Page 105 of The Sebastian Guarantee
In a flurry of movement, Phoebe helped Tula into the helicopter and climbed in after the child.And hello, high-end helo.Sporting white leather bucket seats and a plush milky gray interior, this was no bare-bones chopper. And she soon learned that Tula and her uncle weren’t the only guests riding along. Sebastian’s dad, Erasmus Cress, was with them.
“How did you know I was here?” she asked, sinking into the seat next to her uncle as the helicopter rose above the high school.
Rowen clucked his tongue. “Phoebe Gale, I taught you better than that. You know how many apps are tracking your mobile devices at this very moment.”
She eyed the man. “Is that uncle-speak for ‘I hacked your phone’?”
Her uncle cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. “There are overarching circumstances today. Plus, your aunt said I could do it,” he added with the hint of a grin.
“Where is Aunt Penny?”
“Day drinking.”
“Day drinking?” she echoed. That wasn’t like her Aunt Penny. Sure, the woman had a few glasses of wine or a cocktail or two when everyone got together, but day drinking? “Why is she day drinking, Uncle Row?”
“She’s meeting up with an old friend who demands a certain cocktail when they get together,” her uncle answered with a very cat-who-ate-the-canary smirk.
“Are you going to tell me who?”
“No need.”
There was way more to this story, but she wouldn’t be getting anything about it out of him. Maybe Tula would spill the beans.
“What brings you to Stratlin, Tula? Is there something going on with our families?”
The little girl looked to her father. “Can I tell her, Daddy?”
“Yeah, petal, you can.”
“We’re here because Sebby said he acted like a . . .” The child tapped her foot seven times.
Seven?
Phoebe racked her brain. “What do seven taps mean?”
“Sup-er butt-hole douche noz-zle,” Tula clarified, enunciating each syllable. “I added thesuperpart.”
Phoebe looked between her uncle and Erasmus. “You’re here on Sebastian’s account?”
Tula wiggled with excitement. “We need to get you back to Denver because Sebby’s been so busy with—”
“Tula,” Erasmus chided.
What were they hiding?
Her uncle knew she and Sebastian had a falling out. It was safe to assume Sebastian’s father understood the circumstances of what had transpired between herself and his son as well.
“Is he busy partnering with an investor—the one who contacted him?” she asked, willing herself to keep her voice even.
“That depends on you, Phoebe,” Erasmus answered.
“On me? I don’t understand.”
“He’s been working on his pitch,” Erasmus continued, seeming to choose his words carefully.
She sat back in her seat. “He’s pitching at LETIS Live?”
“Yes.”
