“Won’t stop him claiming the glory.”
“If there is any. I have a feeling Jerry de Borg’s likely to make an appearance before this week’s over. It just has that . . . smell about it.”
“Harry—”
“Finn, there’s something I need to say.” He looked over his shoulder, checking the street behind them, and Finn wished he hadn’t because it would have immediately raised the suspicions of whoever was tailing them. “I put the spare key for my apartment in your inside overcoat pocket earlier, while you were out of the office. Obviously, I’m heading back now because she’ll be worried, but I’m not gonna be around much for most of this week, probably not until late at night.”
Finn couldn’t feel the key, hadn’t been aware it was there, but he could suddenly sense it in his pocket, resting against his chest, and all the danger it represented. Harry wanted him to call in on Katerina, something he could hardly do without putting her in danger.
“I can’t.”
“I don’t mean stay with her, I just mean call in on her, check she’s okay.”
They walked a few paces without speaking, and in that time Finn decided Harry already knew too much to hold back now.
“I’m being tailed, Harry. Less I tell you the better. You know how intense it’ll be this week—I don’t want you to know anything that might slip out.”
Harry didn’t respond physically, keeping his gait natural, his face fixed ahead, but he said, “You can at least tell me who’s tailing you.”
“Karasek’s people. The bait Louisa used to draw him in, it’s complex, but Karasek’s under the impression I could lead him to the girl.”
Harry laughed, finding some tainted humor in the situation, and said, “Don’t tell me, Louisa doesn’t have a clue how close to the truth she is on that?”
“You’re the only other person who knows. Even Alex doesn’t know who the girl is.”
That revelation seemed to fill Harry with doubt and he said, “Promise me she’ll be safe with him, Finn.” His tone was oddly possessive, making Finn uneasy in some way.
“I trust him completely.” As he said it, he thought back to the conversation he’d had with Louisa, about trusting no one.
“Well that’ll have to do, I suppose. But look, if you can shake the tail off—I mean, if you’re sure of it—try to call in and see her. She’d really appreciate it. So would I.”
Again, Finn felt a little uncomfortable with his tone.
“Sure.” They’d been walking toward Harry’s place, but now Finn realized it wasn’t wise to walk all the way there. “But listen, I should leave you in a minute, head off home, not give the tail any ideas.”
Harry nodded but didn’t respond, looking deep in thought, then finally he looked at him as he said, “I’m falling for her, Finn.”
“What?”
“I know it’s crazy, but—”
“Crazy? She’s thirteen years old. She’s a child!” Harry looked ready to stop walking, all the better to explain himself, but Finn, even with anger and fear building up inside him, remained casual as he said, “Keep walking. Keep it natural.”
Harry nodded, like a drunk, not fully comprehending but going along with the order.
“Finn, I haven’t done anything. I wouldn’t, obviously.”
“Oh, well, that’s a relief, to know that my best friend isn’t a pedophile.”
“Jesus! Why do you have to talk like that? I don’t mean anything sexual. Oh, what’s the point? You wouldn’t understand.”
“Tell me, Harry, because I have to understand. It has to be something that I can understand.”
“I don’t know. I love being around her. She’s smart, she’s interesting, she’s just . . . a beautiful person. And yeah, if she were six years older, it’d be different, but . . . I just hate the thought of not seeing her again after the end of this week.”
“You know that’s how it has to be.”
Finn looked at him, and Harry turned and said, “I know. And Finn, I haven’t touched her. I wouldn’t. That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“I know.” But he thought of the way everyone liked Harry, of how young he looked, of the stability he’d given this girl over the last few days and how she might view it. “Promise me though, even if she says something or—she’s a kid, Harry, a kid who’s had a tough run, you have to remember that.”
“I do. I do. And I promise, you have nothing to worry about. I just needed to tell someone.”
“I know,” said Finn. And though he wished he hadn’t been told, he said, “I’m glad you told me. Okay, you gave me a bit of a scare for a minute there, but I’m still glad you told me. Now I’m taking a right—keep it casual.”