Page 57 of Tell No One
Tag shrugged. “I could have but I can get everything I own into two bags. I did put the model I’m working on in the bag I packed, but I can’t cart fragile stuff around with me.”
“It’s a shame.”
“Yeah, well… I get more of a thrill watching something emerge from a lump of grey clay than I do from staring at the finished piece. I’ve learned a lot from working with it.”
“Such as?” Delaney was still playing with Tag’s hair and Tag was going to keep talking while he was doing that. It was so calming.
“I learnt to be patient. You can’t hurry clay. You have to wait for it to be ready for the next step. Same as when you put pieces in the kiln. Before I’d even handled clay, I’d already learnt that life doesn’t always work out the way you’d like it to and that’s definitely true with clay. It cracks, sometimes falls to pieces or handles fall off, and no matter how well you measured, you find lids don’t fit or bowls turn out different sizes, or colours don’t work. You just have to learn from your mistakes and start again. Sometimes it’s not even a mistake, it’s just bad luck. If that’s not the biggest lesson in life, I don’t know what is. If things go wrong, you pick yourself up and try again.”
Delaney was staring at him now and Tag swallowed hard.
“What did you do to get sent to a YOI?”
“What’s your real name? Bernard? Gilbert? Is that your real voice?”
Delaney’s fingers dropped from Tag’s hair. Tag turned to the window.
Countryside changed to suburbs, shades of grey began to dominate the swathes of variegated green, and more people boarded the train, though not enough to require them to move their backpacks.
“Use cash for everything,” Delaney said. “Wait for me to call. It could be a long wait. Try to stay somewhere public. Maybe Regent’s Park.”
“Okay. Try not to get killed. It’ll really piss me off.”
Delaney chuckled. “The moment we step onto the platform, we’re not together.”
Tag nodded.
“And keep your face turned away from the cameras.”
When they pulled into London Bridge station, Delaney got off before him and strode away. No kiss. Tag wondered if that was it.
***
Delaney looked back when he got to the end of the platform. Almost as if Tag sensed he was looking, he met Delaney’s gaze, gave a small smile and looked away.Will I ever see him again?For Tag’s sake, he hoped he didn’t. Delaney wished Tag would run with the money, but suspected he wouldn’t.
Once he was out of the station and away from the noise and bustle, he walked down towards the river and called Henry.
“Delaney. About time.”
“Good morning to you too.”
“How is everything?”
“Is this line secure?”
Henry gave a quiet chuckle. “Strange thing to ask.”
“Are you alone in your office?”
“Yes.”
“Do me a favour and go to the cafeteria. Don’t sit with anyone. I’ll call you back. Don’t tell anyone I’ve called.”
Delaney ended the call before Henry started to protest. He found a place to stand where he wasn’t under the eye of a camera or near the ears of those passing. He really wanted to trust Henry. But he knew it was possible that Henry was at that moment telling someone—probably Barker—that he’d phoned and was phoning back.
He waited a few more minutes, then called Henry again.
“Hello,” Henry said.
