Page 98 of Tell No One
“You didn’t stay to the end. We had some disappointed people. Why did you really run?”
Tag glanced around as if he was checking no one was listening. For all he knew, Barker had someone in here. “I already told you. I hadn’t planned to, but fucking a single bloke was one thing, having to go with a whole lot of them… Not what I wanted. I came up with hide-and-seek to give me chance but I figured you’d find me. A bit earlier, you’d offered me money if I ran. Not my fault you couldn’t find me.”
“You didn’t go to York?”
Tag gave a short laugh. “You fell for that? Yeah, well when I managed to get away, I knew you’d be pissed off so I laid a trail in case you lot came looking for me. I don’t have family in York. I like living in London, but I should have gone somewhere else. Miscalculation.”
“It was smart.”
“Not smart enough since you found me.” Tag pushed to his feet. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“Sit down.” Feely grabbed his wrist. “Don’t make a scene.”
Tag hesitated, then sat.
“You’re not going to get paid the full thousand for that night because you left, but I’ll pay you something. The job I’m thinking of is working in the garden at Harborne House. You’ll get room and board.”
“I don’t know anything about gardens.”
“You can learn.”
Tag swallowed. “No more pony club?”
“Not if you don’t want to. Though you could be a trainer.”
Tag shook his head. “Nah, this is a trick. You don’t like me. Why would you want me to work for you?”
“You’re an annoying little shit, but you have pluck. I can make use of you.”
“How much are you going to pay me?”
“Ten pounds an hour. Cash.”
Tag chewed his lip, then shook his head. “No.” He couldn’t make this look too easy.
“Well how about this then? I tell the police that you stole money from Harborne House and ran without your things when we discovered what was happening. We have your phone, your wallet… Perhaps you stole from me?”
“Carrot then a stick? Couldn’t you have sweetened the carrot?”
Feely laughed. “I do like you. Fine. Fifteen pounds an hour.”
“And no pony play?”
“No pony play.”
Tag felt he’d made this look as realistic as he could. “Okay.”
15
Delaney was in his London flat when the call came from Norbury.
“Da,” Delaney said.
“Vadim. How are you?”
“Good. And you?”
“Fine, thank you, and I have news for you. Our missing pony has been found.”
