he doing there?”
“Oh, Ray runs a black market out of the back of his shop a few evenings a week,” I say offhandedly. “Paul uses him to move some of our stuff. It’s how I got my position there.”
“What?” He looks up from his bowl, surprised.
“You said yourself that Ray’s is a prestigious place to intern. Well, he’d never apprenticed an Academy girl before. He only took me on because he had a very specific and vested interest.”
“Huh.” Matt slurps his last noodle. “Ray is pretty old these days, isn’t he?”
“Pushing past sixty, I gather.”
“Is he going to retire soon?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. He’s like one of those ancient tortoises, you know? The ones that live forever, just plodding along, spending their days in the same sunspot for all eternity. I can’t imagine him going anywhere or doing anything else.”
Matthew laughs. “I was only wondering because you seem ideally placed to take over for him someday. If you want.”
I put my fork down. “You think I could run Ray’s?”
“Why not? I’m sure you could. He doesn’t have kids, so whenever he calls it quits, he’ll have to close up shop.”
“I don’t particularly enjoy front-of-house sales though. Ray keeps me in the back, making pieces, both real and forgeries. It’s what I’m good at.”
“So you hire someone to run the floor. It wouldn’t be challenging. Hold on…did you say forgeries?”
“Yeah, black market out of the back room, remember? And jewel thief?” I point to myself. “It’s not exactly an honest operation all the time over there. I’m good at what I do, trust me. Ray trained me himself.”
“Christ, Kat, I don’t doubt it. I just…there’s this whole other world out there I didn’t even know existed before I met you. Sometimes, it feels like a sinkhole, getting bigger and bigger and sucking everything into it. You duel in gunfights by night, make forgeries by day, scale walls to break into my friends’ houses in your free time…it’s far from needlepoint, that’s for sure.”
“Most of those things are Paul’s idea of fun. Paul’s plans.”
“Thatyouexecute.”
“Yes.”
“He couldn’t do anything worthwhile without you,” Matthew says. “He’s not going to let you walk away, Kat.”
I don’t have a response. Because per usual, I’m worried Matthew is exactly right.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Thingsgofrombadto worse at the end of the week. I’m walking through the Academy halls between lessons when a sight ahead freezes my blood.
Paul. In the hallway. Wearing a three-piece suit and shaking hands with Lady Genevieve.
Paul.Here.Inside the Academy. WithMatthew’s mother.
Paul has undoubtedly seen me; he can sniff me out from a mile away. As the halls empty, I make eye contact and jerk my head. He follows me down a side corridor, into an unsecured maintenance closet. It’s not ideal, but it’s private.
