Now, he just had to put the last remaining puzzle piece in place and they would be gone. It was simple, really.
Grant walked up to Ethan, his hands in his pockets.
“Hank met me at the sports bar. His flight to the mainland departs in twenty minutes. He told them he was going back for the flight log or something like that,” Grant said. His face was puffy and he seemed distant and aloof. Ethan wanted to tell him that he needed him alert, but it was no use—his brain was with Lucy and nothing he could say would stop that.
“Shit,” Ethan said. “She better be on time.” He looked up into the center of the tower and spotted the large clock slowly ticking away the minutes. A black second-hand spun quickly.
“Should I wait here, or...”
“Don’t loiter,” Ethan snapped. “Take ten minutes. Go to a shop. Then meet me in the atrium.”
“Is this going to work?”
“It’s a long shot...”
“Why the ruse?” Grant whispered. And Ethan looked upward to the cameras. If they escaped off Kymberlin with Teddy, it would be an amazing feat. But escaping so people wouldn’t follow them was the hard part. Hank was instrumental in that portion of Ethan’s plan, and the man, eager to start the search for his wife, agreed to anything. “Ten minutes,” Grant said and then left Ethan standing in the same spot, unmoving.
Ethan scanned the small crowd playing at an indoor park. The tip had come from Blair via Hank and like clockwork Allison appeared; dressed in a skirt and a plaid top, she held Teddy’s hand, gave his back a pat, and let him off to run free among the other kids.
Allison sat down on a bench and didn’t take her eyes off of him. Unlike some of the other moms and nannies, who read books or chatted with neighbors, Allison sat in docile silence, her eyes never wavered from following Teddy’s curly head around the play structure. If he disappeared behind a rail or a piece of equipment, she stood until she could see him. Ethan watched her watching Teddy and closed his eyes. This was his one chance. He didn’t have a backup plan.
With his eyes still closed he felt someone brush up against his arm. Then he felt a small kiss on his cheek.
He didn’t open his eyes.
“You slapped me,” he said.
“You deserved it,” she replied.
He turned to look at her. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Cass made a face and shrugged. “C’est la vie.” She slipped her hand into his and tugged him forward, he stumbled and stopped. “Come on, Ethan King. Follow me.”
“This is a bad time, Cassandra. Please...I’m begging you.”
“You owe me,” she said, her eyes stern. “You owe me this.”
He shook his head. “I can’t.”
“I have no other way to say goodbye to you except to help...so you will follow me.”
Ethan stopped and he tried to let go of her hand, but she wouldn’t let him. “Blair.”
“Don’t blame her. She is a troubled soul and I’m a persuasive woman.” Cass paused. “She said you love me. Is that true?”
Turning his head to the clock, he watched the seconds tick by. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty. “No,” he said. “It’s not true.”
Cass laughed and tilted her head back. People around them stopped and looked at her; some were compelled to smile themselves. She flashed him a bright smile and pulled him closer, he dragged his foot until he had to take a step. She was moving him toward the park.
“I don’t love you, too,” she replied.
“I don’t need your help.”
“You do,” she whispered. “And you’ll take it.”
She dropped his hand and spun away from him and walked straight into the park and up to Allison. The young nanny greeted Cass while looking around her and calling to Teddy to come close. Ethan’s heart began to pound. Five minutes. He stumbled forward and Allison took note of him walking forward and she rushed over to Teddy and leaned down and whispered something in his ear. Teddy frowned.
“I don’t want to leave,” Ethan heard him pout. Then Teddy looked up and saw Ethan and waved. “Uncle Ethan!” The child rushed forward, but Allison tugged him backward and held on to his shirt to keep him in place.
“We were just leaving,” Allison said.
“We just got here,” Teddy contradicted. A few of the other parents were watching the scene unfold.
“It’s simple,” Cass said. “I’m a divination expert and Blair has paid for me to read the tarot for you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Allison said and she began to walk away.
Cass stepped in front of her. “It will take five minutes. She insisted.”
“Some other time.”
“Sit down,” Cass said and she put her hand on Allison’s shoulder. Allison looked at Ethan, still standing ten feet away, and then to Teddy who was about to burst into tears. Mumbling under her breath, she sat down at a different park bench and motioned for Cass to get on with it.
Cass pulled out her cards and displayed them in a line. Teddy wiggled on her lap. Ethan watched as Cass explained the cards and then announced, “That’s it. Painless.”
“Painless,” Allison repeated, annoyed. Cass piled the cards back up and slipped them into her pocket. Then she reached out and tapped Allison on the shoulder, and bowed her head.
“I’m sorry...I am...but I have a confession.” Cass signaled for Allison to come closer and Ethan watched as Cass brought a needle up and jabbed it quickly into the nanny’s shoulder. Allison’s response was quick—she buckled to the floor and Cass caught her, lowering her head to the ground. It happened seamlessly, as if the Haitian queen of all things amazing had also been gifted with the art of subterfuge.
Teddy hovered over his guardian, but Cass swept him away.
“Quick! This woman fainted! I need a guard and a medic!” Cass yelled. One of the mothers from the playground came trotting over and she leaned across Allison’s body.
“What happened?”
The other mothers and fathers began to congregate: little busybodies more curious than concerned.
“I read her tarot, told her the future, and she just...” Cass closed her eyes and swayed. “I’ll be right back. Keep her warm!” Cass slipped Teddy’s hand into hers and raced him over to Ethan.
“It can’t be that easy,” Ethan said as he scooped Teddy into his arms.
“I’m glad I made that look easy, darling,” she winked.
Ethan looked at Allison and the gathering crowd. “Is she—?”
“Just a little sleeping tonic. She’ll be right as rain in a bit. Go.” She gave his arm a squeeze. “Go. Now. You’re running out of time. Go. Be safe. Be brave. Be amazing.”
He hesitated and then leaned down and kissed Cass’s cheek. She smiled.
“See...I knew you didn’t love me,” she whispered. Then she turned back to the people fussing over Allison and slipped back in among the fray.
Ethan made it to the elevator. He made it to the atrium. He booked it as fast as he could across he large open expanse, darting past the concierge who called, “Good afternoon, Mr. King. Is there anything I can help—” before realizing that perhaps things were not as they should be.
“Wait!” the young woman yelled. “Mr. King, you’re not supposed to go up there without proper authorization!” she called as he reached the final elevator—the one that would carry him to his escape. Using Cass’s master key, he unlocked the elevator override box, pushed the button, and the elevator sped down to him. From the sky bridges he could see the guards running, their weapons drawn. The elevator leading from the North Tower dinged and Grant exited, looking confused. He saw Ethan, Teddy, and then he saw the guards. Racing forward he made it to the elevator to the helipad right as the doors opened, and the boys darted inside.