Page 31 of Perfect Order
“No.”
“No?”
“I’ll come to her.”
“Erzulie, the press…” Angie starts to remind me. As if I’m my sister and I need the quick briefing.
But she has no idea how aware I am of the maggots lying in wait outside the building. “I’ll handle them.” Closing the phone, I pull out a black sequined mini slip, a lush black cardigan that flows further than the hem, and a hat with a fur pom on the top of its head. Combined with black tights and my sister’s motorcycle boots, it’s exactly something she would wear.
And it’s time to stop hiding and become Erzulie—my version of her.
Snatching up the clothes, I toss them into the guest bedroom before I pull out my phone. Quickly, I type a coded message before pressing Send. “That should keep them busy for a while,” I mutter. Then I hurry to get dressed.
When I come out, every member of the paparazzi has departed, and I calmly stride from my building. Hailing a cab, I prop my chin on my hands before I pull out my phone and type,Thanks.
The almost immediate reply ofYeah, yeah. Whatever,causes my lips to tip up just a little.
But I do wonder how long it’s going to take the media to realize I’m not heading for the Circle Line, despite what my cell coordinates are now showing. I’m certain the longtime boat operators are going to appreciate the additional income today, even without knowing why.
And knowing I won’t have to face them here or at Rockefeller Center, I let out a relieved sigh before my stomach clenches in terror.
I’m about to do it. I’m about to give up my identity and become Erzulie.
The question is, for how long?
I enter the offices of LLF LLC about thirty minutes later. Angie’s head snaps up, even as her jaw unhinges. “But the paps are trying…”
I offer her a wan tip of my lips. “It isn’t much, but Leanne showed me a few apps before…before…” My throat closes because it’s the truth. I did show Kylie how to mask her location with an app I’d helped write. While the use was originally for protecting our agents, my boss said to release it on a few of the darker coding sites with a few small modifications. “Let them think we can’t track their movement,Q?za.”
Angie continues to blink up at me, so I babble, “I don’t always use it, but…”
“That’s genius. Can we install it on Becks?” She points at her monitor. “There’s twenty-six notifications for him and he just got back in town yesterday.”
I roll my lips together before I ask seriously, “Do you think he’ll remember to use it?” I’m not opposed to Beckett Miller having the public version of the app if it will help this small team as they’re helping me.
“Who will remember to use what?” Carys asks from the door.
We both look her way. She gives me a head-to-toe perusal before stepping forward, hands outstretched. “It’s good to see you, Erzulie.”
I take them. “I appreciate all of the support you all have given me.”
“Your ears must be burning. Kris said he was going to contact you about a couple of shows, see if you were ready.” Carys turns and leads the way to her office.
I follow, my boots not making a sound on the lush carpet. “Was he?”
“Yes. If you think you’re ready for it?”
I open my mouth to automatically accept but wait until we’re securely closed behind her office door before I drop any pretense. “Do I have much of a choice?”
“You do, Leanne. You have the choice to stop this before it really starts,” she reminds me.
Taking an enormous breath, I walk over to the window and ask her, “What if it was your parents?”
“That’s entirely different,” she dismisses my question.
“What if it wasn’t. What if it wasn’t a drunk driver but a murderer, Carys. What if they were still out there after all these years?” My head twists to the side to see her approach me.
For a long moment, she doesn’t say anything. “I don’t know.”
