When the Shadows Fall by Elise Noble
CHAPTER 22 - SKY
“HEY, SKY. NICE outfit.”
In the kitchenette, I glanced up from making coffee—instant, unfortunately—to find the four Britneys in front of me. Was that sarcasm? Or did they genuinely like my clothes? Normally, I’d have assumed the former, but Bradley had packed my suitcase, and the jeans probably cost more than I used to make in a week serving drinks. And my pink shirt was by Ralph Lauren. Even I’d heard of him. At first, I’d wondered how Bradley always picked out clothes that fitted perfectly, not just for me but for everybody else too, but the day before I left Riverley, I’d found out his secret. He had a sewing room in the attic, and in the sewing room was a creepy army of dressmakers’ mannequins, each with a name badge. He simply bought clothes based on our widest measurements, then tailored them based on our body doubles so they fitted everywhere else as well. Genius.
“Thanks.”
“Where did you get the jeans?”
“Uh, I don’t know. My assistant bought them.”
The four of them looked at each other.
“You have an assistant?”
Inside, I grinned, but outside I stayed casual.
“You don’t?”
“Wanna come to the mall with us today?” the tallest blonde asked. Tiffany? Meaghan? “We’re gonna visit a few stores and then catch a movie.”
Going shopping with that crowd was the absolute last thing I wanted to do.
“No, thanks, uh…”
“Carlie,” a voice supplied in my ear. Since it was Sunday and I didn’t have any classes, Rune was taking a break and I had Ryder helping me out.
“…Carlie,” I finished. “I’ll pass.”
“You ran fast yesterday,” another of the blondes said. “At least until you stopped to help Vanessa. Were you on the track team at your old school?”
Why not? “Yes.”
“You should run with Tiffany next time.” She nodded towards Britney number three. “She made the championships last year.”
“I prefer to run alone.”
“Right.” The four of them stepped back as one, clearly unaccustomed to being turned down. “Well, see ya.”
The microwave pinged, and I took out the jug of boiling water and poured it into two mugs, one for me and one for Vanessa. Why didn’t Americans have electric kettles? Or egg cups? Or use the word “fortnight”? Their chocolate was peculiar too. And their selection of swear words was woefully inadequate. When I’d called Ryder a tosser for waking me up at six a.m. on a Sunday, he hadn’t a clue what I was talking about, but eventually he got the gist and told me he’d acted on Emmy’s orders. When I texted at five past six to call her a thundercunt, she’d understood exactly what I meant. And then she’d informed me we’d be running at eight thirty sharp.
“Here you go.” I put the mug on Vanessa’s nightstand. “I couldn’t find any teabags, so we’re stuck with coffee.”
“You drink hot tea in summer?”
Good grief. “Of course. Cold tea is an abomination.”
“You don’t have to make me drinks. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do, like going to the mall.”
“You heard what Carlie said?”
Vanessa looked away sheepishly. “The acoustics are weird in here. And Carlie’s voice could cut through steel.”
Noted. I’d have to be careful when I talked, especially to Blackwood. And Vanessa was right about Carlie.
“I’m happy to make you drinks. How’s your ankle this morning?”
“The swelling’s gone down.”
“Great. So why don’t we go to the mall together later?”
I didn’t think for a moment that Vanessa would accept, but I wanted to push her into talking to me. To understand her. We’d be sharing this space for weeks, and despite what I’d said before, life would be more pleasant if we could hold a conversation.
“I don’t go to the mall.”
“And yet you tried to make me go?”
“You can afford to go.”
“You can’t?”
“I get financial aid, okay? I’m not like most of the others here.” Vanessa’s gaze fixed on the floor. “Someone’s gonna tell you sooner or later, so you might as well hear it from me.”
“That’s it? That’s your big secret? You’re not rich? Who cares?”
“Around here? Almost everyone. The only thing worse than being poor is having money and then losing it. And then there’s my skin colour. I stick out in all the wrong ways.”
Now I understood. Vanessa used her prickliness as a defence mechanism. A spiky suit of armour. She wasn’t nasty underneath, but if she didn’t let anyone in, then nobody could hurt her.
“I thought Shadow Falls Academy was all about equality?”
“To paraphrase George Orwell, everyone’s equal, but some people are more equal than others. Animal Farm?” she added when she saw my blank look. “You haven’t read it?”
Only the first dozen pages, and then I gave up. The English teacher at Greenfields Comprehensive hadn’t given a shit.
