Chapter 46
OLIVER
“Nora.” I make my way through the mostly teenage protesters. “What’s this about?”
“There he is, lads! The man who’s trying to put my poor animals out on the street!” She grasps Bo’s leash as he trots back to her side.
“I’m what?” My reply sounds tremulous with laughter, though I don’t feel so amused as the chants turn to jeers.
“Bastard!”
“Eat the rich—it’s all they’re good for!”
“Death is the solution!”
“Don’t say that,” complains a voice from behind a red scarf.
“I can say what I like,” a spotty teenager retorts.
“I can’t get arrested! My mum doesn’t know I’m in the city—I’m supposed to be in double geography this afternoon.”
But there’s something familiar about the teenager with the unfortunate case of acne. “You,” I call out. “You tried to slash my tires on Tuesday.” The car was parked outside the hotel. Ted chased after him, but he got away, dodging through the busy afternoon traffic.
“Can’t prove it.” He puffs his chest, all hot air and attitude.
“Yes, I can. I have it on camera.”
“Ha! Your fat bastard driver couldn’t catch me.”
“Lucky for you. He might look like your portly uncle, but he’s ex-SAS and French Foreign Legion.” That seems to knock the wind from his sails as he slinks to the rear of the grumbling group.
“Nora.” I turn my attention her way. “Truly, I’m confused.”
“Down with the bourgeoisie!” she yells in response. And right in my face.
“Why don’t we go inside? We can deal with whatever this is calmly. Perhaps over a cup of coffee.”
“You got any cookies?” The kid with the scarf jerks sideways as he’s elbowed by the girl next to him.
“No fraternizing with the enemy,” she hisses with a scowl.
“I’m going through a growth spurt!”
This is like a fucking circus, I think as I gesture to the building. “Shall we?” Please leave your monkeys behind.
“No.” Nora juts her chin pugnaciously. “Anything you have to say, you can say out here.”
I shrug. “I’m not quite sure what it is I can help you with, though I’ll try my best.”
Next to her, Yara snorts. “You could start by telling her why you put up that industrial fencing.”
“I ... put the fencing up?” There was new fencing when I visited last, I recall. The place was very secure, but I didn’t pay attention beyond the fleeting thought that how Nora chose to spend my donation was up to her. “I’m not responsible for any fencing.”
“Must’ve been the fairies, then.” Nora’s fingers tighten on Bo’s leash, their color livid. “I ain’t got money to spare for fences.”
“Though she did use some of her most recent donation to buy a new padlock,” Yara puts in. “And motion sensors. And an alarm.”
“Very sensible,” I hedge. Not that I’m about to break in.
“The rest she’s going to give to a lawyer to rip you a new arsehole.”
Both women seem like they’re looking forward to the prospect, and my adamancy begins to wane. Choices I made. Directives I issued. The sinking realization that things might not have gone quite to the timeline.
“Turns out, he is that stupid.”
My attention twists sharply as I realize Fin is speaking to Matt. “What the fuck, Phineas?” I demand.
“Eve came to me. I told her I’d help her find out who was behind the fencing. I just didn’t expect it to be you.”
“You told her?” No one was supposed to know.
“Sure. Along with making money and drinking expensive whisky, I told her puppy abuse was your favorite thing.” His expression twists as he adds, “Asshole.”
But my mind has already moved on. Perhaps she ...
No. Eve wouldn’t leave me over a misunderstanding. Would she?
Oh, fuck.
I whip around to face the crowd, a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Not just a misunderstanding, but perhaps it was the final nail in the coffin. I’d told her I was no good—proved it to her again and again. Before I fell in love, and everything changed. If only she’d waited. If she’d come to me. Except, on that stage, I hadn’t given her that chance.
“This is a misunderstanding.” More like a clusterfuck I’ve brought on myself.
A wave of dissent sounds through the rabble’s rank.
