Chapter 131
Towler came for the gun. Poe didn’t know if he’d hand it in or add it to his growing arsenal.
‘Sounds like I missed all the fun,’ he said.
Poe filled in the missing pieces.
‘Best we keep them apart,’ Towler said after he had finished. ‘I’ll take the mother away and give her to Gilliard. Soon as he’s got what he needs, I’ll put her on a train back down south.’
‘She can charter her own jet now.’
‘They coughed up?’
‘Over fifteen million dollars.’
Towler whistled. ‘That’s a lot of Cheddar. Fucked up she gets to keep it.’
‘If she does get to keep it. The Red Chamber are still out there.’
‘You haven’t done it yet?’
Poe shook his head.
‘Second thoughts?’
He nodded.
‘Why? You don’t want it known that technology like this exists?’
‘That’s part of it.’
‘What’s the other part?’
‘I don’t want what happens next on my conscience.’
Towler slapped him on the back. It felt like a tree had fallen on him.
‘Listen, dickhead,’ he said. ‘Something’s going to happen next.
It’s either going to happen to that young lass in there, probably you, Estelle and the bookworm as well, or it’s going to happen to them.
Why are we even discussing this – it’s a binary fucking choice, mate.
You or them. And as Barack Obama once said, “Fuck them.”’
Poe smiled. ‘If Obama did say that, I’m sure he was paraphrasing.’
Océane left with Towler. She didn’t look thrilled to be back in his company, but Poe reckoned she preferred it to being anywhere near her daughter. He walked back into the kitchen. Esmerée had a blanket wrapped around her. She looked every bit the fifteen-year-old she was.
‘Sorry, Poe,’ she said, eyes downcast, voice wavering.
‘What for?’
‘You know, threatening to shoot you and all.’
Poe waved her away. ‘The gun wasn’t loaded and you had the safety on,’ he said. ‘You could have pulled the trigger twenty times and the only thing you’d have achieved is repetitive strain injury.’
The Beretta had been loaded and the safety catch had been off, but Poe figured Esmerée’s healing started now. There was no need for her to carry the guilt of what she’d almost done.
‘What now?’ she said.
‘You’re going to bed, and I suspect Estelle is going to sit up there with you.’
‘She’s not leaving my sight tonight, Poe,’ Estelle confirmed.
‘Tilly, can I have a word?’
‘Of course, Poe.’
He left the kitchen and walked into the drawing room.
‘I need you to do something for me,’ he said.
He told her what it was.
Bradshaw frowned. ‘Are you sure, Poe?’
‘No, but I can’t think of any other way.’