Ethan brightened immensely. Poor guy. I’d never do this in a million years to someone like him. Why did he have to be wrapped up in this? “Of course!” he said. “Come here, cousin.”
I approached him, using one hand to wrap around him, squeezing tight around the back, obvious. The other I slipped down, out of Alice’s sight. I grabbed the cell first. First a pat low on his back.
Reached in.
Lifted.
I used the shadow of his body and his jacket to hide it from Alice and pulling it around. I hid both items in the folds of the dress and then behind my back in one hand. I turned him toward Alice, egging him on. “Now go,” I said. “And have a good honeymoon.”
Ethan had turned then, and was facing Alice when I went for the wallet. A small lift, as his pant pockets were loose. And then I had both behind my back. Simple. Alice might have had a husband, but I had his wallet and phone. I called it a small victory.
I could only hope Ethan wouldn’t notice until much later, hopefully not until tomorrow. I needed to hurry. I needed to get this phone to someone who could help.
I needed to find Brandon, too.
I came up with a plan. Part of my mistake from the beginning was getting the Academy boys involved, and exposing more of them. I needed to do this my way. It was something unexpected, and Alice wouldn’t see it coming. If she thought she had Corey now, she’d try to find a way to get him to work for her.
She didn’t know me that well, or she wouldn’t have let me get this close to her new husband. She wouldn’t be able to know that part of me, because I was just the new girlfriend of Corey’s. She would never know I could pick a pocket in a heartbeat, because I’d never been caught. Well, not by anyone outside of the Academy at least.
And if she didn’t know I could pull wallets, she didn’t know other things about me. Like that I knew Doyle.
Like I knew a playboy millionaire who could possibly be the only one left that could help save these Academy guys before they were done in.
I needed to do this my way. I had to keep Corey safe before any more people got hurt. Raven needed to stay with Corey to protect him. I had a limited amount of time. I couldn’t play fair or safe anymore.
I’d leave now, but I’d be back with someone willing to break the rules and help me get the guys back safe.
HELP FROM UNEXPECTED FRIENDS
I did a wide sweep of the party just in case I’d missed Brandon somewhere, and then left for the rendezvous point down the road, close to the gift shop. I took a side door, and stuck to the shadows, finding a path to the beach, carrying my shoes, the wallet and cell phone. Once I was out of sight, I pulled out the phone bill as well.
At the parking lot was a dark town car similar to the one that had brought us here. The door opened and a man stepped out. He was the same height as North, with dark hair, and at first I wondered if North had come back. As I got closer, I realized he was older, mature with graying sideburns.
He waved shortly to me. I didn’t know how he recognized me, but then I thought of the files the Academy had on me and my brother. There were probably a few pictures of us floating around. Still, I kept a distance.
“How’d it go?” he asked. Worry lines creased his forehead. “Is Brandon all right? Is he coming?”
“I don’t know,” I said, frowning. It was odd trusting this complete stranger. All I had going for me was that Brandon possibly knew him, which meant he was probably with the Academy. How did Brandon and Marc and any of the others trust these people? Did they know all of them? Still, he was the only one left, and if the Academy was going to take action, they needed to do so now.
He seemed to understand my hesitation, especially since I was alone. He held his hands up. “You were with Brandon Henshaw. North Taylor drove you here. We belong to the Academy.”
I had to assume Alice still didn’t know about the Academy. “Did you hear about Alice?” I asked. “Do you know about her?”
“Yes,” he said. “I got a partial report, at least. She’s the one who claims she has Axel and Marc?”
“Yes,” I said. “And she’s here now. She’s inside that house we were supposed to scout. She married the man that owns the house. Ethan Murdock, possibly the one who owns the core we’re looking for. I was talking to him and she intercepted and now I can’t find Brandon at all. He may still be at the house or she may have taken him. She implied she did, but I don’t know and I can’t confirm.”
He frowned. “This isn’t good.”
“No,” I said. “I need you to stay here, and to possibly call in some backup. Someone needs to keep an eye out for Brandon, and someone else should follow Alice. Carefully, though. I don’t know how she’s managed to get Brandon when he’s been careful and knows what she looks like. Obviously, I can’t go back.” It felt odd giving instructions to an older guy who probably knew more than I did.
He gave no indication he thought it was strange. He only nodded. “What are you going to do?” he asked.
“I’ve got a cell phone that might be the key to all this,” I said. “I should take it to Corey.”
“Good idea,” he said. “I should probably drive you.”
“We don’t have time. If you can follow Alice, we might find Axel and the others. She won’t recognize you as part of their team, right?”
“She shouldn’t,” he said. “I’m not exactly connected to their group.” He stepped forward and then closed the door. He went to the trunk and then opened it. “Can you drive?”
I nodded. “Of course.” Technically.
“Take the car,” he said. He dug into the trunk, putting on a formal jacket. “I’ll call for backup and keep an eye on the house. You said she married the man inside?”
“Yes,” I said. My heart rose. While I wasn’t going to go to Corey, I was glad this guy had jumped up to help. He showed a lot of trust in someone he’d just met two seconds ago. “She was with Ethan, her new husband. Just be very careful. We can’t let anyone know you’re helping us.”
“I’ll be careful,” he said. He buttoned up the jacket and then smoothed out his hair. He closed the trunk. “Keys are in the ignition,” he said. “Drive to the hospital. Don’t stop until you get there. Don’t worry about Brandon. I’ve been watching the road. All the cars going by have been identified. Either he’s still here, or he can be tracked in whatever car has left. So we’ll find him. Hopefully we’ll find Axel and Marc, too.”
That was a good sign. “Thank you,” I said.
>
“Just stay safe,” he said. He moved around the car, and opened the driver’s side door for me.
I got in. “What’s your name?” I asked.
“Henry Anderson,” he said. He reached out, taking my hand. I shook it. He released me, pulled a card from his back pocket and then gave it to me. “If you ever need anything, my team isn’t far. Call any of us. Tell them I sent you.”
I took the card, checking it. It was plain, with his name on it, and a title: CFO of a non-profit charity. I had a small thought of Brandon and Corey, younger, and donating to charities with stolen money. Like a couple of Robin Hood twins. I wondered if Henry’s was one of the charities they’d donated to, unwittingly.
“Thank you,” I said. “Be careful. Really.”
“I will,” he said. He closed my door for me. Before I could turn the car on, he’d already crossed the parking lot, heading back the way I’d come.
I hoped he’d keep his word. Enough of the Academy boys were missing now. Hopefully Henry could help.
I adjusted myself inside the car, and then drove slowly out of the lot, feeling awkward, like I was abandoning Henry for one, Brandon two, and thirdly, I was driving someone else’s car.
Ignoring the niggling sensation in the back of my mind, I focused on the road and then on the cell phone I’d claimed. I needed to reach Blake Coaltar. He was probably the only one who could really help me now. I didn’t have much of a plan. I just needed another pair of eyes on this. And someone who could convince Doyle to possibly get out here and help me figure out this core.
Should I use the cell phone I had? Why not? At worst, Ethan Murdock might check the records if it was his public phone. And if it was connected to the core, it was supposedly on an underground service. Untraceable. That was why we were trying to break into it, wasn’t it?
Ethan was busy with his wedding, anyway.
I didn’t know Blake’s number though. I also didn’t want to drive directly to his house.
As I drove, I had an uncomfortable feeling like I was being followed.
I hated to do it, but I called Avery as I pulled off of Kiawah Island and onto the road that lead to John’s Island.