Page 93 of Poisoned Pawn
“Where Erica is,” I tell him.
“That I do know. He told you then?” He comes over to the table and picks up the laptop, tucking it under his arm. “What’s the plan?”
We spend the next hour working out the details. Roxy calls Rick to organise a new location, and we agree to meet him there in a few hours. With Frankie’s help and thanks to a call that Frankie tells us Carter put into the current place this morning, we have a clear path to discharge her from there and move her somewhere new.
We are just discussing the logistics of moving Erica and the need to take two cars when Frankie comes back in. He left an hour ago claiming he needed to collect something.
“We ready to go?” he asks, a bag swinging from his hand.
“Almost. We are going to take Roxy’s car, and you and Zak can follow in yours. You do have a car I take it?”
He smirks at me like I just asked the dumbest question. “I do, but we won’t need it or Roxy’s car.” He rifles around in the bag, then tosses something to Zak. “You’ll be needing this though.”
Zak catches it and holds it out to get a better look. “A paramedic’s uniform?”
“Yep, and got nurse’s ones for you two,” he says, tossing hospital blue nurses’ dresses at me and Roxy.
“This is going to be like a bad episode ofCasualty,” Zak says as he looks from his usual shirt and trousers to the dark green paramedic uniform.
“More like a Carry On film,” Roxy mutters as she and Zak disappear to their room to change.
“Ooh, Matron,” Frankie calls after them perfectly imitating Kenneth Williams as we go our separate ways too.
Ten minutes later we are all back in the kitchen dressed and ready to go, and none of us except Frankie looking overly impressed.
Outside, the lack of enthusiasm continues when we see the ambulance parked there.
“This is ridiculous,” Roxy grumbles as she and I head for the back of the ambulance where Frankie has opened the doors for us. “This was not part of the plan we discussed.”
“It’s all about perception, Roxy,” Frankie says with a wink as we climb inside.
“Sounds a lot like deception.”
“Yeah, that too. But to deceive you need to look the part. If Carter suspects that Erica’s safety has been compromised, then we need to at least look like we are the real deal.”
“And if this doesn’t work?”
“Then I hope you remembered to pack a gun.”
He closes the door with a clang and climbs in the driver’s seat beside Zak.
As we set off, I say, “What did Carter tell you about Erica?”
“Just what I needed to know to ensure the right care for her once we move her. I’m guessing you know more?”
I nod, but I don’t offer her anything else. I don’t feel like it’s my place to tell her. “It explained a few things about who he is. How he ended up a Shadow. But it’s his story to tell.”
“I can respect that. But was there anything you think could help us right now?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Her phone rings and she pulls it from her pocket.
“It’s Aidan,” she says before answering. “Hey, you good?”
I can’t hear his words, but his tone and volume are enough to tell me something is wrong.
“What’s going on?” I ask, but Roxy holds up a finger to quiet me.