My mind is racing as I make it to the dining hall, but the buzz of late comers and delicious smells distract me while I find Corden. I spot his mop of hair in the far-left corner where he is surrounded by cups and full plates.
“Hungry, are we?” I ask as I plop down in the chair opposite him.
“Always,” He grins. “However, most of this is for you. I know you are a touchy bitch if you haven’t had enough carbs and caffeine,”
I shrug knowing he is only speaking the truth.
I take a massive gulp of hot coffee from the large mug he filled for me and sigh. “I love you,”
He grins showing teeth. “I know,” Then he shoves a massive mouthful of scrambled egg in his mouth while I sit in turmoil.
Someone might want me out, but after finding this clue, I am going nowhere until I find Marlowe.
***
“Have you seen much of Deena this week?” Corden asks while I use the heat from the cup to warm my numb fingers. The weather is getting worse with every day that passes and I have a feeling snow will be upon us sooner than I think. I need to get some winter clothing, but I don’t have a car to drive into the town twenty minutes away from the Marrowton Estate.
I shake my head taking a slow sip from the steaming nectar, allowing the burn to try and take away the unnerving feeling this morning has left me with. After taking another gulp I place the cup down on the table where we sit in a near empty dining hall. “I feel like she’s pulled away the last week or so,”
“Yeah,” Corden sighs. “Me too,”
“Do you think it’s because of Max?” I question while pushing around my scrambled eggs. An hour ago, I would have shovelled every bit into my mouth, but after the note this morning and finding Marlowe’s clues, I have lost my appetite.
“I don’t know, did you explain that the dinner was friendly and not romantic?”
“I sent her a text explaining and she seemed fine with it, but she’s not sat with us to eat since,” I shrug, “There is no way she has half as much work as she says she does,”
“She said she was coming to get ready with us for the fundraiser though, we can interrogate her then,”
“Yeah,” We fall into a comfortable silence as Corden demolishes his three breakfasts. Bacon and eggs, granola with Greek yogurt and a bigbowl of mixed fruit. The boy canEat,but with the size of him, it’s not a surprise how much it takes to keep him moving.
He must feel my attention on him, he looks up and flashes me his charming grin. “What?”
“Nothing,” I smile back then clear my throat. “I found something strange today, a group of numbers and letters that aren’t coordinates too anywhere,” I grab my phone and bring up my notes app from where I wrote them down.
“Do you know what that could be?” I ask. Corden is one of the smartest people I know so I have every faith in him to find out what they mean if he doesn’t already know.
“Hmm,” he grabs my phone closer, brows furrowed in concentration. “To be honest, that doesn’t make much sense to me, but send me it and I can figure it out,” Corden’s phone lights up with an incoming call. “Ah shit, this is my brother,”
“Go, take it,” I smile. “I actually have work to get done for Mr. Chapman. Sending you this now,”
“Does this have anything to do with our little project?” He questions with a raised eyebrow, excitement written into his features.
“I guess we will find out when you figure the code out,” I nod.
“Okay, I’m on it. I’ll text you later,” He grabs his coffee cup and stands, dropping a kiss to my head and turning to leave.
“Oh wait, what colour dress are you wearing on Tuesday?”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever I have in my cupboard that will suffice,”
“Oh, dear lord,” He sighs but then a smirk lifts his cheeks in a knowing look. “Keep an eye out for a delivery,” Then he turns and rushes out the doors leaving me alone.
My shoulders slump and I feel my body slowly drain of energy. I have so much to do and not enough time to do it in. That assignment redo Ihave for Mr. Chapman is still a mess and I only have a few days to make it make sense. If I don’t, then it doesn’t matter how many clues I find, I will be out. And my father will actually kill me this time.
I lift my hands and slowly rub circles on my temples with my fingertips, trying to release some of the building pressure.
I don’t think I can continue this on my own. I need help and not just from Corden.