“Let me explain.” I can absolutely explain, even as words crowd my throat. I swallow over them. I doubt I’ve ever wanted to account for myself as much as I do now. I must get her back. “You see, you were in jeopardy of losing the sanctuary.”
“Is this bloke a few sandwiches short of a full picnic, or what?” Nora turns to her jeering crowd. “That’s why we’re here—I’m at risk of losing it to you!”
“No, you don’t understand—with the owner dead and no living relatives, anyone could’ve claimed the place.”
“But no one did,” Yara says simply. “Not until Nora got your threatening letter.”
“It wasn’t threatening.” Or it had better not have been. How the hell has this happened? My instructions were explicit. “But it was premature. My legal team weren’t supposed to act on it until I’d spoken with you.”
“Spoken with me!” Nora shrieks.
“That letter all but said they were chucking her out.” Yara’s words might be impassive, but her expression is anything but.
“I’ll blow the place up before I give it to you.”
“You’re not listening.” I try very hard to keep a grip on my rising frustration, my panic at this glimmer of hope. If there’s a chance to learn where Eve is, I’ll do whatever it takes. “I don’t want your land. I was simply trying to protect it.”
Nora’s face twists, and Yara huffs in disbelief.
“On Eve’s behalf. And, yes, I was trying to do something that would impress her.”
“To earn boyfriend points,” Matt adds in solidarity.
He gets it, at least.
Yara juts out a hip, leaning her weight onto it. “Explain.”
“Someone made a mistake.”
She snorts, and someone else shouts “No shit,” but I carry on.
“I made a mistake—I was trying for the element of surprise.”
“You bloody well achieved it!” Nora incredulously puts in.
Heads will fucking roll for this. “The land belongs to no one at the minute.”
“No, possession is nine tenths of the law—that place belongs to me!”
“Nora, nine tenths are worth nothing when battling someone with more money. Someone ruthless.” A hiss goes out, and the remains of a store-bought sandwich are aimed at my head. “Yes, I am ruthless,” I admit, glaring at the perpetrator as I pluck lettuce from my hair. “But I am also in love.”
Catcalls and jeers of disbelief follow, but I push on.
“I did this to prevent anyone else from doing so, because that would’ve upset Eve. She hurts to see her friends suffering, to see animals suffering. She lives her life for others, and I wanted to do something for her to show that I understand. That I see her . I would never do anything to hurt her.” Not now.
“Only, you did.” Yara’s tone is without inflection, but the barb still twists. “And that letter brought us here.”
“And Duggan!” shouts a young voice.
“You could’ve just bought it and donated it to Nora,” she persists. “It would be small change to you.”
“Yeah, we’ve seen your property portfolio!”
“Bought it from whom?” I run my hand through my hair, tamping back my frustration. “It currently doesn’t belong to anyone. The timing of the letter was a mistake and the fencing wasn’t due to go up for another month.”
“Well, my lawyer says I have squatter’s rights.” Judging by the direction her gaze slid, Nora appears to be taking legal advice from the would-be tire slasher.
“Your ten years of usage does provide you with some rights. But I’d hoped you would transfer those rights to me, for a substantial sum, of course. It’s complicated to explain, but with those years as mine, I could take ownership of the land and protect you. All of you.” Eve, Nora, the animals.
“What a load of—” This time, I duck in time, avoiding a launched apple core.
“Why not just transfer it into Nora’s name?” Yara demands.
“Why would I?” My frustration spills over.
“Because it’s mine, you thieving git!” the old woman shouts.
“Let me finish!” I bellow. Nora’s face falls, and regret pokes me like a hot finger to my chest. “I’m sorry,” I add immediately, infusing my apology with the emotion driving me. Apprehension. Irritation. Hope. God, I hope. “I wasn’t trying to take anything from you. I was trying to set the animal sanctuary up as a charitable foundation. To provide it with an income generated by the land value to safeguard your future.”
“Why didn’t you just tell Nora that?”
