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“You could drop me at Lambertville and keep going.” She looked triumphant. No doubt about it, she’d caught the name of the hospital.
It would be unfriendly not to, and if we did this, our brief association could end on a high note. With no good argument for saying no, I nodded. “Sounds practical.”
We’d barely stepped off the gangway when I spotted a chauffeur in a dark suit and cap at the front of the crowd of people waiting for friends and relatives to disembark. I recognized Wayne immediately from previous trips east. A short, swarthy man he held up a large sign that readMS SADIE DONOHUE, as if he didn’t know me. I was happy to see him but also slightly annoyed. I told Layla I’d happily catch an Uber or a cab, and not to bother with the expense of a limo. The fact that Wayne was here had Simon’s fingerprints all over it. Better make the best of a bad situation, I decided.
“Looks like we’ve got ourselves something better than an Uber.” I stepped away from Ronnie. “Wayne, over here.”
A guarded, professional smile lit his face as he approached me with his hand out for my bag.
“Ronnie Flynn, I’d like to introduce Wayne Cosgrove. Wayne, Ronnie is coming with me, but she has checked luggage, so we need to collect that first.”
Wayne’s ice blue eyes hardened. “Sorry, Ms. Donohue. I have my instructions: no other passengers. Only you.”
“Why? Are you driving a Smartcar these days? Don’t have room for both of us?” I joked, sensing even more of Simon’s presence.
Ronnie stepped back and watched us, her antennae twitching. Did she know that Wayne was more than a limo driver, that he was in fact one of Simon’s many business partners, someone Simon could get special favors from? I fought to keep any anger out of my voice, but the hairs on the back of my neck bristled.
“Apologies, Ms Flynn,” Wayne said, nodding to her. To me he said, “I have my best car for you, ma’am, of course. But as I said, I’m only allowed to take you.”
Ronnie breezed closer and hugged me. “I don’t want to be the cause of an argument here. I’ll find my own way home, and we’ll catch up later in the week. Nice travelling with you, Sadie. Wayne, I’m sorry we didn’t meet under friendlier circumstances.”
She turned and walked toward the baggage claim area, as if she hadn’t noticed anything amiss.
“Wayne, what the hell?” I asked as we made our way past endless boarding gates to the front doors.
“I dunno, Sadie. Layla phoned this morning and laid down the law. I asked no questions, so I can tell you no lies.”
“Sorry, I’m sure Layla had her reasons for that stipulation.” I think he knew as well as I did that Layla was only the messenger. I took a deep breath and forced a more cheerful tone into my voice. “How long do I have the car this morning?”
“All day if you want it. The car is booked exclusively for your use all week, or longer if necessary.”
“I do have a driver’s license you know. And it sounds like Mom won’t need her Prius for a day or so.”
“Crazy talk like that will put me out of business.” He grinned.
His infectious smile loosened something inside me, and I smiled ruefully. “Okay let’s head for Lac Saint Louis Hospital.”
“That’s what Layla figured, too. After that?”
“We’ll play it by ear.”
Once in the back of the limo, I raised the privacy screen. It was 6:30 in the morning in Vancouver, and Simon answered on the second ring.
“Hello, my love,” he puffed into the phone.
“You out running?”
“Just getting back.”
“So, you’re home and can talk?”
“Walking in the door right now. One second.” The water ran in the background, a glass clinked against the kitchen spout. Familiar, everyday sounds to me. I visualized the sweat on Simon’s face and the way, after an hour’s run, he poured half a glass of water down his throat in a single gulp. He came back on the line. “Good flight?”
“Very nice, thank you for asking.”
“You sound cool.”
“Did you know that Ronnie Flynn was on my plane?”
