Chapter Twenty-Seven #2
“I heard you saved the day, Moreno. Showed up just in the nick of time. How’d you manage that? You weren’t part of the group.”
The look Maddox turns on him could freeze lava, and the guy has the sense to back up again.
“We invited him,” I say. “And he said no. Or was that ‘fuck no’? Anyway, he changed his mind. For which I am very grateful.”
“Mads?” Theo says, dismissing the guy. “I’ll take a—”
“I still remember what you drink, Dubois. Whether I get it is another question.”
—
After Isolde’s attack, I’m more determined than ever to figure out what happened to Jenna and Annette.
I can’t see a connection between them and her, so maybe I just want to do that because I can’t actually help Isolde.
I expect to dive headlong into investigating after brunch, but Isolde wants the Liliths to come visit her, because she’s alone in a hospital and her parents can’t get a flight to see her.
So that’s what I’m doing, because I’d never say no.
Cecilia agrees to the trip only if both Maddox and Theo are with me, though Theo will need to keep his distance for Isolde’s sake. Cecilia also jokes that I’d better use the restroom before I leave because I’m not going in one alone on the trip. I think she’s joking, but I’m not really sure.
Allegra throws up her hands at having both guys along—“Liliana is going to a hospital. If she’s attacked, she will receive immediate life-saving treatment”—but Polly says we can all squeeze into my Jeep and, besides, she wants to talk to Maddox.
Something about a partnership idea with his mom’s company.
If it were anyone else, he’d have plunked his ass in the passenger seat and stuck in earbuds, but it’s impossible to be a jerk to Polly.
Theo drives. Allegra claims shotgun. “I do not ride in backseats.” Maddox must be in a good mood, because he offers to take the dreaded middle.
It also allows him to talk to Polly, though he subtly holds my hand during the drive, which is very sweet but also, I think, a bit of a touchstone against being in a packed car for an hour.
There are antisocial people who just don’t like being part of a group, and introverted people who find it exhausting.
I suspect Maddox is both. But talking to Polly is easy, and she doesn’t just chat—she has solid ideas for what she’d like to do on the social media platforms his mom created.
Maddox is obviously impressed, and that’s a special kind of feeling, when friends from different spheres of your life intersect and it goes well.
At the hospital, the guys stay outside the room. It’d be weird for Maddox to accompany us, and the height of awkwardness to have Theo there. They hang out in the hall, like cops guarding a prisoner who’s been allowed thirty minutes to visit a sick friend.
Okay, I’ll stop grumbling. I appreciate that Maddox and Theo are concerned, and I’ll try not to feel weird about it.
Before reaching the hospital, we hit a gift shop, and we arrive with our arms full—stuffed animals, candy, flowers, puzzle books, magazines…
When Isolde sees the haul, she lets out a half-laugh, half-sob. “You guys know I’m only here for a couple of days, right?”
She looks good. They even let her put on the clothing Westdale had delivered, and she’s sitting up in bed.
“It’s just a stab wound,” she says when we ask how she’s doing.
“Just a stab wound?” Polly says.
“You know what I mean. The blade didn’t hit anything vital. I’m only here for observation. I feel fine. Well, unless I laugh. Or cry. Or breathe too deeply.” She puts a hand to her side. “Amazing how much you use your abs for.”
We talk for a bit, and then she looks at me. “I, uh, wondered if you’d bring Theo.”
“Liliths only,” Polly chirps. “He’s not a member, however much he wishes he could be.”
My stomach twists at the lie, but I understand it. We had to bring Theo for my sake, and we shouldn’t upset Isolde by admitting he’s outside.
Isolde doesn’t smile, just keeps looking at me. “I’m so sorry, Lili.” Her eyes mist. “Can you tell him that? Please?”
“Of course.” I pause. “Did you see or hear something that made you think it was Theo?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I told the police. I don’t remember seeing the guy’s face or hearing his voice, but when Theo was there, my brain screamed ‘That’s him!’ I told the police I was mixed up and in shock.”
She chews her lip. “He’s not in trouble, is he? I was really, really clear it wasn’t him.”
“He’s fine. We were just wondering whether there was something about him that matched your attacker. That would be helpful for the police.”
“I don’t know?” Her voice turns it into a question.
“I keep thinking it through, trying to pinpoint why I thought it was Theo. It was just a sense, you know? Maybe because he was the same size? Or the way the guy moved. Or a noise he made. Or even how he smelled.” She meets my gaze. “It wasn’t Theo. I’m sure of that.”
“I know.”
She keeps chewing her lip. “Is he mad at me?”
