Fateful Hindrance

21. Let's Just Pretend For A While

Chapter 21

Let’s Just Pretend For A While

 

 

It was raining when the jet landed in London.  Drops of water had been splashing against the window I’d been looking out for two hours, matching the mood I was in.  No one bothered me, except for Ryan when he’d tried to talk to me right after we’d taken off, but I didn’t even answer.  He got the hint that I wasn’t in the mood for chatting. 

Over the past few days, everyone had gotten used to me not wanting to talk.  Sure, I’d say a few things here and there when the conversation got to me, but my mind was somewhere else entirely. 

Vince Peters.  I knew I’d heard the name somewhere when John had told me.  I had to do some research on the guy, but the stories came back to me when I saw his picture and read the news articles about him. 

He’d been the object of an international manhunt almost nine years before.  Wanted for kidnapping, conspiracy, and attempted murder, he’d been captured in Egypt and sent back to the U.S. in handcuffs, surrounded by dozens of FBI agents with guns.  His trial was broadcast all over the news and the jury had come to a verdict after not even an hour of deliberation once the three week trial had come to a close.  The man had been in prison ever since on a sentence of thirty years. 

But just because he was in prison didn’t mean he didn’t have any contact with the outside world.  My guessing was he still had say in the Order’s business, even when locked up.  John had said he had the prison system in the palm of his hand.  Just seeing his picture made me think he was a manipulative man with that smug smirk of his, even when the judge had said he’d pretty much be spending pretty much the rest of his life behind bars. 

Who’s to say he wouldn’t find some way to get out before his time was up? 

“Come on, Em,” Ryan’s voice called, breaking me out of my reverie.  “Let’s get to the hotel before we have to leave for the meeting.”

“I hate when they have these meetings at night…” Jude started as he walked out the door and down the steps, his voice carrying. 

Gathering up my things, I followed behind them, only to stop at the top of the stairs beside Ryan to look out at the cloud-covered London skyline.  I could feel his eyes on me before opening the umbrella in his hands, shielding us both from the rain. 

“We’re going to the hotel for about an hour before head out again,” he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.  “Then we’re off…”

“I’m going to have to talk to you,” I told him quietly, looking up at him.  “When we get to the hotel…privately.”

He raised an eyebrow.  “Is this about what you and John talked about a few days ago when he called last?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Then I already know about it.”

This time, it was me who raised an eyebrow when I looked up at him.  “How do you know?”

He shrugged as we slowly started descending down the stairs.  “John called me after you hung up with him the other night.  When you came back in your room, you looked upset, but I knew you wouldn’t tell me anything if you didn’t want to…or couldn’t.  So I was going to call John, threaten an answer out of him, but he beat me to it.  He told me what was going on…why you were acting the way you were.  And what he told you, Em…he’s absolutely right.  We won’t let anything happen to you.”