“Good. I’d turn around and deliver you to them. So, who?”
“It’s a very long story.”
“Ooh, let me guess... Somebody trying to get revenge after you screwed up their lives?”
“It’s nothing to do with me.”
She glanced up at the mirror.
“It’s not her fault, either,” he said, in an undertone.
“I honestly don’t want to know.”
“It’s best that way. Nic, can I borrow your phone?”
“What for?” Samira said.
“To send word to Angelito and Holly. Don’t worry—it’ll be secure. And we’ll need their help if we’re going to...” He glanced at Nicole.
“Say no more,” she said, raising a palm. “I don’t want to have to testify against you. Because I would.”
He took the phone and messaged Angelito. As he waited for a response, he risked the elephant-in-the-room question. “How’s Mum?”
Nicole’s jaw went rigid. “What do you care?”
“Of course I care. You know I do.”
Nicole exhaled. Relenting, slightly. “She’s oblivious, thank God. Mostly they have her drugged up enough that she’s in her own merry world. Sometimes I envy her that. But then, you’d know all about the magic of modern medication.”
For fuck’s sake, shut up.
A beep. Angelito. “They’re in London,” Jamie said to Samira. “They’re going to head to King’s Cross. I don’t think they’d need ID for a ticket to Edinburgh and I can’t imagine anybody would be looking for them.” Would Holly’s name raise flags, given her work history with the senator and Laura? Hyland had no reason to link Holly with Samira or Tess.
“What drugs is Mum on?” he asked Nicole.
Nicole rattled off a list. “The docs say it doesn’t improve her dementia but it makes her a happy patient instead of an angry and confused one, so... And they give her something to help her sleep. I can’t remember the name.”
“You can always email me, you know, if you have questions.”
“There’s no shortage of doctors to ask.”
“That can be part of the problem.” He returned the phone to the center console. “How’s law school?”
“Great. At this rate I’ll graduate about a year after I die of old age.”
“Will you ever stop blaming me for everything?”
“Makes me feel better to have somebody to blame.”
He shrugged. “As long as I’m making you feel good about yourself... You dating anybody?”
“And how the fuck would I find the time for that?”
“Language, Nicole.”
“Screw you, Jamie,” Nicole snapped back. But she couldn’t help a laugh, of sorts.
That was how it’d always been between them.An endless game of ping-pong with conkers, their dad had called it. It was mostly a facade. They had each other’s backs when it counted. Like now. He knew she wouldn’t refuse to drive them. Well, he was fairly sure. And here they were, so...
