Page 27 of When You're Safe

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Finn was trying his best to followWinters’s car along the country road.

The rain had come, and with itFinn watched the last dying embers of the day’s sun begin to extinguishsomewhere beyond the horizon. In the distance, he could see only two blurrythings as prominent as any moon or star: the London skyline glowing as a farawaypoint of light in the darkness, and then the tall looming shadow of DeGreyCastle miles to the side of it, closer yet stark against the darkening sky.

The weather was worsening.

“Where’s the wipers on this thing?”Finn said in frustration, the view now being obscured by a downpour coveringthe glass in front of him.

He touched one of the controls,thinking it was the wiper settings, but instead a spray of windshield washerfluid joined the rain on the window.

“Ugh.”

He flicked something else, andthat was more worrying. Nothing happened in response. Finn imagined that he hadput on some new setting for something in the car, and that he would find outabout it at the worst possible moment.

“I hope that wasn’t an ejectorseat,” he joked to himself, turning for a moment to the empty passenger seatnext to him.

Finally, in the darkness of theinterior, lit only by a few glowing dials on the dashboard and the occasionalstreet light outside in the rain, Finn found the right control. The wiperssprung to life, but then every few swipes, one of them would stick for amoment, making a horrible squeaking noise against the glass.

He shook his head. “The rentalcompany should be paying me for taking this car.”

Finn started to think how amusingit would be if it were all some sort of elaborate psychology experiment. Ifthey wanted to see how far the car could push him before he broke, he felt hewasn’t far off it.

The taillights of Winters’s carsoon came into view ahead through the rain. She was slowing down, letting Finnfollow more closely so as not to lose his way. Her indicator switched on for aleft turn-off. Finn breathed a sigh of relief, happy at the thought of gettingout of the rain and off the shadowy road as Winters took the turn-off andheaded toward a coffee place. A lone beacon in the stormy night, the worldaround a dark blanket of unseen countryside.

Pulling up in the almost emptyparking lot, Finn struggled to put the parking gear on. He gave a gasp of exasperation,and it finally clicked into place. He pulled himself out of the driver’s seatand straightened up in the rain as if trying to maintain some exterior ofcharisma.

Winters was already out of her car,standing beneath a dim overhead light, her face cast in the shadow of theumbrella she was holding above her head. Even in the shadows, Finn could seeher smiling at him.

“I’m glad my struggles amuse,” hesaid.

“You have your moments, Finn,” shereplied playfully.

“I’d roll the car off a cliff andinto the sea, but I don’t think something that evil can be killed by conventionalmeans.”

Winters let out a loud laugh. Oneof those uncontrollable giggles that reminded Finn of being back in school andmaking a girl with red hair laugh at his antics. It felt good to hear thatlaugh from Amelia Winters. Her laugh felt like a tonic to the weary world.

“Is this place okay?” Wintersasked above the sound of the pattering rain all around them.

“If it’s got coffee, it’s theright place,” Finn answered, walking toward the run-down building with the word“Cafe” burning bright in neon lights above the dingy entrance.

They stepped inside and shook therain off their clothes, Finn taking longer to do it. The cafe was as close toan old American diner as Finn had seen so far during his time in England. Redbooths with scarred leather cushions sat around the periphery of the room, thedull metal counter in the middle. There were three or four other patrons dottedaround, sitting silently staring into their coffees. Finn reckoned they wereall there just passing time, waiting to get back on the road again to someunknown destinations. Either toward new troubles or running from them.

Walking up to the counter, hesmiled at the woman behind it, her badge showing the name “Heather.” All Finngot in return was a tired glance.

“How is the coffee in here?” heasked.

“American?” the woman asked, hertiredness abating slightly.

“Yes ma’am,” Finn answered.

“That’s nice,” Heather said in abroad accent. “We don’t get many around here. The coffee is fine, it’ll do itsjob if you’re wanting to stay awake for the road.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Finn said. “Onecoffee and…”

“One tea, please,” Winters added.

“I’ll bring them over,” the tiredwoman said with an equally weary smile.

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