Page 68 of Only a Monster

‘Then fuck off.’

‘But the necklace—’

‘I know what it was,’ Tom said. ‘Saw one once at the Court. But you’re not going to find one in any bloody market.’

Joan deflated. She’d hoped he’d recognised the necklace because he’d seen ones like it here. But it seemed he’d only recognised it from his past life at the Court itself.

Aaron realised it too. ‘He’s just an opportunist,’ he said to Joan. Tom’s expression was blearily blank in response. Aaron clarified, sneering: ‘You took a chance when you saw it. You offered to buy it and hoped she didn’t know what it was.’

Tom shrugged. ‘Yeah.’

‘Let’s go,’ Aaron said to Joan. He’d been surveying Tom and the dog, hand in his pocket like a landlord inspecting substandard property. Now he turned to leave.

Joan put a hand on Aaron’s arm. ‘Wait,’ she said. ‘Wait.’ They couldn’t just walk away. Their families’ lives were at stake. Every monster’s life was at stake, their own included. They had to get into the Court. ‘My cousin tells me that you were a Court Guard,’ she said to Tom.

‘So?’ Aaron said to Joan. ‘She also said he was fired.’ He looked disdainfully down at Tom, at the empty beer bottles clinking under his table. ‘Can’t imagine why.’

‘We need to get in,’ Joan said to Tom.

From Ruth’s gasp and Aaron’s alarmed look, Joan realised she shouldn’t have said it so bluntly. But she kept picturing Nick already at the Court. They couldn’t let him get to that device.

Tom’s face was still bleary. Ruth and Aaron’s alarm hadn’t touched him. ‘You want me to get you into the Monster Court?’ he said.

‘Can you do it?’ Joan said. Her body felt tight with tension.

‘Why do you want to get in?’

‘None of your business,’ Aaron interjected.

Tom regarded Aaron. ‘You’re an Oliver, aren’t you?’

Aaron didn’t reply.

Tom scratched at the crook of his jaw. ‘Could spot one of you anywhere. Nose in the air like you can’t stand the smell of the rest of us.’

‘Can you get us in or not?’ Joan said.

Tom closed his eyes deliberately. ‘No,’ he said, flat and final.

‘Excellent find,’ Aaron said to Joan. He didn’t bother to keep his voice down. ‘Really. Top-shelf.’

But Joan wasn’t ready to give up yet. She thought she was starting to get a read on Tom. ‘You haven’t even heard what’s in it for you,’ she said to him.

‘Joan,’ Aaron said. ‘Let’s just go.’

Joan ignored him. She waited for Tom’s eyes to crack open. ‘We’re going to steal from the Court.’

‘Joan,’ Ruth said, and Aaron swore.

‘You are so fucking reckless,’ Aaron said.

But Tom’s eyes were open properly now, a flicker of interest kindled. Joan was relieved. She’d read him right. And so had Aaron. Tom was an opportunist.

‘You want in?’ Joan said.

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake,’ Aaron said.

‘You’re not an Oliver,’ Tom said slowly to Joan.

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