Chapter 10 Kane #2
This was it, Kane thought. A chance to prove to his friend that he could be honest. That he could and would approach things differently this time around. He lowered his voice. “Have you been reading the news this week?”
“No.” Fletcher’s brow knit. “Why?”
“Someone calling themselves the Curator managed to get an unsanctioned exhibit displayed in the Crystal Palace. A type of alchemological device, no less.” Without waiting to be prompted, Kane relayed the conversation he’d had with Price earlier today.
The threat that the inspector had delivered, and how authorities believed the device was connected to the theft of the necklace.
“Price knows you were involved, Fletch. If this doesn’t go well, you could be dragged into it. ”
Fletcher exhaled in resignation. “When did this happen?”
“Price left moments before you and Zaria showed up.”
“And if we hadn’t shown up, were you still planning to tell me about this?”
The question landed like a gut punch. “I hadn’t given it much thought. I was still trying to wrap my own head around it.”
A pained expression crossed Fletcher’s face, and Kane knew his answer hadn’t been the right one. He hurried to correct his blunder. “If it comes to it, I’ll make sure I’m the only one who gets arrested.”
Fletcher let out an incredulous, choking laugh. At least, Kane thought it was a laugh—it sounded like his friend was being strangled. “You seriously haven’t learned a goddamned thing, have you?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You don’t? Kane, all I’ve ever wanted is for you to treat me like an equal.
We’re supposed to be a team. That means no secrets, especially when those secrets affect me.
Would you truly have decided to tell me about Price and this Curator?
Or were you going to leave me in the dark all over again with no idea that my life might be in jeopardy?
” Fletcher shook his head without much conviction.
The fight seemed to drain out of him as he went on.
“I’m tired of it. That’s why I didn’t come talk to you before now.
I knew this would happen. You’re determined to deal with everything on your own, because you always think you know best.”
“Fletch, that’s not true.”
“Isn’t it?”
Though the temperature in the room hadn’t changed, Kane’s entire body went cold.
The pressure had become a tightness, squeezing, suffocating him.
“I don’t have an excuse for what happened with Ward.
You’re right; I should have told you the truth from the start.
But this new development? I don’t know if I would have come to you.
Not because I wanted to deal with it alone, but because I didn’t think you’d want anything to do with it.
I didn’t think you’d want anything to do with me.
I wasn’t about to bust into Moore misery that he so obviously wasn’t happy about it.
Kane shifted closer to the stairwell, lowering his voice further as a crew member strode by with a respectful nod in his direction.
“I meant it when I said I was just trying to give you space. I can see now that wasn’t the right thing to do. ”
What more was there to say? He wanted to beg Fletcher to forgive him.
Wanted to convince him he had never been sorrier about anything.
If doing so would make Fletcher believe it, Kane would have ripped out his own heart and set it, still beating, in his friend’s hand.
But none of those things would help. If he let his walls slip too far down, he might not be able to put them back up.
He’d spend the rest of his miserable existence crouched among the pieces as they slipped through his fingers like sand.
“I did want space,” Fletcher admitted. “I mean, I think I did. But this is more important. So what’s the plan?”
Kane couldn’t count how many times he’d been asked that question since the day he met Fletcher.
Until last week, his friend had always trusted him, and with good reason.
He always had a plan. It was a given—a statement of fact more than a personality trait.
The sky was blue, Fletcher was tall, and Kane always had a plan.
“Like I said, I haven’t given it much thought yet, but I suppose the Exhibition is the best place to start. I had planned to bring Zaria along and take a look at the device for myself. Once we have a better idea of what it is, that’ll hopefully help us understand who might have put it there.”
“Ah. So that’s why you wanted Zaria. You hope she’ll recognize the device.”
“She’ll certainly have a better chance of it than I will.”
“All right.” Fletcher gave a firm nod. “Then I’ll come with you.”
Again, Kane was caught off guard. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. But better me than one of the other guys—you can’t trust some of them.”
Kane knew that. Men like Adam and Elijah, though, had proven themselves to be loyal enough.
Still, he hadn’t intended on bringing anyone other than Zaria along.
He’d figured it better to keep recent events to himself, given the trouble they were already in.
Fletcher’s involvement, however, changed everything.
“Fair enough,” Kane decided. “Do you want to… meet at Hyde Park, then? Tomorrow, just before midnight?”
Fletcher nodded again. “Tomorrow. Midnight. Sure.”
It wasn’t forgiveness. It wasn’t even close. But something in Kane eased, and when he loosed a breath, some of his tension seemed to release along with it.