Page 78 of Tell Me Why
“Easy, guys,” Tell said as they got into the back of yet another black SUV. “I know Daryll’s upset, but we’re not working against you, here.”
Tell and Tina had finally had the opportunity to talk a lot of things through as they’d walked. Unfortunately, they hadn’t really taken it. Tina had asked some things, but Tell had been distant and short in his replies, not so much that he wasn’t being forthcoming as that his mind was elsewhere.
Tell had a history with Perceval. He was a well-rounded prick and had been since before it had been fashionable.
Perceval had history with Daryll, though Tell knew scant little about it.
Perceval knew Isabella and Keon, and Tell needed to make sure that he kept Perceval away from Daryll’s house, because the only thing keeping Isabella hidden was her pseudonym and the fact that Perceval’s spies were either young or of a level of political significance that had kept them out of Keon’s courts.
Perceval’s involvement, while interesting and a source ofprogress, wasn’t going to change anything.
“He’s dealt me a whole new hand of cards,” Tell had mused at one point, almost out of nowhere. “I just have to figure out how to play them.”
And then he’d fallen silent again.
Tina had thought that she was growing used to wandering around cities after dark, perhaps even a bit amused at being one of the terrors that existed in such environments, but it was eerie, covering that much ground through some of the more suburban regions of Nashville, working off of Tell’s sense of direction alone; he said that they’d been on the interstate, so he was making up his way back on the surface roads.
She felt out of place, really, like she’d left the night world she belonged in and had ventured into one where night was a foreign thing, with its evenly spaced streetlights and blinded windows.
It was a relief to find the apartment building lit, and the men there waiting for them, even if the men hadn’t exactly been polite about it.
Driving up to Daryll’s house, Tell was still pensive and distant, and Tina found herself making rather consistent eye contact with the man in the passenger seat ahead of her.
It didn’t seem to bother him, so she didn’t let it bother her.
Daryll was standing on the front porch as they arrived, hands on hips.
“Where have you been?” he thundered as Tell got out of the car and waited for Tina to join him.
“Is this really necessary?” Tell answered, watching as the second car rolled up behind them and the other two men got out. “Making a scene isn’t going to change anything about what has happened or what will happen.”
Tina thought that that wasn’t actually categorically true, but she didn’t contradict him out loud.
“Get inside,” Daryll said, moving out of the way of the door and glaring. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“I’m sure we do,” Tell answered, following directions easily enough.
Isabella was waiting for them in Daryll’s office. Her eyes were sharp, and she said nothing as Daryll went to the executive side of the desk, moving like he was going to sit down, but was too agitated to manage it.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked. “Where have you been?”
“I was kidnapped as we were leaving the building by Perceval,” Tell said.
Well.
That was more forthright than Tina was expecting.
Daryll blinked, and Tell nodded.
“He made various, characteristic threats, and I have agreed to work for him, handing him any and all discoveries I make before I tell you about them.”
“But you aren’t going to have any of that,” Daryll said. “Crissy is going to oversee the data.”
Tell gave Daryll a patronizing look.
“You think I didn’t think of that?” he asked, going to sit down. It made Daryll look even more insecure, but contrast, but Daryll didn’t seem to notice. “I’m going to feed him a steady stream of excuses and delays mixed in with just enough hope to keep him waiting, and meanwhile we’re going to establish your client roster, so that you’re already selling and in with all of them by the time I tell him that it can’t be done and I’m giving up.”
Daryll went still.
