It was time to plan.
When she reached the ground floor, she turned into the wide formal hallway. The polished, oak-panelled walls gleamed. Sunlight danced off the gilded frames of the oil paintings, making them sparkle. The crystal chandelier hanging above the wide staircase glittered like diamonds. The marble statues on the landing could have been carved from snow.
Allie could never remember loving any place as much as she loved this school. But already she felt she was losing her grip on it.
Without Lucinda, how could they stay here? She’d held this place together.
And now she was gone.
As she passed the headmistress’ office, tucked away under the grand central staircase, Allie’s footsteps hesitated. She knew she needed to talk to Isabelle – to explain her actions. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She wasn’t ready to be that grown up yet.
Still, she needed information now. She needed to talk to someone she could trust.
At that moment, a guard walked by, dressed all in black. Allie caught his eye.
‘Where can I find Raj Patel?’
Allie and Raj sat across from each other in the mostly empty common room. Allie perched on the edge of a deep leather sofa. Raj was in a chair, watching her with unreadable dark eyes, almond-shaped, exactly like Rachel’s. He’d come as soon as she’d asked for him, even though he must have been busy. And she saw no judgement in his expression.
‘I just have to understand what happened,’ Allie said.
Raj didn’t look surprised by this.
‘The plan went smoothly,’ he said, ‘until it didn’t.’
She listened quietly as he went over everything that had gone right. She and Carter had made their way across Hampstead Heath just before midnight, as planned. They’d found Allie’s grandmother right where she was supposed to be, on Parliament Hill. And Nathaniel had joined them only a few minutes later than expected.
The mood had been calm – even jovial at times.
Until Jerry and Gabe appeared, each holding a gun.
‘Lucinda left Jerry shackled in a van near the park,’ Raj explained. ‘He was guarded by two members of her personal security team. We don’t know how Nathaniel discovered the location she’d chosen. But he did. Her guards were overwhelmed. Jerry was freed.’
Allie sagged back in her seat. It was so sickeningly obvious. The best plan foiled by the simplest means.
The most complicated design in the world can be destroyed in seconds by a basic hammer.
‘Where did they get the guns?’ she asked.
‘Gabe, I’d imagine.’ Raj’s voice dripped distaste. ‘He’s the only one insane enough to bring guns to a parley.’
Allie glanced at him. ‘You don’t think it was Nathaniel’s idea?’
He shook his head. ‘I got a good look at Nathaniel when he saw those weapons – he didn’t seem happy.’
This was a surprise. Nathaniel was a control freak. Surely he didn’t encourage off-roading among his minions.
‘As soon as we saw the guns we had to move,’ Raj continued. ‘I threw everything we had at them. And it worked. Eventually. But…’
His voice trailed off and he rubbed his eyes.
‘But Lucinda was shot.’ Allie finished the thought for him. She leaned forward intently. ‘Raj, did anyone see who shot her? Was it Jerry?’
Jerry Cole was the science teacher who had betrayed them all – who’d cost them Jo’s life when he sided with Nathaniel. It would make sense if he’d done this, too.
But Raj shook his head, lips tight. ‘It wasn’t Jerry. Isabelle was close enough to see it all. It was Gabe. And there’s something else you should know.’ He met Allie’s gaze. ‘Isabelle swears Gabe was aiming at Nathaniel.’
Allie took a sharp breath. ‘What?’
‘I didn’t see it myself,’ he said, ‘but Isabelle’s convinced Gabe was aiming at Nathaniel and, at the last minute, Lucinda stepped into the path of the bullet. Isabelle thinks…’ He hesitated as if deciding how much to reveal. ‘Well, it seemed to her Lucinda saw what Gabe was about to do. And she took the bullet. To save Nathaniel.’
Allie’s lips moved but no sound came out. She felt as if she was sinking. She couldn’t breathe.
Lucinda let herself die? She left me on purpose?
She shook her head so hard her stitches stung. ‘No, Raj. Isabelle’s wrong. Lucinda wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t. Not for Nathaniel.’
He didn’t argue with her. ‘I find it hard to believe myself. I’m only offering it as a qualified explanation.’ He paused. ‘Allie, I’m not going to tell you what to do. But Isabelle is heartbroken about this – about everything. I wish you’d talk to her. Get her side of things.’