“I had every intention of doing so.” Jesus Christ. Are they even listening? “But I had more pressing concerns,” I add in the understatement of the year. “The letter was scheduled to be sent in a month to give me time to explain everything to Nora. It was to be a surprise for Eve.”
“And those were the boyfriend points.” Yara looks unimpressed.
“I was hoping Eve might take a role in the foundation.” To my friends, I add, “That was before I saw how much she loved Northaby.”
“When you decided to give her a safari park instead.” Fin’s mouth tips, seeming to imply I’m an idiot. But his eyes are warm, at least.
“I’d hoped she’d make that choice.” I’ve already signed a contract with Mandy, one full of guarantees and stipulations that have ultimately made me the sugar daddy of dozens of species.
“It’s not a ringmaster’s outfit he’ll need.” Matt chortles as he adds, “It’ll be wellies and overalls.”
“My mistake was using one of my offshore registered companies as the legal entity to secure the land.” Please tell me you’re getting this ...
The skinny anarchist’s chest puffs. “Sounds suspect to me.”
“How old are you?” I demand.
“Fourteen,” he replies with a grunt.
“Come back in twenty years, and tell me what you wouldn’t do for love.”
“I’d better have a girl before I’m an old geezer like you.”
“If you’re lucky, you might. If you carry on the way you’re going, your love might be your larger, scarier cellmate.” Sliding my hand into my pocket, I pull out my business card holder and flick one his way.
“What’s this?” he asks, eyeing it suspiciously.
I cast my eyes heavenward with a sigh.
“An opportunity to turn your skills to the light,” Matt answers for me.
More like the morally gray.
“Is someone gonna take pity on this guy? Tell him where Eve is?” Fin claps a hand to my shoulder. “I mean, just look at the creases in his shirt. The bags under his eyes—the scruff on his cheeks.”
“Please, do you know where she is?”
“I do.” Nora infuses the words with extreme cockiness.
“If nothing else, I have to try to put this right. Would you tell me? Please?” I’ll get on my knees if I have to.
Nora shrugs a shoulder. “I’m not sure if you’re tellin’ the truth about this land.”
“If you want me to stop, I will. I’ll provide you with a legal team to—”
“I want it—I want a proper charity.”
“Yes, fine. We can do that. Start it right now, if you want. Just—”
“Swear it. In front of all these people.”
Several phones are suddenly out and recording. “This better not end up on Pulse Tok,” I mutter.
“Courts only,” Yara says. “If you renege.”
“Fine. I, Oliver Deubel, swear to set up an animal charity to support Nora’s good work. I promise to provide for all legal costs and remedy any and all legal issues with the land her animal sanctuary currently stands on. Will that do?”
Nora shrugs, her sudden satisfaction settling around her like a cloak. “Well, I’ll tell you, but she don’t need you no more. She’s got a new fella in her life. His name’s Tucker,” she adds with unconstrained delight.
“Sounds like a tool,” Matt mutters.
“He’s a big fella, so she tells me. We’re all happy for her, right?” She doesn’t seem to have realized that most of her protesters seem to be walking off in the direction of the nearest tube station.
“I would like to speak with her myself. Loose ends, you understand. So many things I have to say.”
“Loose ends lead to nothing.” Yara gives her head a tiny shake and begins tugging on Nora’s arm.
“You want to grovel,” the old woman asserts.
“Yes.” My shoulders sag with a deep breath. “I suppose I do.”
“Go on, then.” Pulling away from Yara, she folds her arms across the front of her raincoat as her head makes a slight dip in the direction of the ground.
“Was that a ... twitch?” I do hope so.
“A cue,” she says, ignoring Yara’s cackling laughter. “You wanna know? I wanna grovel out of you.”
My smile feels acid, and judging by the flickers of unease among the remaining stragglers, I think it might look acid too. Nora, meanwhile, remains unmoved. As cool as the proverbial cucumber, in fact.
“You misunderstand me, Nora. My groveling is for Eve.”
“Ah,” she says, in the vein of one who understands she holds all the cards. “So you don’t really want to know where she is, then?”