Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 82767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Major Clover House drama – WTF?
Call me ASAP
Girl, pick up your phone
Some serious shit going down
Dark Lord conquered!!!
The last message caught my attention, and I called her. I didn’t even have to speak.
“Who are you, Effie?” she sounded flat.
My heart sank. “What?”
“Who the fuck are you?” she repeated.
“Taylor…” I pleaded, my mind racing as I tried to work out how she had found me out.
“Couldn’t you have told me?” she asked, and I detected proper sadness in her voice.
“I couldn’t,” I said. “But I wanted to!”
“Well, the game is up.”
“How did you find out?” I asked.
“What do you mean? You don’t know? Hold up, why did you call me?”
“I got your messages…”
“So, you don’t know what’s happened?” she asked, incredulous.
“No, I have no idea what’s going on, or how you know about… about me.”
“The police were waiting for Keegan when he got to the office. Sean has had meetings with all kinds of suits since you two were gone, and today, the shit hit the fan. They took Keegan away. That’s when I messaged you; I didn’t know then that you were in on it. He let us all go early… I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”
“Can I see you? Please, I want to explain properly.”
She hesitated, and then reluctantly agreed. “Okay, sure.”
We met at Antoinette’s café, and she told me again what had happened, and how Sean had told Frank that I wouldn’t be back in, that I was part of this and he couldn’t explain because he didn’t want to prejudice any legal proceedings. I was quick to tell her the whole truth. I wished I had done it weeks ago.
“One question,” she said, after I had shared the whole sorry story.
“Anything. I will tell you whatever you want to know,” I nodded.
“Okay then, two. First up, all of this…” she gestured at my hair and clothes, the baggy harem pants and vest top combo that I had planned to lie around the apartment in, and the messy bun on top on my head, wrapped with an old head scarf. “Is this you – the real you – or is the real you those goddamn pantsuits?”
“This is me, the real slobbish me,” I smiled, allowing myself to assume that she was going to forgive me. “The pantsuits, and the hair, were my sister’s invention. Second question?”
“Phew,” she feigned relief. “Okay, question two. This guy who you’re fucking, is it Keegan, or did you meet some other Irish hunk?”
“Taylor!” I shushed her, looking around to see who might have heard. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, I might not know the real you, but I know you well enough to know that something happened, and I need to know if you are fucking the Dark Lord. Because, you know, if you are, then this whole situation just got a lot more complicated.”
I looked at her in shock, hovering between bursting into laughter and bursting into tears, and said nothing. My silence was enough.
“Sleeping with the enemy.” She shook her head. “And the others said you were boring. But I say more power to you, Effie. Hold on, is Effie your real name?” she asked with one eyebrow raised.
“My real name is Freya Hamilton. Effie was my family’s nickname for me when I was little. So, I was Effie, and Hancock is my mother’s maiden name,” I said, sniffing. “And I’m not convinced Keegan is the enemy!”
“Ah babe, you weren’t cut out for the spy life, were you?” she smiled, taking my hand in hers.
“No!” I said, real tears filling my eyes as I smiled back at her. “And I have fucked up so bad. What if he thinks I did this?”
She had no answers for me, but she somehow managed to reassure me that if I were sure Keegan had done nothing wrong then he would be free, and I would have my chance to explain. She urged me to take time to think it all through, not to do anything hasty. I left feeling better, and as she disappeared in a colorful blur of blowing kisses and waving, I was so grateful for her friendship, and told myself that if nothing else good came of this whole situation, at least I had found Taylor.
My phone rang as I headed toward home, and I decided I couldn’t avoid my sister forever. Beatrix knew nothing about any of this and was simply wanting to hear about my trip.
“Arrested?” she squealed. “What do you mean arrested?”
“You know, arrested, by the police?” I said testily.
“How? How did you do this?” she asked, excitedly. “And why aren’t you happy?”
“I didn’t do this,” I said. “It had nothing to do with me. I’m as surprised as anyone else – I thought he was innocent. I still think he is innocent.”
“This doesn’t make any sense, Freya!”