Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
"Neil."
"Did you call the Oakland PD?" Neil asked.
"I don't have their number anymore," Wymack said. "I asked the locals to call them. I'll try to get in touch with Officer Higgins today to see if he's heard anything. Now stop stalling and go back to bed."
"I'm fine."
It was out before he could stop it. Wymack didn't have to say anything. The look on his face said enough. Neil fixed his stare on the coffeepot and tried not to fidget. Wymack turned away after what felt like a century and poured what little had brewed into his mug. He plucked it off the counter and started for the doorway. Neil stepped back into the hallway so Wymack could pass, but Wymack stopped in front of him.
"Neil," Wymack said, "between you and me, I don't think you've ever been fine."
Neil didn't have an answer for that, but he didn't need one. Wymack continued his routine by stepping out into the frigid morning for a walk. Neil watched the front door close behind him, then went back to the couch to wait. The longer he sat there, the more his thoughts started to fuzz at the edges as tiredness crept back in. Finally Neil sank onto his side once more and dozed off. He woke up briefly when Wymack returned but slipped under for a couple more hours' rest.
The next time Neil woke, it was to heavy footsteps on the stairs and Andrew's cheery voice. Neil missed the first half of the conversation, but he gathered from the rest that Andrew was explaining the dire breakfast situation in the house. They hadn't expected to stay in Columbia overnight, so the only groceries they had were the milk and cocoa powder Betsy supplied.
Neil rolled off the couch and went to the doorway. Andrew looked as wired and ready for the day as always. He was dressed in a heavy black turtleneck Neil didn't recognize, presumably a shirt he hadn't packed when he moved to the campus dormitory. The sleeves were too long on him, hanging almost to his knuckles, and easily hid his scarred arms. He couldn't hide the multicolored mess Drake made of his face, though. Drake hadn't won that fight easily.
Neil wasn't the only one who stirred at the noise Andrew was making. The others were drawn like moths to a poisonous flame. The twins' rooms were upstairs on opposite ends of the hall. Nicky's bedroom was downstairs past the stairwell, the room Neil had woken up in his first night in Columbia. That door was open now, and Nicky and Kevin stood in the doorway with Betsy behind them. Betsy didn't look rested, but she at least looked calm. Nicky and Kevin looked like the night had beat them up and left them for dead.
Abby was trying for a brave face as she followed Andrew downstairs, but Neil saw the strain in her smile. Andrew chattered on like he didn't notice. Neil knew he did; Andrew's drugs made him manic, not stupid. Andrew was enjoying making Abby squirm. Andrew lost his train of thought when he spotted Neil in the doorway, though, and he stopped at the base of the stairs to point.
"Oh, Neil is back. We thought perhaps you got lost."
"I'm never lost," Neil said.
"And never found," Andrew added with a sage nod. "All for the best, I'm sure. But good timing either way. This solves all our problems. Right, Bee?" Andrew looked over his shoulder down the hall and waggled a hand at her in come-hither. She gently eased Kevin and Nicky aside to get through. Andrew grinned at her approach and pointed at Neil again. "He knows where we left the car, and you know where the store is. Try to pick him up some clothes on the way back, would you? He's going to start smelling if we leave him too long."
"Did you want anything in particular for breakfast?" Betsy asked.
"No special requests," Andrew said. "You can ask the ghosts back there, but I don't think they have much of an opinion today. Maybe you're losing your touch, Bee. Oh, but here. Neil is going to need this."
Andrew patted at his pockets, searching, and found what he was looking for on the third try. Neil only saw a flash of it before Betsy took it. Betsy only made it a step in Neil's direction before Andrew snagged her shirt to stop her.
"Exites," Andrew said. "Kevin has the card."
Betsy went back down the hall to get the team's purchasing card from Kevin. Andrew clapped his hands at Neil to get his attention. "Don't forget my knives, okay? I'm going to want them. Goodbye."
Andrew tapped two fingers to his bruised temple in salute and headed into the kitchen. Betsy made it all the way to Neil's side before Neil realized he'd been volunteered to run errands with her. He started to protest, but the words stuck in his throat. Andrew's late-night accusation about Neil's hand in all this was still a fresh wound Neil wasn't ready to press. Neil sent a last look at Nicky and Kevin, then turned after Betsy and followed her into the cold.
Betsy had a GPS attached to her windshield where she could easily see the small screen. As soon as the device picked up the appropriate satellite she pressed a couple buttons and watched directions load. A somber British voice instructed her to head east. Betsy turned the volume down until it was barely audible and backed out of the driveway. Neil stared out the window and aimed to be invisible. The ruse didn't last long.
"David asked me to speak with you," Betsy said. "I know the setting isn't exactly conventional, but please know any conversation we have today will be accorded the same privacy and respect as a formal office visit."
"What is there to talk about?" Neil asked. "If I were you I'd be more concerned with Nicky. He came down here thinking he was going to fix his family, but now his entire family's fallen apart."