An agonizing threedays pass and things continue to grow worse. Almost all the big tabloids are running headlines on me. More photos of Arthur and me have surfaced. This time they’re from us enjoying a walk through Tokyo together. There’s still nothing concrete that confirms we’re in a relationship, but the speed with which these photos have popped up is scary.
In all that time, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to speak to Art.
“My plan is brilliant yet simple, if I do say so myself,” Eddie boasts over video chat.
“Well, get on with it, what’s the plan?” The muscles in my face twitch.
“Somebody’s grumpy.”
“What do you expect? I’m out of patience. I haven’t been able to speak to him since all the headlines have popped up. I have no clue how he’s managing all this. So excuse me if I’m a little anxious. What’s. The. Plan?”
Eddie sighs. “I managed to pull his personal email address from his file to pass on to you. It shouldn’t be monitored by anyone and should be safe to send a message to.”
I smack my forehead. “You want me to send an email to him?”
“Yes?” He cocks his head to the side.
“That could take ages for him to actually read, assuming he even checks his email. There has to be a better way.” I hold the mobile screen closer to my face, staring my brother down.
“Ali, there isn’t. The man doesn’t have any social media accounts. He’s got a mobile number and an email in his personal record. That’s it.” I open my mouth, but Eddie quickly adds, “And no, I’m not giving you his personal mobile number.”
Frustrated, I toss my phone onto the bed. “I’m so sick of all this. At this point, I might as well drive over to his flat.”
“How do you know where he lives?” I hear Eddie shout.
“He invited me over for a date.”
“You know what, I’m sorry I even asked that.”
A light bulb hits me. What’s stopping me from going over? Nothing. So why don’t I? All I’d have to do is slip away from Angela. I’d feel incredibly guilty about it, but it wouldn’t be all that difficult. I’d just need us to be in a place where I blend in with a crowd and could sneak away. Maybe I could use something like visiting Jenna as an excuse. I could catch the Tube from Covent Garden to Battersea.
“Alice? Are you still there?” Eddie asks. “Alice? Oh, bugger off, you’re ghosting me. You try and do something nice, and this is the thanks you get.” He raises his voice. “Alice, if you can hear me, I’m sorryit’s not what you wanted. I’ll see if I can come up with something better, but for now this is the best I can do. Ring me later if you want to talk.”
He disconnects the call.
“I’m sorry, Eddie, but good enough is not going to cut it,” I mutter. “I guess the old saying is true. If you want something done, it’s best to do it yourself.”
Twenty-Six
“You’re sure you’re okay helping me?”
Jenna rolls her eyes at me. “For the millionth time, yes. I don’t mind getting into a bit of trouble if it’s for a good cause.”
“Thank you a billion times over.” I hug her petite frame tightly. “Here’s the note to Angela.”
“Got it. I’ll give it to her in an hour or whenever she realizes you’re not here. Whichever one comes first. That should give you enough of a head start. Do you know how you’re getting to Battersea from here?”
I’ve studied the Tube map so often, I picture it in my head when I sleep. “I take the Piccadilly Line to Leicester Square and change to the Northern Line for Waterloo Station. Then I catch the South Western Railway to Queenstown Road. Art’s flat is a two-minute walk from the station.”
“That’s an awful lot of changes.” Jenna sounds worried. “Maybe you should take a cab or rideshare instead.”
“Don’t you think the Tube will be faster?”
“No, especially since you’ve never ridden it before.” She shakes her head. “Taking a cab will be about the same amount of time. Not to mention there’s less of a chance of you being recognized.”
I tap my head, feeling the stringy, stiff ends of the wig I’ve borrowed from Jenna. I’ve gone from a blond with shoulder-length hair to jet-black hair that falls to my hips. I’ve also exchanged the dress I arrived in for a pair of jeans, a black-and-white striped T-shirt, and gray trainers. “I guess you’re right.”
“So you’ll take the cab, then?”
