‘Not really,’ I replied as Trudy joined me. ‘I’ve just asked for a sandwich and I’m going back and forth on whether they’ll have Marmite.’
She gave me an odd look but didn’t say anything. One thing was evident: the gregarious, effusive, sometimes ditsy woman who I’d befriended was a cover.ThisTrudy had the type of self-assurance that was forged in the fires of leadership – having to make difficult calls, then defend her actions.
Though there was a softness in her eyes, compassion – she wasn’t flinty or hard, just different to who I’d thought she was.
‘You’ve known all along who I am, haven’t you?’ I asked.
She nodded slowly. ‘Yes, mostly. Though your connection to Tom came later – after you arrived on Aetheria.’
Tommy had said something similar, and I wondered how it could possibly have been missed.Ah, that must have been Elsa’s cock-up, I thought. Although, it was moot now and I had other more pressing questions.
‘And all those times we talked about Tommy – sorry,Tom– you were testing me.’
‘I was keeping you close,’ she said, not breaking eye contact.
‘Right.’ I licked my lips. ‘Did you ever think about forcing me to leave?’ I asked.
‘Neverforcingyou, but I was close to fabricating some sort of emergency back in London.’
‘Like a photograph of me and Julian going viral?’
‘That wasn’t us,’ she said with a subtle shake of her head.
‘I know.’
‘No, it would have been more like a burst water pipe in the Chelsea house or something along those lines.’
I drew in a sharp breath. They knew everything. Whoevertheywere. But I was glad they hadn’t flooded my house. I loved that house – I still do.
Trudy slid her cuff up her arm to check the time. Something flashed behind her eyes, but she remained outwardly calm.
‘I’ve thrown a spanner in the works, haven’t I?’
She regarded me with a measured look. ‘Look, we’d always planned on using Julian to get to Kovalec – letting the guppie go free to bag the bigger fish. Your request… it just changed how we executed that plan.’
‘Did I cause trouble for him?’ I asked, not entirely sure I wanted the answer.
‘Julian? No, he pounced on our offer. Once I told him who I was – whowewere – he seemed relieved and fell right into line. He’ll give us what we need.’
‘That’s reassuring – about Julian,’ I said, even though it drove home how close he’d been to being arrested. ‘But that’s not… I meant Tommy –Tom. I don’t want him to get into trouble.’
‘Oh, I see. That’s a little more complicated, because?—’
‘Excuse me.’ A steward arrived, carrying a cloche-covered plate.
I smiled at her. ‘Thank you. Just here’s fine,’ I said, indicating a nearby cocktail table.
She set it down, then left us.
I stared at the cloche, my mind elsewhere.That’s a little more complicated…That didn’t seem to bode well for Tommy – or me.
‘You going to…?’ Trudy asked, and I came back to the present. She tilted her head towards the cloche.
‘Schrodinger’s sandwich,’ I quipped. ‘If I don’t lift the lid, there’s a fifty-fifty chance of a toasted cheese and Marmite sandwich, and if I do?—’
Obviously not one to play games, Trudy lifted the lid and the pungent, delicious aroma of warm Marmite wafted over.
‘Fuck me, I’m starving.’ I reached for one half of the sandwich and took a huge bite. ‘Mmm, heaven,’ I said through my mouthful. ‘Want the other half?’ I offered.
