‘It doesn’t matter.’
‘Tell me.’
Peg rubbed his hands over his face and leant back against the table. ‘A few months ago – it would have been March – Ry was completely stuck. He had a ship and he had a plan to save you, but no fuel. You can’t just drive into a fuel depot and ask for a few tonnes of premium grade fuel without the right paperwork. We were all out of ideas. And then one night, we went to a party on the other side of Winnipesaukee. Me and Ry, Lyra, the twins.’
My stomach knotted at the thought of Ryan and Lyra going to a party together.
‘Lyra hooked up with Clarence. She’d been on a couple of dates with him before, but they weren’t together officially or anything. Anyway, they left the party before the rest of us.’
I tried to get it straight in my head. Lyra had been with Ryan for a year. Lyra dated Clarence five months ago. Ryan thought she liked Peg now.
‘So what happened that night?’
‘We left the party and drove home. There’s no expressway around the lake unless you make a massive detour. Halfway home we found Clarence’s car in a ditch. It had been raining heavily and the roads were slick. Lyra was injured, but he hadn’t called an ambulance or anything because he was drunk.’
‘Oh, God.’
‘Driving under the influence would have meant immediate expulsion from the Academy and the end of any ambitions he might have for a career at the Institute. He asked us if one of us would say we’d been driving. Ryan was the only one who hadn’t been drinking.’
‘So he agreed?’
‘Yeah. Ryan asked Clarence if he could get hold of five tonnes of premium grade fuel. He said he could. So Ryan took the blame. He was suspended from the Academy, but he didn’t care. He had the fuel he needed and a way back to you.’
‘And Lyra?’
Peg shrugged. ‘Her leg and pelvis were badly damaged. She had three operations, but she’ll always have a limp. She might have forgiven Clarence, but he never once called her to see how she was. Lyra was in hospital and Clarence was out drinking and partying with some other girl. Lyra had to let Clarence get away with it, because Ryan needed her to keep his secret so he could get back to you. So yeah – Clarence is right at the top of people I don’t like very much.’
I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled. ‘That explains a lot.’
‘I’m gonna make some more coffee. You want some?’
Five minutes later, we were sitting together on one of the couches, each with a cup of coffee.
‘You ready to hear my plan?’ I asked, rubbing my eyes.
‘Shoot.’
‘I’m going to call Clarence and ask if I can come over tomorrow night and watch a movie with him.’
‘I already don’t like this. I don’t trust him. I’m not saying he would be violent or anything, but he’s . . .’
‘Hear me out. I’m going to get him really drunk. And then I’m going to suggest we go outside and sit by the lake or something. You’ll be waiting down by the lake.’
‘How am I going to get through the security entrance? They count people in and out. By six o’clock the Institute is closed to visitors.’
‘Do you still have Antoine’s map?’
‘Yeah.’ He jumped up and snatched the map from the dining room table.
I opened it, resting it half on Peg’s lap and half on my own. ‘The lake at the back of the Institute is called Stillwater Lake. It looks quite small from the back lawn of the Institute, but once you get beyond the cove it opens up.’
‘How do you know this?’
‘Clarence took me for a romantic boat ride under the stars.’
‘What a creep.’
‘He also told me that he learnt to scuba-dive in that lake.’
A smile crept on to Peg’s face. ‘I think I know where this is going.’
‘If you came across the lake in a boat, you’d be seen. But if you scuba-dive from the far side of the lake, you can emerge in the forest this side of the fence.’
‘Genius.’
‘I need to get Clarence so drunk he passes out.’
‘He’s a big guy,’ said Peg. ‘That will take a lot of alcohol. Let me talk to the twins. Their dad’s a pharmacist. They might be able to suggest something.’
I drained my coffee. ‘Then we dress you as Clarence and we both go back inside and up to Clarence’s apartment.’
‘Don’t they have security?’
‘No. Not really. Just a doorman. I mean, he’d probably challenge us if he thought we were visitors. But if he thinks you’re Clarence and I’m his friend . . .’
‘That’s a big “if”.’
‘I just walked in tonight. Clarence waved at the doorman and he let us in. It was easy.’
‘Then what?’
‘I found a way to get from his apartment to the cells.’
Peg swore. ‘You’re freakin’ kidding me?’
I shook my head. ‘These people can’t even help themselves to a glass of water without calling down to the kitchen. Can you believe that?’
‘Actually, I can.’
‘And everything comes up to the dining room in this dumb waiter.’
‘What the hell is a dumb waiter?’
‘It’s like a lift for food. And it’s quite big. I fit in it easily. It takes you down to the kitchen. From there you can access everywhere. We can get to Ryan’s cell. Free him and then escape through either the service entrance or Clarence’s apartment.’
‘This is brilliant,’ said Peg, grinning. ‘You’ve figured most of it out. The only thing is getting him out of the cell.’
‘I’ve seen where they keep him. I was standing outside his cell tonight.’ I decided not to mention that the guard had his gun trained on my heart.
‘How did you manage to do all this?’
‘Good luck. There’s just one guard outside the cell. And he has the key to the cell on his belt. He’s armed – of course – but surely the two of us can overpower one of him.’ I tried to hide the tremor in my voice. ‘Especially if we play two silly, drunk kids who got lost.’
Peg chucked the map on the floor and reached over to hug me. ‘I think we have a plan.’
Chapter 19
‘Clarence, I’m going to turn in now,’ said Mrs Wolfe. ‘We have an early start in the morning. Don’t be too late. I want us to be on the road by nine.’
‘Don’t worry. I’ll be in bed soon.’
‘Is Eden staying over? I can have Anna make up the spare room.’
‘Oh no,’ I said. ‘I’ll be heading back home in a few minutes.’
‘OK, sweetheart. But if you change your mind, Clary will call Anna and have her make up a bed for you. You’re always welcome here.’
‘Thank you.’
Clarence waited till his mother left the room. ‘She means well. Don’t judge her too harshly.’
‘She’s lovely, Clarence.’
He smirked. ‘She got extra helpings when God gave out enthusiasm.’
‘I like her.’
Clarence put a hand on my arm. ‘You know, I could arrange for you to have your own apartment in the city. I don’t like you living with Pegasus Ryder in that run-down market area. It’s not safe.’
‘It’s fine for now. In any case, he’s my legal guardian; I don’t have a choice.’
‘I can be your legal guardian. Or one of my female friends. I don’t like my girlfriend living with another man.’
‘Am I your girlfriend now?’
‘You’re here, aren’t you?’
I stood up. ‘What time will your dad be home?’
Clarence shrugged. ‘Don’t worry about him. He seems fierce, but he’s a pussycat really. Anyway, he’s not coming home tonight. He had to head south to New Marseilles for work. He’ll spend the night there. My mother and I have to join him tomorrow to help him with his campaign.’
‘What campaign?’