“I hope your plan involves a time machine so you can go back and kill baby Caroline—and baby Hitler too, I suppose, if there’s time,” Georgie said.
It was late, I was knackered, and if I hadn’t needed Georgie’s help, I would have told her to bugger off.
“I have a million things on my plate,” I said, motioning toward the growing pile of medals on the counter. “And no matter what I’ve done to fix this, Caroline always seems to be one step ahead of me. But you’re not busy, and you have an advantage I don’t: you’re living with her.”
Georgie nodded in agreement as I continued, “I think you can help me find some dirt to undermine her efforts.”
Her eyes grew wide. “So I’d be like a…proper investigator?”
I shook my head. “No cloak-and-dagger stuff, Georgie. The last thing we need to do is give Caroline more leverage. I just need you to keep your eyes and ears open, in case she lets something slip.”
“Fine I’ll do it.”
That was easier than expected.
“I’ve had plenty of time to think about about how looney Caroline is,” she continued. “And I’ve come to one conclusion.”
“What it is?”
“She’s obviously lying about the baby.”
My brows arched. “Lying?”
Georgie rounded the coffee table and took a seat beside me on the couch. Her light brown hair was pulled up into a bun with a pencil shoved through the center. Her t-shirt was stained with what looked to be jam and I couldn’t be sure, but I thought she hadn’t changed her socks in two days.
“G, have you showered yet today?”
She held up her hand. “No. Given the impending doom of a lifetime with Caroline, my hygiene is the least of my concerns.”
“I figured the baby might not be mine, but what would she have to gain by lying about the pregnancy entirely? She’d lose everything when it becomes apparent.”
Georgie threw her hands into the air like she was done with me. “It’s not what she stood to gain, it’s what she stood to lose as soon as Andie came into the picture. She had to do something that would at once sever you from Andie and bind you to her. And guess what—it’s working.”
I let my head fall back on the couch, considering her theory.
“Well if you are right, we’ll know eventually, right?”
Georgie jumped up. “Well I for one won’t be waiting for eventually. I want to crack this case wide open.”
“You know Andie has her final game tomorrow,” I said, tilting my head to look back at Georgie. “I can’t go and watch because I’ve got my races.”
“Think she’ll stay after that? For the closing ceremonies?”
My heart dropped; I hadn’t even thought of that. Would she really leave as soon as she was done competing?
“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her since the party,” I admitted.
Georgie finally glanced up with a frown. “She’s been busy. You know that.”
I nodded.
“But now that you’ve promoted me from sister to Minister of Espionage, I could probably help arrange a meeting if you want me to…”
I shot up off the couch. “Georgie, you’re brilliant.”
She smiled. “I know.”
“After her game tomorrow, could you try and figure out where she is? I have a race in the afternoon, but I’m free after that.”
“What are you going to do?” she laughed. “Kidnap her? If she wins the game she’ll be celebrating with her team.”
I nodded. “Right, well, I’ll have to work that part out later. For now, I just need you to promise me you’ll help me. I can’t let her leave Rio without knowing how I feel.”
“Okay, but you owe me. I’m already up to my ears in detective work and now you want me to help you win Andie back too?”
“What do you want in exchange?”
“A proper detecting hat, like Sherlock Holmes has got. Oh, and there’s this new Chloé purse…”
I extended my hand for her to shake. “Fine, it’s yours.”
She smirked as we shook on it.
“Georgie Archibald, Detective/Love Guru, at your service.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Andie
EVERY SEAT IN the stadium was filled by 80,000 loud, rowdy fans. From the top of the rafters to the exclusive field-side seats, there wasn’t a free spot anywhere. The announcers were pumping party music through the speakers, making it that much harder to keep my nerves at bay. My heart was already beating in time with the techno. Everyone in the crowd waved American and Japanese flags overhead and their screams echoed around the field well before the game had even started.
I turned my head in a circle, trying to absorb the frenzy while Lisa wrapped my wrist. The crowd was like nothing I’d ever seen before. Their energy was electric and even though I tried to take deep breaths and stay calm, it was useless. I was just as hyped as they were.
A group of girls in the front row caught me glancing over and they started screaming and jumping up and down. They had ponytails, braces, and fresh-faced smiles. All five of them were wearing white t-shirts with giant black letters covering the front.
A-N-D-I-E.
“We love you ANDIE!” they screamed in unison.