Chapter 8 Best Laid Plans #2
"Since I never sent you any payment for your cleaning services, your bank account remains untainted by connection to us.
We want to keep it that way. You will receive payments via digital transfer from 'Alfie', and you will use the money to pay rent for the apartment and buy day-to-day items on campus. "
"So you actually want her to live there?" Seven asks even though it's clear that's exactly what Atticus wants.
He gives Sev a sharp look. "Do you really think Ambrose isn't going to look into her? Verify her story? Especially when the tests come back with a positive match?"
Sev's face twists. "I'll stay with her, then."
"The fuck you will. We can't have any association with her and you know that, or else this whole thing goes to shit."
Atty picks up a new-looking iPhone and sets it atop the file in front of Aurora. "You'll keep your own phone for day-to-day things on campus once I've scrubbed it of anything connected to us. This one is to contact us, and only to contact us. It needs to stay hidden. No one can know you have it."
She nods.
"I don't expect things to move fast. You'll need to establish a pattern in Boone for at least a week before you contact him. Ambrose has been cautious with everyone who has claimed to be his missing daughter in the past. He'll want to set up an interview first, likely with his lawyer or assistant.
"Then, as I mentioned before, he'll want you to submit a DNA test—we already have our guy lined up for that, so you'll agree.
Ambrose hasn't met any of the women claiming to be his daughter in a long time.
These days, he waits for the DNA test results, all of which have been negative to this point, so I don't think we need to worry about a face to face for a while.
Which gives us time to prepare and assess.
"Afterward, though, it's hard to say what will happen or how quickly things will move once the test comes back positive."
"Was this really the best option?" I interject.
Atticus nods. "She already told her adopted father—"
"Chris," Aurora corrects him.
Atticus's throat bobs. "She already told Chris that's where she was headed, and she needs to establish roots there. A routine in case Ambrose's people look into it."
"I don't like it."
"Of course you don't."
"I still think one of us should stay with her," Sev says again, his tone harder this time.
Atticus pinches the bridge of his nose with a frustrated sigh. "We'll bring her back in as often as we can," he offers.
"But in the meantime, we do need to be able to meet, which is why I've leased a laundromat in town with one of our shell companies.
Her building doesn't have laundry facilities by design, so at least once a week, she'll need to bring her shit there to wash it.
There's a back room, and no camera coverage in the lot out back.
That'll be our new base of operations, the new 'Switzerland'. "
He looks pointedly at Aurora, then away. "At least one of us will be there at all times, so we're close in case anything happens."
I unclench my fists, wincing at the ache as the overstrained tendons in my right one relax.
"What about Ellie?" Aurora asks, casting her gaze around as if looking for her pup. "Where is Ellie?"
"I let her out this morning."
She smiles her thanks at me as Atticus explains, "She'll be staying with you. Your apartment is pet-friendly. That's why it had to be off campus. Your course load isn't too crazy, but you'll need to rush back between the morning and afternoon classes to walk her."
"How am I supposed to—"
Atticus lifts a set of car keys from his pocket and tosses them to her.
She catches them, her brow furrowing.
"Your car's fixed," Atticus explains. "I'd have preferred to get you a new one built this century, but using the old one keeps things looking legit. It's a good thing Eli called our mechanic back and asked him to fix it instead of scrap it. It's already parked at your apartment in Boone."
Aurora presses her lips into a thin line, and her throat bobs. "When do I leave?"
"Today."
Fuck.
I'm starting to hate everything about this.
"This is a long game," he continues, repeating himself as he leans over the table to fix his hard stare on each of us. "I have no idea how long it'll be from the time Aurora is confirmed as Ambrose's blood to him actually bringing her in. We need to be prepared to have some patience."
"What if he doesn't bring her in?" Sev asks. "What if we do all this, put her right under his nose, and he—"
"He will," Atticus snaps, punctuating the words with a hard thud of his palm on the table. "It'll work. I know it'll work. He hasn't been searching all this time for his family to keep them at arm's length when he finds them."
Imagining Aurora being within 'arm's length' of Ambrose makes the scars on my back ache and my stomach sour.
How long will she have to endure him with a smile?
Can she even do it?
Make him believe she's actually just an orphan girl glad to know who her parents are?
Will she be safe if he believes her?
"I'll be fine," Aurora whispers, nudging me with a little smirk that tells me she isn't worried. And either she's an even better actress than I gave her credit for, or she doesn't fully comprehend the risks. To keep the panic at bay, I choose to believe the former.
"She will be," Atticus agrees, and opens another file that has information about her apartment. "We own this building and the one across the street."
Aurora lifts a brow. "Another shell company purchase?"
Atticus grunts. "We'll be able to keep an eye on things from those exterior cameras, and I've already installed some smaller ones and bugs throughout your apartment."
Her jaw drops. "You what?"
He frowns, confusion in the knot between his brows. "It's for your safety."
"Fuck no. I'm not living somewhere you can watch me and listen to everything I say and do."
"That's not what it's for—"
"Take them out or I don't move in."
"We have to keep tabs on—"
"No," Aurora crosses her arms, "I want them out."
"If you have cameras outside, are the bugs and cameras inside really necessary?" I prod, siding with Aurora on this one. I know Atticus is trying to take every precaution, but this is definitely overkill. Who would be comfortable living without any privacy whatsoever?
Especially when she knows whose eyes and ears will be on the other end of those devices twenty-four seven.
Atty's nostrils flare, and his jaw clenches. When he speaks, it's through his teeth. "Okay, fine, I'll remove them."
He pushes the tray with its remaining items toward her.
"But you will keep one of these on you at all times."
I recognize the tiny black tracking chips on the tray. Aurora lifts one. "What is it?"
"They're tracking devices."
She opens her mouth to say something, but Atty speaks over her. "They don't have audio capabilities. Just location tracking. This one," he lifts the bug from the tray, "does have audio. When you meet with Ambrose, you'll need to wear it. I'll show you where to put it when it's time."
There's a long beat of silence before Sev speaks. "That's it, then?"
"That's it," Atticus confirms. "For now. Aurora, if you want to go get your things, I'll take you."
"Like, right now?"
"Yes."
Her brow furrows. "Can't Elijah or Seven drive me?"
His dark brown eyes have a bite to them when they fix on her. "They could've, but now I have to undo hours of work installing twenty-three devices in your apartment."
Atticus closes the files and shuffles them all into a stack, taking them with him as he heads for the door. "Don't worry," he says, pausing to look at Aurora one last time. "I know once we leave this room I go back to not existing."
Her lips press into a taut line.
"Your phone," Atticus holds out a hand to her. "I need to scrub it."
She shakes her head. "It's in my room."
"May I go get it?"
She nods stiffly.
"I'll be ready to go in an hour. Don't worry about packing up Ellie's things. I already have her set up at the new place."
Then he's gone, and Aurora sags in his absence, a fresh knot forming between her brows.
She’s scared. I can see it now—beneath the anger and all the walls she's built up around herself. Aurora is terrified of what comes next.
That makes two of us.