Amy nods. “At least then I can feel like I’m doing something.”
“She’s right, Stevie,” says Rosie.
“It’s just Steve,” says Steve.
“You suit Stevie,” says Rosie.
“What I suit is staying in Hampshire,” says Steve.
“But you love Amy, so here we are,” says Rosie. “Relax into it. Do you smoke marijuana?”
“Take a guess,” says Amy.
“Where I should really be is Letchworth Garden City,” says Steve, finding one of his files. “Andrew Fairbanks was hired by the Vivid Viral Agency, address Letchworth Garden City. Not the natural home for a hip media company.”
“I like that you say hip,” says Rosie. “Takes me back.”
“He was advertising Krusher Energy Drink,” continues Steve. “A company also registered at that same address in Letchworth Garden City.”
“Companies have offices everywhere,” says Amy. “Rosie’s right: we have to go to St. Lucia. I’ll pack for you.”
Steve’s phone rings. The display says Carlos Airship.
“Excuse me a second.” He takes the call. “Carlos?”
“You told me to tell you if anyone was asking after Ms. D’Antonio?”
“Uh huh?” Steve looks over at Rosie and whispers, “Just a friend I met at the airport.”
“I got a guy in a cell right now asking questions about her…”
“What sort of guy?”
“English. Named Eddie Flood. Looks like a boxer who gets beaten up a lot. He has the address of a gas station in his bag, and it’s the kind of gas station where you can buy more than just gas. I can keep him here for maybe two more hours before I get fired.”
“Carlos, you’re a hero,” says Steve. “You’re wrong about Van Halen, but you’re a hero.”
“Back atcha, brother,” says Carlos. “Talk soon.”
Rosie and Amy are both looking at him.
“Okay,” says Steve to Rosie and Amy. “A development. It looks like a new guy is on his way here to kill Amy.”
“St. Lucia, then,” says Amy.
“If he’s followed us here, he can follow us to St. Lucia,” says Steve.
“Your hot dad is right,” says Rosie. “They’ll be tracking my plane.”
Barb arrives with the drinks. As she places the tray on the table, she looks at the photos Rosie took of Justin Scroggie’s dead body. She raises an eyebrow to Rosie, and Rosie raises a finger to her lips. Barb does the same in return.
Steve is thinking. Rosie and Amy are right; he knows it. They should go to St. Lucia. That’s how you investigate stuff. Perhaps he can get somebody else to take a look at Letchworth Garden City? But how to shake Eddie off their tail? Carlos can’t hold him back forever.
But there is a way, though. He messages Carlos.
Might have a little job for you.
“I have a plan,” he announces to Amy and Rosie.
“If it involves Letchworth Garden City, we’ve heard it,” says Amy.
Steve shakes his head and takes a sip of his rosehip-and-kale tea. What is it now? Saturday? Hopefully they can wrap this all up before the quiz night next Wednesday.
“Where’s your pilot?” Steve asks Rosie.
“Hilton Head,” says Rosie. “She does a few tourist trips for the locals while she waits for me to call.”
“Can you get her to the airport?”
“Sure,” says Rosie. “She might take a while to sober up. Where’s she flying? St. Lucia or Letchworth?”
“Neither,” says Steve.
38
Carlos could not be more apologetic. Eddie has to hand it to the guy.
“Bureaucracy, man,” says Carlos. “I’m sorry. When the computer beeps, it beeps.”
