Chapter 23 #2
He what? Oh, is it a date?
Nola:
You’re on a date with him?
Sage:
It’s not a date. It’s just breakfast at the Serpentine.
Laine:
Oh, that's lovely this time of year. Did you see the ducks?
Nola:
No. Stop. We're not doing this.
Laine:
Doing what?
Nola:
Making this monster out to be something he’s not. Do not encourage her, Laine. She does not need to date him.
Laine:
What did I say? All I asked was if she saw the ducks.
Sage:
It’s just pancakes. I'm still investigating.
Nola:
Investigating his mouth? Because that's where this is going. This is Jaxon all over again.
Laine:
NOLA.
Sage:
Oh my god
Laine:
Did you at least feed the ducks?
Sage:
Not yet, but we have a bag of duck and swan feed ready. we’re going to stop by on our way out
Nola:
Why do you need to feed the ducks together again?
Sage:
They look starved
Nola:
This is how it starts. Next you'll be having dinner with him.
Sage:
We've had several dinners and an engagement party
Laine:
Of course you have, you’re getting married! What was the engagement party like? Was there a champagne fountain?
Nola:
Laine. It’s not the 90s, and don't encourage her.
Sage:
There was a lot of champers. And I wore Louboutins, but they cut my feet. He put Band-Aids on my blisters at 2 a.m.
Laine:
AT 2 A.M.? OMG That's so sweet!
Nola:
That's grooming behavior. He's love bombing you.
Laine:
It's a Band-Aid, Nola, not a marriage proposal.
Nola:
She already has one of those from him. That's literally the problem.
Sage:
Can we focus? I messaged because I read the report and need a way to see his scars…
Laine:
Well, you know what I’m going to suggest
Sage:
I’m not doing that
Nola:
Sedate him.
Sage:
I don’t know if I can. And with what?
Laine:
Are we sure this is a good idea?
Nola:
No, but what other choice does she have? If he’s the same guy, he’s highly intelligent, calculating, and dangerous. The prison report says it all, really. It’s probably the reason he’s so messed up.
Sage:
Maybe. Or maybe he lost someone, too.
Nola:
Yes, he did. YOUR SISTER. Don't forget that part.
Laine:
Nola has a point. You still don't know what happened to Nell.
Sage:
I know. I haven't forgotten. But what if he didn't do it?
Nola:
Then who?
Sage:
I don't know. But he gave me his mother's ring. And he keeps trying to protect me from my father. He keeps looking at me like...
Laine:
Like what?
Sage:
Like I’m not invisible
Nola:
Oh my shitting God
Laine:
Fuckity fuck
Sage:
What?
Nola:
You're falling for him.
Sage:
I am NOT.
Laine:
Sage, hon, listen to us. Do you want to sit on his face
Sage:
Laine! I can investigate someone AND feed ducks with them. And not want to jump into bed. These things aren't mutually exclusive.
Nola:
Then do the THING now if you still have what I gave you. Then call me.
Sage:
I need to see his scars first! What if he didn’t kill Nell?
Laine:
If he didn’t, then do you think your father is lying to you?
Sage:
It’s possible
Nola:
Great. So now you’re not doing the THING you went there to do?
Sage:
I didn't say that
Nola:
But you're considering it.
Sage:
I need more time. There’s not enough evidence.
Laine:
Translation: you like him, and you're looking for an excuse to shag him.
Sage:
I am not
Laine:
That's okay if you are. I get it.
Nola:
Of course you do.
Sage. Just don't sleep with him before you figure out if he murdered your sister. That's my advice.
Sage:
I cannot believe we're having this conversation.
Laine:
What did you think would happen when you moved into a Gothic castle with a hot suspect?
Sage:
He's not hot
Laine:
Liar, but I love you for it.
Nola:
Only because you slept with your hot suspect, Laine.
Laine:
…
Sage:
Okay FINE he's objectively attractive but that's not the point!
Nola:
What is the point?
Sage:
The point is, I came here to find out what happened to Nell. And now I don't know what I'm doing anymore. It’s all mixed up in my head. What if I’m remembering things wrong? What if I start to feel sorry for him?
Laine:
Maybe you're allowed to do both? Find answers AND feel things?
Nola:
Or maybe he murdered your sister, and you're thinking with your lady parts. A pity fuck is fine btw.
Sage:
I can’t believe you just said that. Can we just talk about something else? Anything else?
Laine:
Oh! Jaxon installed a winter bird feeder today!
Sage:
Oooh! Can I see it?
Laine:
Sage:
Super cute! I love how it looks with snow on the roof!
Nola:
Why am I in this chat?
Sage:
Because you love us?
Nola:
Debatable.
Laine:
She does. She made us matching friendship bracelets last month.
Nola:
They were surveillance devices.
Sage:
Were they really?
Nola:
…
Sage:
I miss you guys
Laine:
We miss you too! Escape soon and come visit?
