The Fortune Teller(67)

Cabe was sitting in the back booth with Bren.

Bren. She had never called him back. She gave them a meek wave and a smile. Bren glared back; he was furious.

Cabe hurried over and gave her a hug, whispering into her ear, “Sorry.”

“You could have warned me,” she muttered under her breath.

Cabe pulled up a chair, leaving her and Bren to face off on opposite sides of the booth. Cabe tried to lighten the mood by poking fun at her outfit. “Looking good, Catgirl.”

She shot him a withering glance. She had raided her old closet at her parents’ house and the pickings had been slim. The black turtleneck sweaterdress looked sixties mod with her winter boots. The last time she had worn this dress was in college.

“Listen, guys, I can’t stay long.” Cabe made a show of checking his watch. “But you two feel free to hang.”

Bren ignored Cabe’s attempt at normalcy and kept his attention on Semele. “Are you in some kind of trouble?” He leaned forward. “I’ve been calling you all week.” He stressed every word, clearly livid.

She studied her hands. “I’m fine. I’m in the middle of a work crisis—”

“And you can’t return one phone call?”

She couldn’t meet his eyes. It felt like they were strangers now. “I’ve had my phone off so I could deal with this translation thing I’m doing.” She glanced up. “I’m really sorry,” she added, knowing it wouldn’t help.

Bren glared at her until Cabe finally spoke. “Well, you should have called or texted … even e-mailed.”

Semele shot Cabe an annoyed look.

“And what’s this about you being followed?” Bren demanded.

Semele gave Cabe another look. She couldn’t believe he’d told him.

“Everything’s fine.”

“No, you need to go to the police,” Bren insisted.

“And say what?”

“That you’re being followed!” Bren raised his voice.

“And you think it’s connected to the theft at Kairos,” Cabe added.

“I’ll be fine,” she said again, wanting to believe it, even though she was debating whether it was safe to go back to her apartment.

Bren drummed his fingers on the table. She had never seen him so upset. The silence was downright painful.

Cabe decided to step in. “Why don’t you give me whatever you called me here for?” He checked his watch. “I need to get back to the office.”

Semele welcomed the veer in conversation. She pulled the wooden box from her purse, suddenly nervous to part with it. “My grandmother left this for me—my real grandmother. You could say it’s a family heirloom.” She didn’t tell him the cards inside were connected to the Bossard manuscript. That would take hours to explain. “Can you run the specs today?”

“Of course. Because I’m awesome.” Cabe put the box in his backpack without opening it and stood up to escape. He gave them both a salute. “Later.”

Semele jumped up too. “I’ll be right back,” she told Bren and followed Cabe outside. When they reached the sidewalk she said, “You really snowballed me in there.”

“Come on, Sem. The guy is tortured. You have to talk to him.”

“I will. I am.”

Cabe gave her a stern look.

“I will,” she said, and she meant it. She knew they couldn’t go on like this. She had to face what she was doing to Bren—to both of them. “Can I stay at your place for a couple of nights?”

He handed her his keys with a pointed look. “Tonight I want to know what’s going on. Including the story behind these.” He patted his backpack and got ready to hop on his bike.

“Deal.” Semele pocketed his keys and hesitated. “Listen, I need you to keep everything between us—including dating these cards—confidential. Especially from Raina.”

He looked annoyed. “Why?”

“I know this sounds crazy … but I saw her with that guy.”

“What guy?”

“From the library. The guy following me. They were in his car together right outside my apartment.”

Cabe looked at her like she’d sprouted a second head.

“Cabe, I’m not making this up. She was outside my apartment … with him.”

“Why?” he demanded, as if it were her fault. “That’s crazy!”

“I don’t know! But they were there!” Now she was yelling too. “All I’m asking is for you to not talk to her about any of this until I know more. What if she’s involved in the theft?”

“Or what if that guy is security for Kairos?” he shot back. “Ever thought of that?”

Semele hesitated. She hadn’t, but she quickly dismissed the possibility. That made absolutely no sense. Kairos wouldn’t have had someone following her from Switzerland. No, somehow Raina was involved, but Cabe obviously wasn’t ready to hear it, so she relented.

“Fine. Maybe he is. We just don’t know. But for now, please keep everything between you and me confidential. I really need you to have my back on this.”

They stared at each other, ten years of friendship and trust hanging in the balance.

Cabe expelled a long breath. “Okay, for now. But”—he pointed his finger at her—“you’re telling me everything tonight. Everything.”