“I like it. Let’s Trojan Horse this thing.”
“The fuck?” I look at Davis. “You can’t seriously think this will work?”
He shrugs. “It’s worth a shot. Jake’s a different kind of fish, no offence, Ada. They’ll let him go where you can’t.”
“I’ll ask mum if she’s keen,” Betty says, her fingers flying across an unseen keyboard. “But if you have to go it alone, just find anything that might be enough to get me inside. Names. Passport photos. Anything halfway decent about their operating system. One crumb and I’ll have him.”
“Betty,” I say, fear rising in my chest. “Aren’t you worried about getting busted? Anything you leak could get traced back to you.”
“That was when you were running around town on your own acting like Dirty Harry. This plan might actually work.”
I’m too grateful to be offended. “As long as you think it’s worth it?”
“After what Thrasher did to Rhys, they can all swing.”
“Fair,” I say.
“Call Colin,” Betty says. “I’m gonna go talk to Mum. Get back to me in five.”
She hangs up, and Jake wanders onto the balcony to ring Colin, which leaves Davis and me alone on the couch.
“So…” I say as he looks morosely out the window. “How’s things, buddy?”
“Please don’t tell Cece I’m in Pukekohe,” he mutters. “She doesn’t know, and I don’t wanther to think I’m overstepping again.”
The resignation in his voice, combined with the purple shadows under his eyes, makes my heart ache. “Davy...”
“Don’t. I’m not your charity case.”
“You kinda are, though.” I reach across and pat his shoulder. “There, there, charity case.”
Davis makes a face and pulls away. “Stop, Demon.”
“Suit yourself.” I wander over to the minibar. “Want a tiny, overpriced bourbon?”
He eyes me suspiciously. “On the phone, you said you drink too much.”
“True. But we’re right in the thick of things, and if I may misquoteArcher, ‘If I stop drinking right now, the collective hangover will literally kill me.’”
He gives a small smile. “Well, for what it’s worth. I like you better sober. So does Cece. So will everyone who matters.”
His eyes are sadder than any human’s have a right to look and the ache in my heart becomes full blown pain. “You’re a good dude, Davis.”
He inclines his head.
“And as much as I want to call you a parody cop name because emotions make me uncomfortable as balls…” I swallow. “I really appreciate you saying all that about being my friend and not drinking and stuff. And I think you should know Cece’s bonkers about you.”
He shakes his head like a swarm of sandflies are landing on it.
“She is. She’s scared because you’re hot and young and you genuinely want to help her, but from the moment she first mentioned you were working at Stabbies, I knew how she felt.”
He drops his gaze to his knees. “I’ve never felt about anyone the way I do about her.”
“Well, I know a lot about waiting on the impossible, Mall-Chops. That’s not you and Cece. It’s not your fault she expects so little from the world she can’t accept a good thing. She just needs time to realise you’re what she wants and come to you herself. And I know you’re going to respect that, because, as I said, you’re a good dude.”
“I just don’t know if she’ll ever see me the way she sees him,” he says, looking up at me. “Will fucking whatever his name is.”
I laugh. “Then I’ve got some good news for you, Davy-D. Not only is Will Sharpe about to catch some extremely nasty charges, but Cecedoessee you that way. More than that way. She might have spent her life idolising bell-ends, but she’s never let a man get close to her the way you have.”