Sage:
I'll try. It's complicated getting off the island
Nola:
Red flag.
Laine:
Nola! We agreed we wouldn’t use that word.
Nola:
What? It is!
Sage:
I know what I'm doing
Laine:
Do you, though?
Sage:
Kinda. Ask me again when I’m married
Nola:
If you're still alive after the wedding, I'm taking you both to that new Korean place.
Laine:
The one with the spicy tofu?
Nola:
The very same.
Sage:
Deal. Okay, I should go. He's probably wondering where I am
Laine:
Text us tomorrow?
Sage:
I will. Love you both!
Laine:
Love you too!
Nola:
Don't die.
Sage:
That's your version of “I love you,” isn't it?
Nola:
…
Nola:
Just a thought, but 2-3 pills MAX (that’s not negotiable) of your migraine pills, crushed to a powder and sprinkled in strong coffee, SHOULD work as a strong sedative. 30 min onset, 2-3 hour window. If you do try it, Sage, be careful.
Shouldn’t have to tell you this, but delete these messages after you read them.
Wrangling with my purse, I open it, slip my phone in, and take out a blister pack of pills—the ones that ensure Nell doesn’t come back for a while. I take one, swallow it down with tap water, and then rewash my face.
When I exit the bathroom, Troy takes one look at me and gets to his feet, his own plate of pancakes also untouched. “Come on, let’s get you back.”
We feed the ducks and the swans quickly.
I can’t stop shooting glances at him while he stares off at the pond, his mind elsewhere, his brow furrowed like he’s trying to solve a problem that doesn’t want to be solved.
When the ducks are all fed, Troy guides me to his car and then takes me to the hotel.
True to form, Troy has to stay in London for business, so he leaves his car out front, like he owns half of London. Which, knowing him, he probably does, and then steers me to an external elevator. The doors are clearly locked, but Troy produces a keycard from his pocket and opens it.
Lights come on as we enter. The glass doors close, just as Troy keys a code into the keypad, and then we climb. Rising slowly at first, leaving the busy London streets behind. Through the glass, you can see everything as we go higher and higher, picking up speed as we head right to the top.
I walk right up to the glass and look down. My stomach does a little flip.
“Oh my, it’s…” I’m at a loss for words.
“Absolutely breathtaking?” Troy drawls.
“You really own this place?”
“I do now. I just bought it.”
Just bought it?
By the time the inner doors ping open, my ears have popped, and I feel a little lightheaded, but Troy steadies me, leading me down a glass walkway. At the end, there is a landing pad with a waiting helicopter.
I stare at the helicopter, then back at Troy. “You’re not coming?”
“No.” He’s already checking his phone, jaw tight. On the way over here, I saw his screen on his car dashboard light up with an urgent message from Mundel.
We’ve found her…
That was all I got to read before Troy swiped it off the control panel.
Who has he found?
Whoever Mundel was referring to has his full attention.
“Craig will fly you back to Grayfleet.” His tone suggests no argument. It’s the same voice he uses to dismiss Mundel, Kathy, or end business calls.
“I can manage the boat myself—”
“No.” His eyes cut to me briefly before returning to his phone. “The boat will take too long.”
The dismissal stings more than it should. Of course, he has more important things to do than escort me home like some child.
We’ve found her…
I want to ask him outright, but I can’t. How can I? I’m not his real fiancée. I’m a problem he has to deal with.
My throat feels thick and scratchy. “Okay.” I turn toward the helicopter, but his hand catches my elbow, firm enough to stop me.
“Stay off the terrace. It’s not safe.”
I pull my arm free, but his grip tightens fractionally before he releases me. “I know the rules.”
“I’m serious, Sage. Don’t go exploring while I’m gone.”
I bite my lips. “Will you be back for the wedding?” I don’t even know why I’m asking that.
“Of course.” He’s already stepping back, putting distance between us. “I usually let Kathy know.”
Then his mind is elsewhere. I’m not expecting an apology for abandoning me at a helipad. But the way he orders me about like I’m part of his entourage, and that infuriating arrogance he has that I’ll obey, pisses me off.
He treats me like his pet dog.
He’ll be getting me a bloody collar next.
Strangely, that makes my inside curl, and I hurry to get into the aircraft before I can decipher why. The rotors are already spinning up as I climb into the helicopter, not wanting to look back.
But then I do, through the glass, I catch one last glimpse of Troy, already walking toward the elevator, phone pressed to his ear, as Craig hands me a headset, and we lift off.
He doesn’t even glance up, and I hate that I’m alone in watching him go. My chest aches, and I don’t care to understand the feeling.
The city spreads below us, beautiful in the fall with the orange foliage dotted about. I lean back in my seat and shut my eyes to it, not wanting to see how pretty it is anymore. The sound of the rotors drowns out the mixed-up feelings I can’t seem to shake off.
Whoever it is that Mundel found, they matter more than me.