Raj and Dom broke free of the group and walked over to join them.
‘We’re keeping him in the old wine cellar.’ Isabelle’s voice sounded odd, as if they were in the middle of a conversation only she could hear.
Up close Allie could see the headmistress was exhausted. Her face drooped and dark circles like bruises underscored her eyes. Strands of hair had crept free of the clip and hung loose around her face.
Raj, too, looked tired. None of them had slept in more than twenty-four hours.
‘There was no other place secure enough,’ Isabelle concluded.
Only Dom seemed untouched by everything that was happening. Her masculine, pin-striped shirt was crisp. Peeking out from beneath the turned-up hem of dark brown trousers, her brogues gleamed.
Catching Allie’s look, she answered the question she hadn’t asked. ‘He’s asking for you.’
Even though she’d expected something like this, the verification made Allie’s pulse quicken.
But she kept her expression calm, responding with a nod. ‘I thought so.’
‘So far he’s refused to talk to us.’ Raj rubbed his bloodshot eyes. ‘He says he’ll tell us what we need to know … but only if he speaks to you first.’
Allie’s mouth went dry.
She’d known Jerry since she first arrived at Cimmeria. Once she’d have trusted him with her life. Now she was afraid of him. Afraid of what he’d come back to tell her.
But she knew there was no way they’d ask her to do this if there was any alternative.
Straightening her spine, she met Raj’s gaze. ‘What’s the plan?’
He gave her an approving look. ‘Go in there. Listen to what he has to say. Promise him whatever you have to – you won’t be held to any of it. We need you to try and get through to him. Find out what he’s told Nathaniel. What Nathaniel has planned for the parley.’
‘He’s … secured,’ Raj added. ‘He can’t touch you.’
‘Nonetheless, stay near the door,’ Dom interjected. ‘Keep your distance from him. We don’t know what he’s capable of.’
‘Yes we do,’ Allie said flatly. ‘He’s capable of murder.’ She turned back to Raj. ‘Anything I should look out for? Questions I should ask?’
‘Just try to get him to talk. Anything he says could prove useful.’ Raj’s almond-shaped eyes, so like Rachel’s, held hers with a steady confidence that warmed her. ‘Then get the hell out of there as quickly as you can.’
Allie could sense his faith in her. His belief that she was capable of dealing with a situation as difficult as this one made her feel stronger. Braver.
Six months ago they wouldn’t have let her anywhere near this room.
Dom pointed to a laptop set up near the door. On the screen Allie saw a figure, huddled in a chair. Jerry’s hands hung at his sides and his head was down, hiding his face.
‘We’ll be watching,’ she said.
When she walked towards them, the guards drew back to let Allie pass. She could see the curiosity in their eyes. The recognition.
Here comes Allie Sheridan. The one Nathaniel’s obsessed with, she imagined them thinking. What is it about her that’s so important?
She imagined she must look disappointingly ordinary to them in her short school skirt and rumpled white blouse. Certainly she didn’t look like she could take on a man who’d fooled everyone for years.
And maybe she couldn’t. There was only one way to find out.
The guard nearest the door opened it for her then stood back. Dressed all in black like the others, he was tall, with short-cropped brown hair. Her gaze flickered up to his. He gave a respectful nod. As if she was one of them.
Returning the nod, she turned back to the open doorway. Then, with cautious steps, she walked inside. The room was windowless and cool, walled in stone. It was bigger than she’d expected from looking at Dom’s screen – long and narrow – and completely devoid of furniture save for one wooden chair at the far end of the room on which Jerry sat.
His head was still down, obscuring his face, but she could see now that his wrists were handcuffed. The cuffs were secured with long chains to a hook fixed to the wall.
They were taking no chances.
A guard stood just inside the door, his hands behind his back, watching him.
Allie took another step and another. The teacher didn’t look up. He was so still she wondered if he was unconscious.
She was just beginning to wonder if she should say something when he spoke.
‘Guards out.’ His voice was a low growl.
Goosebumps pimpled Allie’s skin. That didn’t sound like Jerry at all.
‘No talking,’ he said, still not looking up, ‘with them here.’
Allie turned to the guard. He met her gaze and asked a question with his eyes.
Her throat felt suddenly tight.
If the guard left, she’d be alone with the man who’d helped to kill Jo. Who’d put her own life at risk many times. But if the guard didn’t leave, she wouldn’t learn anything. Couldn’t help anyone.
After a brief hesitation, she made up her mind.
Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)
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