Page 56 of The Devil's Dilemma

“Oh. Are you his boyfriend?”

“Erm, no? We’re just friends.”

“Ah, only I saw the way you looked at each other. I might be old, but I see things.”

What was he talking about? I dismissed it. He told me where to find Austin’s room, and I left him alone downstairs.

I found a bag and threw some clothes in it: underwear, shirts, trousers, a pair of trainers.

A photograph on his nightstand caught my eye, and I bent to look closer.

The woman must be Calista. She looked every bit the angel she was. There was no mistaking it. No time to think now, though. I placed the picture on top of the clothes in the bag and zipped it shut.

I glanced around the room. Except for the photograph, it was devoid of any belongings, any personal touches. How could he live here for twenty-some-odd years and not leave his mark?

I tucked his laptop under my arm and went downstairs.

That just left Stan to deal with, and then I could get going. I could protect him from whoever was outside.

He greeted me at the bottom of the stairs and slipped something into my pocket.

“Give this to Austin and tell him to look after himself.”

“He’s coming back.”

“I know, but all this talk of his mom today will have upset him. He never got over her death, and the anniversary of it hits him harder each year.”

“When is it?”

“In a few days’ time, actually. 9 November 2001 was the day everything changed for that boy.”

Interesting. Everything that was happening might not be all that coincidental.

I placed my hand on his shoulder.

“If anyone comes to the door looking for us, you haven’t seen us. Do you understand?”

A glazed look appeared on his face; my words were sinking in. It helped he was old and easily swayed, and if people did ask him, they would believe him.

“If anyone comes to the door, I haven’t seen you.” He repeated my words several times. Yes, he’d be fine.

“I’ll look after Austin. He’ll be back with you before you know it. I’ve left my number in your phone, and if you need anything, call or get someone else to. Okay?”

He nodded, his eyes clear again.

“Take care of my boy. He’s all I have.”

That tugged at me more than it should. Since when did the devil have a heart?

Since meeting Austin, it seemed.

I left the way I came, ignoring the three men walking towards me. The glamour I had cast would shield me from them. As far as they were concerned, I was a district nurse visiting an elderly patient.

Certainly not the devil.

I drove back to the casino and went to my apartment, where Conrad and Austin were waiting for me.

“Is he okay?” Austin paced the floor, wringing his hands.