I laugh softly. “He’s Theo. He’s fine. Yes, he panicked at first, but he understands what a shock it was and how a mistake can be made. I’m glad you retracted it so quickly—thank you—but the evidence proves it wasn’t him, so he was never in any real danger.”
“Good,” she exhales. “I’m glad.”
—
I leave the room early, letting Polly and Allegra have more time with Isolde. Out in the hall, Maddox is unsettled. I see that as soon as I step out, and I steer him off, Theo following.
“What’s up?” I ask.
Theo answers. “Some guy started walking to Isolde’s room and then turned around when he saw us. I didn’t notice him—I was texting with my mom.”
I look at Maddox. “He seemed suspicious?”
He takes a moment to answer, and then does so with reluctance. “I don’t know. It’s like he was heading for Isolde, saw us, and backed off.” He rubs his mouth. “I didn’t like it.”
I lower my voice. “As if he saw she had company and he couldn’t slip in alone?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t like that either.” I glance back toward the room. “She’s by herself in a private room. What if last night wasn’t a random attack?”
“Maybe we should call her family,” Theo says. “Have them send one of their guys.”
I frown at him.
“Security,” he says. “That’s what they do. Their company, that is.”
I nod. “Right. I think she mentioned that once. Do we have their number? I’m sure if we say we’re concerned, they’ll send—”
“There he is,” Maddox says.
As I go to turn, he catches my arm. “Don’t make it too obvious. He’s heading for Isolde’s room now. I don’t think he sees us.”
I shift so I can see our reflections through a pane of glass. The guy walking up to Isolde’s room wears a ball cap and looks young, maybe only a couple of years older than us.
The door to Isolde’s room swings open. Polly and Allegra come out, talking and not noticing the guy. My mouth opens to call a warning, and then—
“Hey, Polly,” the guy says, and then, “Allegra, I’m guessing?”
“Tristan!” Polly gives the newcomer a hug. “Isolde will be so happy to see you! When did you get in?”
“Just now. Some frat brothers and I were hanging out in Miami for the weekend. My parents told me what happened to Izzie, and I decided to fly up and check on her. I saw she had visitors, so I went and grabbed her this.” He takes a candy bar from his pocket.
“Her favorite,” Polly says. “That’ll make it an even dozen now.”
He laughs, and I walk over and Polly introduces us. She went to the same feeder school as Isolde and Tristan, when he’d been a student. As soon as I’m close enough to see his face, the resemblance to Isolde is obvious.
Isolde might have grumbled about Tristan, but he seems nice. Or maybe that’s the problem. The perfect brother is nice. Brings you your favorite candy. Cuts his weekend short to visit you in the hospital.
Before we take our leave, Theo joins us and puts out a hand. “Theo Dubois.”
Tristan laughs as he shakes Theo’s hand. “Oh, I know who you are. Nice to meet you.”
Theo glances at me. He’s obviously been braced for Tristan to bring up the accusation, but Isolde must not have told her family that part.
“Can I speak to you a moment, Tristan?” Theo says. “Before you go in.”
“Sure.”
The rest of us head to the elevator. When Theo joins us, he whispers to me, “I mentioned security for Isolde, just in case. Tristan says his family has a branch office in Atlanta. He’ll speak to his parents.”
“Good.”
We take the elevator down. Maddox is quiet, and I hope he’s not feeling awkward about mistaking Tristan for a threat. Then, when we get off the elevator and we’re figuring out which way to go, Theo says, “Guess someone didn’t trust us to look after you.”
“Hmm?”
He waves. “Cecilia’s here. She just headed that way.”
We ask Allegra and Polly to wait and hurry to catch up, but when we round the corner, there’s no sign of Cecilia. Theo frowns, and we stride to the next corner. Still nothing.
“I’ll text,” I say.
He shakes his head. “No, clearly I saw someone else.” He glances at Maddox. “At least no one can say we aren’t taking our bodyguard jobs seriously, huh?”
Maddox relaxes a little, and for a second, I wonder whether Theo did that on purpose—pretended he’d also made a mistake.
But that doesn’t make sense, and instead, I’m left wondering whether he backed down so fast because of Maddox’s mistake with Tristan.
Because he presumed he’d done the same thing, both of them on high alert.
I surreptitiously pop off a text to Cecilia.
Me
Just leaving the hospital. Thought I should check in.
There. If Theo did see her, she’ll tell me to hold on, that she wants to talk.
We’re in the parking lot before an answer comes, and when it does, it’s just a thumbs-up.
That should answer the question. Theo saw someone else. So why does it leave a strange feeling in my gut?