“I understand.”
They went out the side door.
The walkway emptied onto the street thirty feet from the corner where the Suburban was waiting. It was the longest thirty feet of Piper’s adult life.
They got to the street and the crowd saw them.
Four cameramen, two photographers, a reporter, the TMZ live-stream guy. They saw Piper and turned.
Piper kept walking.
The Suburban door was open, and they got in. The driver was already moving.
They pulled away. The cameramen ran after them and stopped out of breath.
The Suburban turned right at the end of the block. Piper let his head fall back against the headrest.
He closed his eyes.
He felt Vivienne next to him. He felt Tank’s shoulder against his on the right.
His body had a kind of detached clarity that arrived after a hit.
Piper had spent so long inside Jayson’s logistical envelope that the absence of it, when the absence arrived, landed hard.
“You okay, Piper? I know you’re not, but you know I have to ask,” Vivienne asked.
“I will survive,” Piper replied with a wink.
“Jet is waiting. Van Nuys airport, wheels up at four,” the driver said.
“Where’s the jet going?” Piper asked.
“I will tell you on the jet.”
He closed his eyes.
The drive to Van Nuys was quick and Piper spent most of it with his eyes closed.
At one point he said, without opening his eyes, “He’s going to do it, anyway.”
Vivienne paused her typing. “Who?”
“Jayson. He’s going to do the things he said he was going to do.”
Vivienne said, “Piper, I told you we will handle it.”
“So this doesn’t end it.”
“No.”
“So what does this do?” Piper asked.
“This gets you out of his reach while we build the case. This gets you time. This gets you across an ocean while Henry Weiss finishes the legal architecture I don’t have the time to explain to you right now. This puts you in a place where Jayson won’t think to look. This is a move on a chessboard. It is the best move I have, but honey, I will tell you the next move when I have it,” Vivienne said.
“Okay, I trust you Viv,” Piper said.
“Piper, it’s all going to be okay,” Tank said, placing his hand on Piper’s neck and squeezing gently.
