Joe smiled. “Just like me.” He leaned forward. “Don’t turn around. Don’t act surprised or shocked when I tell you something.”
Kaden’s heart did a little hop and skip in his chest. He put his sandwich down. “What?”
“We were followed from when we met Alistair and we’re still being followed by the same man and woman. That was why I got you to take my picture by the statue. Ididknow it was a statue but I needed you distracted while I checked I was right. I wish I’d thought to look for people following when we left after the interview. I assume they’re Alistair’s people, but they might not be.”
“Why would they follow us?”
“Possibly to make sure we’re not doing anything they don’t like. Maybe they want to know where we’re living.”
“If they pinged either phone, they’d probably get close enough to find out.”
“It could also be for our protection.”
Kaden grabbed the burner. “I’m going to call Alistair.”
“Take a picture of them. They’re sitting at the table near the entrance. Come to this side of the table, pretend you’re taking a selfie.”
A moment later, Kaden sent the image to Alistair with the messageyours or should we be worried? If they’re yours, call them off.
The reply came before they’d finished eating.
Ours. Just making sure. They’ll leave now.
Kaden showed the message to Joe.
“If they don’t go, we’ll lose them before we return to the flat,” Joe whispered.
“Do you want to go back now?”
“No, I want to see more.”
“What about the fun we were going to have?”
“We’ll stay up late to make up for lost time.”
Kaden laughed loudly.
Turned out Joe was fascinated by the insects but declared the reptile house the scariest thing he’d ever seen.
“They’re looking at me as if they want to get revenge for something.” Joe pressed himself a fraction closer to Kaden as a blue snake slid along the bottom of the glass.
He’d taken pictures of most animals but not these.
“You’re safe.”
“That’s what it wants you to think.”
Kaden snorted. “You’re fine with lions that could take your head off, but a noodle behind glass is where you draw the line?”
Joe leaned in, squinting. “That one blinked.”
“Snakes don’t blink. They can’t close their eyes. That’s just a protective screen called a brille.”
Joe straightened immediately. “Then it winked. Which is worse.”
“They shed the brille when they shed their skin.”
Joe gaped at him. “They can change their skin? In one go?”
