Except, when they got out of the fortress, it quickly became apparent that containing the story would be impossible. People were already looking at their phones, pointing, smiling, and laughing.
“Itold youshe went in with a bag and came out empty-handed,” someone was saying.
“Did you see it?” a garhette who usually never gave John or Peter the time of day asked as they passed by.
John slowed, stars in his eyes.
“Did you see what she left?” the garhette repeated. She showed the picture on her phone. It must’ve already been forwarded. Damage control was nonexistent.
“Yes!” John opened his mouth, spread his hands, and made anoh my Godexpression. “The necklace? The earrings?” He half spun around. A group of people hurried over to hear. “Out. Of. This.World!I about fell over, didn’t I, Pete? It made that bracelet look like nothing.”
“So, it was real?” she pushed.
“Come on, man.” Peter yanked at John. “We don’t want to get caught having sent the pictures.”
“Yeah, it was real, all right. I’ve guarded that bracelet for years. It wasdefinitelyour bracelet. The other jewelry, though? I’m no expert, but it wasfineworkmanship, and it was wortha lot. Even if it was fake—which it definitely wasn’t—she didn’t have to bring anything at all. Usually, people take things, not give them.”
“Come on!” Peter yanked at him again.
“I gotta go,” John told the group, looking back at the fortress. “Nelson’s going to try to cover it up, bet you anything. He told us to get out. He meant business. I don’t need an accident, know what I’m saying? I know people who’ve gotten those in the past. They didn’t move on to other cairns—they moved into unmarked graves. Not for me, thank you very much!”
“Dude, shutup!” Peter yanked at him yet again. They had no proof. It was almost certainly true—the rumors said it was true, and they’d lost some friends they hadn’t been able to find again—but there was no proof. Hearing it from John, the bystanders would think there was.
Regardless, that female gargoyle had made a helluva statement here today. The story of it would echo throughout the gargoyle community. If it was intended to be political, she’d probably just granted herself the upper hand with her show ofgenerosity. Their plan had been well designed. Nelson had his work cut out for him to come out on top of this one, and Peter wanted to be long gone during the fallout.
