The RunAway Model

XXXIV. The Old and the New

"You can't rush into this," Theo told her. His phone kept ringing but he ignored it.

"Aren't you going to go to the meeting?" she asked, her eyes on his phone. "I don't think I want to go to the auction after all so I'll just stay here."

"That's exactly what we are going to do. We stay here and plan this through."

"Theo, you don't have to miss the meeting—"

"And leave you here to think the most ridiculous plans?" he retorted.

"The underground must know about Khaye's appearance by now and you have to be there to—"

"They are not going to touch her. She has gone public and I bet everything I have that it's what they have planned this. Having people's eyes on her will keep her alive."

"I know that. But do they know that you guys also have people—"

"That's why we need to plan this one out perfectly. My father will have people looking and watching. Not just Khaye but also anyone who might attempt to approach her. They don't care who killed Jamaica. What they care about is how much Khaye knows about the underground."

"We have to warn her—"

"There's no cause for concern right now. She's having the best protection right now."

"But what if it fades? Surely the press will turn to the next big story out there and she will be left unguarded. She needs to—"

"As I said, we'll plan this right," he firmly said. "If she has valuable information that will help us catch Jamaica's killer, she won't give it right away. Remember, you went missing. And she is likely to think of you as a suspect just like everyone else. She may know the killer, she may not."

Desiree took a shuddering breath. "Okay. Okay. We'll do this the right way."

"Patience, Des."

She shot him a look. "I am being patient."

"You want run out the door and find Khaye right now."

"Fine. I'll be patient."

He nodded and picked up his phone. "I'll call Richard. We'll need to make sure he doesn't go to her before you do."

*****

"Are you okay?" Marco asked her. They were driving back to the city, leaving behind the traces of any life she spent in the small town for four months. Everything she managed to collect was left behind. She sent her friend a message that she was going home. And she was. And she wasn't sure what was waiting for her there.

"I've been worse," she answered his question.

"It's going to be alright, Khaye. You're still alive, aren't you?"

She just nodded.

"Where do you want to go home to?"

Her first instinct was to say she wanted to go where he was going home. But that would only mean they were in the same situation like four months ago.

If she was going to do this, she would do this right.

"My father's home has been unoccupied for years. I can go back there. I still have some stuff left at the old place."

"I'll stay with you tonight."

She shook her head. "No. I want to be alone tonight, Marco." She said it rather too sharply. "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow," she added with a small smile.