Free February by Gabrielle Lord

…’
    Criminal lawyer?
    ‘Is this the woman you think abducted you?’
    ‘You really know who it is?’
    He rolled his eyes at me. ‘I’m about ninety-nine percent sure it’s the same woman. I was watching this show last night, and the journalist said that Oriana—this woman,’ he said, shoving her picture in my face, ‘is notorious for taking on difficult and dangerous clients.’
    I must have recognised her distinct voice from seeing her on the news myself! ‘She’s difficult and dangerous!’ I said, with a half-laugh, thinking about the way she pushed me around and screamed at me the night I was abducted.
    ‘I saw it on TV last night—a current affairs program,’ continued Boges. ‘But, anyway, that wasn’t the first time I’d heard of her. Cal, anyone who takes an interest in what’s happening in the world, or at least in the city, would know about her.’
    It was true I didn’t take much notice of the news, although being on the run had changed that. Being part of the news, making headlines, had forced me to take an interest.
    ‘But why would a leading criminal lawyer become involved in a kidnapping?’
    ‘If you were going to commit a major crime, being a criminal lawyer would have to be a huge advantage, right?’
    ‘I guess it wouldn’t be the first time a criminal lawyer has given a new meaning to their title,’ I added.
    ‘Exactly, and a criminal lawyer would know all the traps, and Oriana would know better than anyone how to avoid them. So either she saw your photograph in the newspaper and wanted to adopt a lovely teen male just like you–’
    I glared at him.
    ‘Or,’ he continued, ‘she, herself, or a client of hers, is also after the Ormond secret. The DMO!’
    Oriana de la Force had made it very clear that the fortune Dad had hinted at in his letterto me was partly known to her. Too many people knew about it. Had he given too much away when he delivered his paper at the conference? The dangerous mystery of the Ormonds … How the hell was I supposed to compete against a brilliant lawyer like Oriana—a lawyer who would easily toss a kid off a cliff? And how could I stay alive when a criminal like Sligo, with all his wealth and underground connections, wanted me dead? I was just an ordinary kid! Well maybe not ordinary any more—but how was I going to win against these people? Luckily Oriana, at least, figured it was better to keep me alive. But for how long?
    ‘You know,’ said Boges, ‘I’ve never heard of anyone who’s had so many people after him—the cops, the infamous king of the underworld, a leading criminal lawyer—plus, and I know you hate hearing it, your own family think you’re some kind of monster. It’s messed up.’
    I looked up from checking the time on my phone to see Boges’s eyes huge in his frozen face. ‘Don’t move,’ he hissed through gritted teeth. ‘Don’t even think about turning round.’
    Without moving his lips, Boges muttered, ‘Your uncle and some other dude just sat down at the table behind you. Whatever you do, don’t turn around.’ 
    Rafe?! Frantic, I tried to think of a way through this. If Rafe spotted me, I was gone. Every instinct was saying run ! I hunched down, trying to shrink.
    Boges had also hunched down, hand to his head, as if he was thinking deeply. If Rafe spotted him , I’d be next. I slid down further in my seat.
    The two men behind me were deep in conversation.
    ‘I’ve given the matter a lot of thought,’ I heard my uncle’s voice behind me, barely above a whisper. ‘It’ll give her a sense of security that she won’t have while ever the house is still in my name.’
    ‘Have you thought about the implications of this?’ said the other man. ‘How are you going to protect your own interests?’
    ‘It’s Win’s interests I’m thinking of.’
    Win’s interests . Rafe was talking about my mum!
    ‘If she knew she had the house in her name, it would be a great load off her mind. She already has a