Page 93 of Dirty Padraig: Dirty Dusters

I sigh in disappointment and let my eyes drop. It’s then I see it—the handle. This is the safe room.

I reach out, pull the handle down, and what will no doubt be an everything-proof door clicks open. Stepping inside, I let it self-close behind me. It’s a white-walled room that’s just large enough to accommodate two black sectionals. I turn back toward the window. As I thought, you can see the outside clearly from the inside.

I wander around. A toilet. A small shower. There’s also a store cupboard, but the shelves are empty. There are just two large bottles of water sitting on the floor.

The gift.

Turning my attention to the sectionals, I reach under the first one and pull out a small wooden box. It’s nothing special. I open it. It’s a music box.

Chopin’sMarche Funebreplays.

The funeral march.

Putting the box inside my jacket pocket, I take one final look around, then walk back toward the door and pull the handle down once more.

No click. I try again. Nothing.

I’m locked in, and for some reason, I don’t think it’s accidental.

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

PADRAIG

Padraig’s Apartment, Hudson Yards, New York

“What doyou mean Jaine’s missing?” I sit bolt upright on the sectional.

“Just what I said, Paddy. She told Duke she needed to run an errand and hasn’t been seen since. That was over four hours ago.”

“Has she not got her phone with her?” Jaine takes her phone everywhere. Why would she not take it with her with everything that’s been going on?

“We found it on charge. She won’t have her burner with her, either. She doesn’t carry it around so much as she seldom leaves the house these days unless it’s to go to the office. Her extra-curricular activities have been shelved, as she was never allowed to go anywhere unescorted. The fact that she’s missing doesn’t necessarily mean anything bad’s happened to her, but….”

“For whatever reason, she’s one of their primary targets, Dylan! You know it as well as I do!” I snap, then immediately feel guilty. It’s not his fault. He’s just passing on the unwelcome news.

“Anyway, the rest of us are meeting at the house in thirty minutes.”

“I’ll be there.”

“What about Sophia’s ban?”

“Fuck Sophia and fuck the ban. If it means I have to put up with her for the rest of my days, so nothing happens to Jaine, then so be it. That’s my cross to bear.”

“Paddy….”

“I mean it, Dylan! Do you honestly think I could go on in a world without her in it?” I can hear the break in my own voice. Surely to God, he must fucking realize that my world will stop spinning if she’s not on it. “I’ll see you there.”

“Paddy, before you set off. There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Now’s not the….”

“It’s important, Paddy.”

“What is it, Dyl?”

“I accidentally told Eoin that you and Jaine kissed.”

“You did what!” What the fuck has he done?

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