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“Fine,” I said, tucking the library book under my arm. “But I’m taking this book.” Conrad nodded his head, grabbing my arm again.
“Take whatever yuh want, just try tuh keep up.”
Then we were running.
9
We tore out of the library and spilled onto the street. I hadn’t been given a chance to check out the book, and now the alarms were ringing behind us. Conrad quickly scanned our surroundings; I assumed for potential threats, whatever those might be. We took off down the street to the paid parking lot that was tucked behind the library, Conrad pulling car keys out of his pocket as we ran.
We arrived at a dilapidated AMC Hornet hatchback, the red paint rusting around the wheel beds. Conrad put his hand on the back of my head and ushered me into the passenger seat, covering me from behind like some sort of celebrity bodyguard. I watched as he jogged around to the driver’s seat and got in, slamming his keys into the ignition before ramming the car into gear.
We peeled out of the parking lot and onto the street. He waved his hand in the direction of the red light ahead and to my complete amazement, it turned green. This pattern continued as we sped down College. Cars seemed to naturally change lanes as we came up behind them, somehow finding space in between other cars that were already crushed in the early afternoon traffic.
“How are you doing that?” I asked in awe, as Conrad forced another light to turn green for us. Now that we were speeding west down College Avenue, some of the panic had left him, and he gave me a quick grin that was the ghost of his usual lopsided smile.
“Doin’ wha’?” He asked mischievously. I glared at him.
“Don’t play dumb. I’m not stupid, I know you’re turning the lights green.” He laughed softly at that, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Mi guess di cover pull off di bottle.” He said, his smile faltering. “Mi was hoping mi have more time tuh wean yuh into all of this.”
“Into all of what?” I was getting really sick of all my questions being evaded. “Conrad, my life has never been super average or anything, but this day has been out of control. If you don’t start explaining things I’m going to snap.” I sent a dark glance in his direction, and the beast in my chest twitched. “And trust me, you do not want that to happen.” He sighed in response.
“Mi know. Der’s just so much to explain it’s difficult to know where tuh begin.” He admitted as we sped past Bathurst.
“How about telling me who Patricia is?” I prodded. He gave me a curt nod, still keeping his focus on the street ahead of us.
“Patricia is mi grandmother.” Well, that was definitely not the answer I had been expecting. So that man from the library hadn’t been making it up. They must be some sort of old family acquaintances. He had said friend , but Conrad’s obvious hatred of the dark stranger made me feel like ‘friend’ might be a bit of a stretch.
“The one that you’re here on behalf of for…business?” I asked. He nodded again. “What sort of business?”
“Mi grandmother is on Di Board.” He answered, as if that explained everything. “She is very…respected, but she’s getting old. Old enough dat travelling is now difficult. Mi meant tuh take har seat, so mi sent in her place.”
“Sent to do what? What is The Board?” The way he said it made me feel like it should be capitalized. He paused before answering, and I saw his throat bob as he swallowed, hard.
“Sent to find yuh.” He said finally. I felt the blood drain from my face.
“W-what?” I stammered. “Why?” I managed to get out. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, putting more pressure on the gas as we shot through Ossington Avenue.
“Di Board has been looking for yuh for a very long time. Where mi taking yuh now, mi sister’s house…her father is on Di Board too. He has had suspicions for some time dat yuh were di one wi were looking for and sent word to mi grandmother in Jamaica.” With each question he answered I suddenly had about twenty more. His sister’s father? Wouldn’t that be his father too?
“Why were they - you,” I corrected myself “looking for me?” My voice was quiet now. It seemed stupid with all that was going on, but it occurred to me, he hadn’t sat next to me the other day because he had wanted to be my friend.
He had sat next to me because I was his assignment. A chore. A job to do. Conrad frowned at me, looking in my direction as quickly as he could before he had to return his attention to the road.
“Mi still want to be yuh friend Raven.” He said, answering my unspoken thoughts. My head snapped in his direction.
“How do you keep doing that? He did that too. It’s like you can read my mind.” The corner of his mouth tilted up.
“Mi an Obeah Man. Mi can hear and see what goes through yuh mind most of the time.” I don’t know why, after everything that had happened to me in the last few hours, it was this that made me suddenly feel nauseous.
“What is an Obeah Man?” I asked, my voice shaking. He had said it like it was obvious what it meant. “Was that other man…the one in the library, was he an Obeah Man too?” Conrad’s face darkened.
“Nuh. Prince Amon is not an Obeah Man.” Ah. A name to put to that beautiful face. Conrad glanced at me again as we flew through the Dovercourt intersection. How far west were we going?
“Wi turnin’ on Dufferin.” He said, again, answering my thoughts. I scowled.
“Stop doing that.” I snapped and he gave me a tight smile.
