McDonald’s
MCDonald’s
“Any relation to Harry Maxwell?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. So much for playing dumb, she thought.
“I read the club history. Doesn’t change the fact that you just confessed to kidnapping, which makes me even less likely to believe anything you say.”
“I can understand that.”
“I haven’t been able to contact Calvin 4 to tell him where we are and find out what he wants me to do.
And if I don’t show up back in that motel room with a bag of burgers pretty soon, Montag 5 will know something is up and he’ll either shoot me or he’ll take Tess somewhere else and leave me behind. ”
“Did you say motel?”
“Yeah, they’re holed up in some dump called the White Pine Motor Lodge a few miles from here.”
“At least you’re telling the truth about one thing.”
“I’m telling the truth about everything. And if I can call Calvin 4, maybe all three of us can work together.”
“I’m not giving you my phone.”
“You call him, then,” said Nemo 7.
Valentine 6 considered this suggestion for a moment.
Calvin 4 had told her very little about what was going on.
She knew from the portions of the club history a provisional member was allowed to read and from gossip in the hallways that Calvin 4 and Harry Maxwell had been friends.
And she knew that Maxwell had died about ten years ago.
But why would Pilgrim 3 want to kidnap Maxwell’s daughter?
And why was Calvin 4 so eager to get his hands on Gatsby the Great?
And should she trust Nemo 7, who stood in front of her looking no more threatening, and every bit as expectant, as a puppy waiting for affection?
“Fine,” said Valentine 6. “I’m going to walk out of here. If you follow me, I won’t call him. If I’m not back in five minutes, you’ll know it’s because I found out you were lying to me.”
“Call him,” said Nemo 7. “It won’t take five minutes.”
Nemo 7 was right. Three minutes later, Valentine 6 returned. “We’ll take your car,” she said. “And on the way you’ll tell me everything.”
She left her order sitting on the counter.