Page 13 of Unraveling Fate

“Got to clean him up,” Drostan called over his shoulder. “I’ll catch you lot up in the morning.”

“What about the Ferrari?” Cadenza’s teeth chattered so hard she had to clench her jaw to keep from biting her tongue. “Should I call the police now?”

“Nae, nae!” Drostan waved off the idea, still walking. “It’ll sort itself out.”

Cadenza watched them go, eyes bugging in disbelief. Another wave of post-adrenaline weakness rolled through her, setting her knees knocking. “I think I need some tea. And some chocolate.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” Canon said absently, hands on his hips, watching Drostan. “Did he say that’s his son?”

“That’s what he said.”

“Why don’t you go make that tea?” He pulled out his phone and trotted out of the garage. “I need to take care of something.”

Mouth agape, Cadenza watched both her “rescuers” retreat into the night. “No, really, I’m fine. You all go back to bed. It’s not like I might be in shock or anything. I’ll just have some tea. ThatImake. Myself,” she called after them. “Mannaggia…”

She yanked Canon’s jacket off and stomped upstairs.

Canon’s mindraced faster than the imports he sold.

Eighteen months.

The cottage lights flickered on ahead of him as Norroway steered his son inside, but Canon veered off towards the dark fields behind the racetrack, tapping an agitated rhythm on his leg with his phone. He needed someplace away from the others to make this call. Someplace with no listening ears.

Eighteen months. A year and a half of nothing. Now, finally, he had something to report. Truth be told, he’d been getting anxious. Afraid he hadn’t been delivering. But an unknown son appearing from who knew where? In the middle of the night? That had to be worth something.

He ducked into a stand of black oaks, swept his gaze over the field once just in case, and dialed hisotheremployer.

Never let it be said that Canon Richards was a cheat. Healwayskept his side of a bargain.

Five

28 Aug 2019

30 Days, $3300 (rest of airfare + bribe ). I will do this.

Cadenza folded Canon’s jacket over her arm and headed out of the apartment. She didn’t know what he’d run off to do last night, and this morning she didn’t care, but she planned to use returning the jacket as an excuse to check on Drostan. She might get sacked for losing the Ferrari, but she still wanted to make sure he was ok. Halfway down the staircase she stopped.

“What the?—”

The Ferrari was back.

Parked primly in its usual spot like it had never left. She bolted down the rest of the stairs with a cry and flung herself over the hood, hugging the car like she’d found a lost child.

The keys were in the glovebox where she’d left them, and the engine started on the first try.

“How did you get back?” She rubbed the dashboard. This made no sense. Why steal a Ferrari only to put it right back? She shoved the keys in her pocket—no more leaving them in thecar—and marched down the hill to where Drostan’s cottage lay tucked in a stand of oaks.

“Drostan?” She knocked on the door. “Drostan, I need to talk to you.”

The door swung open, and he stepped out onto the porch. “Caddie, good morning!” He wore the same clothes as last night, and bags hung under his eyes like he hadn’t slept, but his face beamed. “Can I make you some tea?”

Cadenza grabbed his arm and pulled him to the porch swing. “Drostan, what happened last night? You only have two sons, so who is this guy? And the Ferrari is back this morning. Did you go to the police last night after all?”

Drostan patted her hand. “I havethreesons, Caddie. You just never met my youngest.”

She frowned. “If he’s the youngest, he’d be closer to my age, so he would’ve been around. Why didn’t I ever see him here?”

“He’s…been away.”