Chapter Twenty-Five
Fox
Bibi and Reggie were finallyboth asleep. I walked back down to the kitchen and surveyed the mess. I knew I needed to be stricter with Bibi. The rule of “put one toy back before you take out another” was consistently ignored. I moved a few things to a corner. I’d tidy up properly once I’d had something to drink. I poured a green juice into a whiskey glass, added lots of ice, and tried to pretend it was something stronger.
I knew everything Haze had said was right. I’d been letting her down. I needed to get out of my funk and be the man I knew I could be. We both agreed I needed to get back to my normal self, we just disagreed on the methods to get there. She had been consistently scathing about my attempts to heal myself. “ ‘Self-help’ sounds like a new age way to describe wanking.”
I cleared a space on the sofa and sank into it just as my phone rang. Jenny was calling me.
I answered with, “I’m not with Haze.” Normally when Jenny rang me, it was because Haze had managed to forget her phone was on silent or had left it in another room.
“Where is she? I’ve got a potentially really big—”
“At a school mums thing.”
Jenny stopped talking. “What? Really?”
“What’s the big news?”
“Joe Jones has just checked in to an Airbnb that’s nine miles from you. If he’s The Chameleon, he’s bedding in pretty close by.”
I tried to take this in. The Chameleon. In our neighborhood. I cleared my throat. “So, are we going to go check it out?”
“I’m at work. I won’t be out of here for another few hours. You need to go.”
“I can’t leave the kids.”
“My dad can be over in ten minutes. They’re already asleep, aren’t they?”
“They just went down.” Haze. I needed Haze. “I’ll pick up—”
“No! If she’s finally making an effort at school, you need to let her.” Jenny’s voice went muffled as she spoke to someone with her.
“I’ve got to go. Call me if you need help. I mean, hah. As if you would. Just don’t go too crazy. We need answers, remember. And deniability for how he ends up.”
Jenny clicked off.
I stared at my phone.
This could be it.
I could actually come face-to-face with The Chameleon. The man who’d arranged my would-be assassination. I should be rising to the challenge. Excited. Invigorated. Ready to enact unholy revenge. So why did I just feel sick? I went to the kitchen sink and splashed my face with water. Too much green juice. That was all.
I put together a few items in a small bag.
Don’t choke.
I had been standing staring at myself in the hallway mirror for I’m not sure how long when the doorbell rang.
I opened the door to Jenny’s father, Frank. He was a large man. A retired police detective and Jenny’s idol. I’d met Frank a few times now. He seemed a very nice man. I watched the way he was, the way he spoke to Jenny, with a deep fascination. No acidic barbs. No not-so-subtle digs. Just warmth and love. It was pretty amazing to watch.
“Thanks so much for this, Frank.” I welcomed him in as I picked up my bag. “Help yourself to anything in the fridge. TV ison, so watch whatever you want. Call me if you have any problems, but hopefully the kids will stay asleep. You’re very kind for stepping in. Urgent work thing. Client landing from Heathrow. Only time to see him…” I trailed off. I wasn’t sure what Jenny had told him.
“It’s no bother. There’s actually something I’ve been wanting to say to you for a while. Man to man.”
“Oh?”
“Jenny’s never fully explained what part you and Haze played in helping her get her life together. But I want you to know, Sandy and I are very grateful. Everything that happened with Bill was terrible, and it could’ve totally knocked her, but you two have really been there for her.”
