She looks disappointed. ‘I had some champagne for him.’
‘We’ll see him again.’
‘Yes, I said he should come for dinner.’
‘What do you think?’ asks Alice, sidling up to me.
‘It’s fabulous,’ I say.
‘Just a few minor changes and you’ll be in. You must be so excited.’
I smile. Jo winds her arm around my waist.
‘Have you drunk anything?’ I ask.
‘No, but I can tell you have.’
‘Nev wanted to buy me a whisky.’
‘One too many whiskies, it seems,’ she laughs. ‘He must be pleased.’
‘He is.’
‘Great job!’ I feel a hard slap on my back, and I turn.
‘Hello, Donald.’
Julia is standing beside him with a sleepy Joel in her arms. ‘I think this little one needs his bed,’ she says. ‘Far too much excitement seeing his new home.’
‘Yes,’ I agree, taking him from her arms. ‘Let’s get you home, boy.’
‘Anyway, I’m very impressed, Daniel,’ says Donald.
But not impressed enough to call me Danny, I think.Well, fuck you and your millions.
We see everyone out, lock the doors, and Jo says, ‘Be back soon,’ to the house, as if it’s a living thing.
Chapter Forty-One
Josie
‘Sir,’ I call, pulling the rug back further.
Roy steps in from the kitchen, eyes lighting up. He always comes alive when the pieces start falling into place.
‘You got a basement?’ he asks Neal.
Neal blinks, coming out of his daze. ‘Uh, yes. I was converting it into a gym for Jo. It was supposed to be a surprise. I’d planned to check out the equipment the week she… disappeared.’
‘Is there heating down there?’
He nods.
‘Right. Go carefully,’ Roy says as we roll the rug aside.
A key sits in the hatch’s lock. ‘Why does it have a lock?’ Roy asks.
‘Because of Joel,’ Neal replies. ‘I didn’t want him falling down there.’
