“Where is she?” Garret asked.
“Heading down the street, completely unconcerned.”
“Can you see her now?” Astra asked.
“The video’s old,” Kano said, “as in a few minutes ago. I’m not seeing her in real time, but probably a ten-minute delay.”
“Ten minutes is not very much,” she muttered.
“No, it’s not,” Kano said. “Now it looks like she’s stopped and is flagging down a vehicle. Unfortunately it looks like she knows whoever it is because she just waved and got in.”
“Shit,” Astra said, sinking back. What was her sister up to? She knew better than to get into a vehicle with a stranger. But the alternative scared the crap out of Astra.
“Okay, Astra, listen to me carefully,” Garret said. “So I know she’s your sister, and I know you love her, but … do you trust her?”
She was in a daze, when she turned to look at Garret. “I guess you’re asking if she could be a part of this. I would never have thought so before, but I don’t know how to explain her actions.”
“Neither do I, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an explanation,” he said.
“I figured you’d be the first one to believe the worst of her.”
“Maybe,” he said, “but I’m not sure that applies in this case. She’s young and irresponsible, and she really wants him out of the industry. What lengths would she go to, to make it so that he wanted out as well?”
She stared at him. “Please tell me that you don’t think she staged the whole kidnapping, just to teach him a lesson?”
“I don’t know what to think,” he said. “And it has us completely sidetracked from something pretty important.”
“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “You’re right. It has, hasn’t it?”
“Yes. So I dearly hope it’s not all in vain.”
“I would hope not,” Charles said. “I know I keep bringing this up, but pregnant women—”
“It had damn well better not be because of that,” she murmured in a hard voice. “That gets old very quickly.”
“Yes,” Charles said, “for all of us.”
*
Garret didn’t know what to tell Astra; he had no real way to reassure her because this was a really worrisome addition to their situation. “It’s also possible,” he said, “that Amy might have just called an old friend and decided to spend the evening out.”
“Yeah, she would do that too,” Astra muttered, staring out the window. “She doesn’t really see much around her, other than herself.”
“And she also knows that evenings out are a diminishing resource for her, and something she won’t maintain since she is pregnant,” he said quietly. “At some point, she’ll need to stay home with a baby.”
“Yeah, I don’t think anybody bothered to tell her that,” she muttered.
“But she wants the baby, correct?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “Definitely.”
“So then we have to trust that she won’t do anything that’ll put the baby at risk.”
She nodded. “And again, I hear you. I just don’t like this new development.” At that, she realized that the vehicle was still going strong. She leaned forward and asked, “Do we have any idea where this guy is going?”
“No, not really,” Charles said. “I mean, he’s heading back toward the center of London. That can mean all kinds of things.”
“And how do you avoid having him see you?”
“That’s a good question,” he said. “So far, he’s not showing any signs of suspecting somebody’s on him. But then again,” he added, with a bright smile, “he’s not really paying attention. He’s on the phone.”
“Well, that’s good. Any distraction for him is good for us,” Garret said.
She agreed. “What if I call my sister?” she asked.
“Go for it,” Garret said. “Play dumb, and see if she tells you where she is.”
Realizing it would probably be another test of some sort, she sank back and called her sister, putting it on Speakerphone. Garret couldn’t hear all of the conversation, but he heard enough.
“I couldn’t stay in the house,” she said. “I’m bored to tears. You guys left me alone to go on some stupid wild goose chase. Why should I have to sit there all by myself?”
“Well, you were supposed to be resting,” Astra said.
“All I’ve done is rest,” she said resentfully. “It’s my life that’s all mixed up here, you know?”
“Absolutely. So who did you call to spend time with for the evening then?”
“What makes you think I called anybody?”
“I can’t imagine you going out alone. Not being pregnant.”
“You keep harping on me being pregnant,” she said. “Why is that any different now?”
“Because I was thinking you would never put your baby in danger,” she said, “or am I wrong?”
“Of course not,” she said, “but just going out for an evening. That can’t possibly hurt.”
“Which is why I’m pretty sure you’re not alone,” she said. “So do you mind telling me who you’re with?”
“An old friend,” she said cagily.
“What kind of an old friend?”
“Somebody Gregg used to work with,” she said.
Instantly the other men turned to look at her.
She said, “Then you won’t mind telling me his name.”
“I won’t tell you his name because you’re acting like I’ve done something wrong,” she said, her voice turning petulant.
“Oh, for crying out loud. I just want to know that you’re safe,” she said. “How is that so difficult to understand?”
At that, her sister sniffed. “I’m not at all sure,” she said, “that’s what this is all about. When are you coming back anyway?”
“Soon,” she said, with a shrug at Garret and Kano.
They just nodded.
“So you say,” Amy said. “that could mean anything. I won’t sit in the house by myself all evening.”
“Fine, so who are you with then?” In the background she heard a man telling Amy to shut off the phone.
“I’m not shutting off the phone,” she said. “It’s my sister.”
“Even better,” the man said. “Hang up the phone.”
“No, I already told you that I’m not hanging up. Just keep driving. I need a drink.”
“You’re not drinking with the baby, are you?” Astra asked.
“Oh, for God’s sake, give me a break,” she said. “Just because I want something to drink, doesn’t mean it can’t be coffee.”
“That’s true,” Astra said, with half a smile. She looked at the other two men, as if asking what to say. “So you’ll be at a pub then?”
“And again, there you are with the questions.”
“Well, so far you haven’t answered any, so you can’t blame a girl for trying,” she said. “And you’re going out of your way, trying to piss me off by evading the simplest questions, which is very suspicious.”