“Nah, we mostly did Shakespeare. But I get an allowance. If you want to go to the movies, I can pay.”
And honestly, I’d like to. I’d spent so long not having money that it would be nice to help somebody else out for a change. But Vanessa just scowled.
“I’m not a charity case.”
“I wasn’t suggesting for a minute that you were.”
“You should go to the mall with Carlie.” I got the cold shoulder again. “Hang with me, and you can kiss your social standing goodbye.”
“If you don’t like it here, then why do you stay?” I asked.
“If it weren’t for the Rosenbergs, I’d have to live with my mother. I owe them everything. And at least here, I get a good education.” She showed me her back. “Go to the mall, Sky.”
I didn’t. Instead, I pulled on my running gear and took a fresh camera and earpiece from the wireless charging mat I’d stashed in the drawer of my nightstand. Nate had built me several sets of comms equipment, and today’s was disguised as regular AirPods, an Apple watch, and another pair of glasses. Nothing that would look out of place if anyone happened to glance in the drawer and see them charging there. I also had a box of single-use contact lenses so I had an excuse for not wearing the glasses all the time. Bradley had thought of everything.
“You doing okay?” Emmy asked once I was on the trail in the woods.
“Just peachy. How’s Zermatt?”
“I’m in Chamonix now. Don’t worry; there’s still plenty of mountains.”
“Why Chamonix?”
“Our client thought one of his people might have been selling company secrets, but we’re ninety percent sure he’s just screwing his mistress. I’ll probably fly home in a day or two. Anything new at Shadow Falls?”
I told her about the Britneys’ invitation and Vanessa’s confession. “I’m not sure what to do. Honestly, I hate all the cliquishness. I don’t want to act like a complete loner either, but Vanessa seems to be on Team Rosenberg.”
“If you were genuinely attending that school, what would you do?”
“Probably hang out with Vanessa. She seems nice under the hard shell, plus she’s my lab partner in chemistry and I can learn from her.”
“So do that.”
“You’re not worried where her loyalties might lie?”
“There’s an old saying—keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.”
“Vanessa isn’t my enemy.”
“But the same principle applies. You’re on a hill again, aren’t you?”
Had I slowed up? I checked the stats on my watch and found that I had. Shit. I sucked in a breath, put my head down, and pushed harder. Right into…bam. Right into Asher Martinez.
“I’m so sorry!”
I’d knocked him right on his ass, which was reasonably impressive because he was five or six inches taller than me and wider as well. Should I help him up? I held out a hand, but he was already on his knees. Emmy must have had access to a video feed because she was laughing her head off. But she’d screwed up too because I heard her talking to some guy in Chamonix.
“No, no, I’m fine, thanks. Just listening to a comedy podcast, and it’s hilarious.” Pause. “Which one? Uh, it’s called My Dad Wrote a Porno.” Pause. “Yeah, you should give it a listen.” Pause. “Sorry, dude. Married.”
So she wasn’t drafting the divorce papers yet. Interesting. I was in two minds over whether I wanted her and Black to make up. Yes, they were miserable without each other, but he’d done a really, really shitty thing and he needed to suffer.
“Guess that’ll teach me to look where I’m going, Chemistry Girl.”
“Sky. My name’s Sky.”
“Sky. I knew that.”
“Did you, Shortcut Boy? I’m surprised to see you out running considering the lengths you went to yesterday to avoid it.”
“I had my reasons.”
“Which were?”
“Are you always this nosy?”
I shrugged. “Pretty much.”
Asher just laughed. “Bye, Chem Girl.”
“Bye, Shortcut.”
“Who was that?” Emmy asked.
“My other chemistry lab partner,” I whispered once Asher had vanished into the distance. “Ezra and Saul Rosenberg’s nephew. He doesn’t seem to do much work.”
“There’s a nephew? Are you sure?”
“Vanessa told me yesterday. I presume whoever was monitoring me added it to the notes.”
“I’ll make sure it’s followed up.”
“Is there any more news on the paintings?”
“Nothing in Marshall’s PO box, but he recognised a groundsman in your video footage as a courier he handed a painting to three years ago. So it appears the Rosenbergs have quite the enterprise going at Shadow Falls. We’ve tapped the school’s phones, but I’m not expecting to get much from that. The Rosenbergs will speak to their team in person, and they’ll most likely use burners if they need to call clients. Why are you standing around, slacker? You should be running.”
“You can be a real bitch.”
“Yes. Yes, I can. Now get going.”