“Yes, and why do you think that was?” Tarkie sounds so forceful, I jump. “I’m sorry,” he backtracks immediately. “I didn’t mean to lose my cool like that.”
Tarkie is such a gentleman. I’ve barely ever heard him even snap before. My head is spinning with worry and distress, and all I can think is: Suze.
“Tarkie, you have to talk to Suze,” I say. “Please. She’s so worried about you, she’s in a total state—”
“I can’t talk to her,” Tarkie interrupts me. “Not right now. Becky, I can’t cope with her. She’s so irrational. She makes accusations, she jumps down my throat….I needed to get away. Your father is wonderful. He’s so balanced.”
“But Suze needs you!”
“I’ll be back. We’ll only be a few days.”
“She needs you now!”
“Well, maybe our marriage needs some time apart!” he practically shouts.
There’s nothing I can say to that. I just stand there, quivering in shock, trying to think of how to turn this conversation around to a better place.
“So…why did you phone?” I say finally.
“I think you should warn Alicia about Bryce. I’ve found out what he’s up to.”
“Oh wow.” My heart starts to beat faster. We’ve all known Bryce was up to no good—but what is it? A cult? A secret organization? Oh God, he’s not a terrorist, is he?
“Bryce has been trying to get money out of me for a while. He talked of his ‘cause,’ but he was secretive as to what exactly this ‘cause’ was.”
My heart lurches. A “cause.” Oh my God, it’s true. I stare at the phone in dread, imagining Bryce yelling instructions at a secret army of followers at a training camp in South America. Or hacking into Google, maybe.
“Now he’s finally revealed the truth,” Tarkie continues. “And his plan is…”
“Yes?” I prompt breathlessly.
“To set up a rival center to Golden Peace.”
“Oh,” I say, after a short silence. “Oh, right.”
I have to confess: I feel just a tad let down. I mean, obviously I’m glad Bryce isn’t a terrorist or cult leader…but still. A new business venture. Bor-ing.
“He’s been collecting a database of former clients of Golden Peace, many of whom were unhappy with their experience,” Tarquin is telling me. “He’s been working on it secretly. Alicia and her husband should watch out. Bryce is going to be extremely aggressive. I’m not the only person he’s targeting for money, so I’m sure he’ll succeed.”
“Oh,” I say again. “Well, I’ll tell Alicia.”
All my adrenaline has faded away. So Bryce is going into competition with Alicia. So what? I’m far more concerned with Tarkie and what he’s up to with my dad. And what’s going on with Tarkie and Suze. And what on earth I do now.
I’m in an impossible situation, I suddenly realize. If I warn Alicia about Bryce’s business venture, she’ll say, How did you find out? and I’ll have to admit I’ve spoken to Tarkie, and Suze will go mad.
“Tarkie, can’t you tell me what you’re up to with my dad?” The words tumble out. “Please?”
“Becky…” Tarkie hesitates. “Your father is a good man. And he’s very protective. He doesn’t want you to know what he’s doing. Personally, I can’t see why, but perhaps you should respect that.” I can hear a noise down the line, which sounds like a car engine starting. “I’m sorry, I have to go. But please don’t worry.”
“Tarkie, wait!” I cry, but the phone goes dead, and I stand stock still, digesting what I’ve just heard.
“Becky?” I look up to see Luke in front of me. “Who on earth was that? You look deathly.”
“It was Tarquin,” I say miserably. “Oh, Luke, I don’t think he’s having a nervous breakdown at all. He’s having a marital breakdown. He says he needs to spend some time away from Suze…things aren’t going well between them….” I gulp. “What do I say to Suze?”
“Nothing,” says Luke at once. “Do not get involved in their relationship. She’ll just transfer all her anger onto you.”
“He said she was…” I swallow. “Irrational.”
“Well,” says Luke drily. “I think Suze is going through a pretty odd phase. But if you tell her she’s irrational, your friendship will definitely be at an end.”
We’re silent for a moment. My stomach is churning, over and over. I hate this situation. I want someone to blame, but I’m not sure I can blame even Alicia for this.
“It’s all so horrible,” I say miserably.
“This is big stuff. It’s hard.” Luke wraps his arms around me tight and kisses my forehead. I sink into his embrace and breathe in his familiar scent: part aftershave, part laundered shirt, part Luke.
“Oh, and by the way, Bryce isn’t running a cult after all,” I tell him gloomily. “He’s trying to rip off Alicia. Tarkie wants me to warn her. But how can I? I can’t say, Guess what? Tarkie just rang me!”
“It’s awkward,” Luke agrees.
The idea suddenly hits me. “Luke, you tell Alicia. Say you heard it on the grapevine. Keep me out of it.”
“Oh no, no.” Luke shakes his head with a short laugh. “I’m not getting into this.”
“Please,” I wheedle. “Please, Luke.”
What’s the point of having a husband if he won’t cover your back once in a while? I mean, it’s practically in the vows.
There’s silence as Luke pours himself a grapefruit juice. Then he looks up with a sigh.
“OK, I’ll do it. But, Becky, you’re going to have to tell Suze sometime that you spoke to Tarquin. These things have a habit of coming out.”
“I know.” I nod fervently. “I will. But I can’t right now. She’ll murder me.”
“What else did he say?”
“Not a lot. My father’s a good man, apparently.”
“Well, we knew that.” Luke laughs at my expression. “Becky, cheer up. It’s good news, remember? A day ago we thought Tarquin had been kidnapped and left for dead.”
“Yes, but it’s all so complicated.” Dolefully, I select a pain au chocolat, an almond croissant, and a Danish whirl. I’ll put one in my bag for later, in case Minnie needs a snack. “And what do we do now? You know what I think? If Tarkie’s fine and Dad doesn’t want us to find him, I think we should just go home.”
“Right.” Luke nods thoughtfully. “Good point. Do you want to say that to your mother or shall I?”
—
OK, so that was a nonstarter. I should have realized Mum was never going to agree to go home in a million years. By the end of what you could call an “animated discussion” (the waitstaff had to ask us to keep it down), we’ve reached a compromise. We’ll go to see Dad’s other old friend, the one in Tucson. Raymond Earle. And if we can’t find anything out from him, we’ll go back to L.A. and wait for Dad to return.
Whereupon, no doubt, Dad will refuse to say what he was up to. And it will be one of the great unsolved puzzles of our time. And Mum will nearly expire in rage. But, as Luke keeps telling me, that’s not my problem.
We’re all up at the buffet again now, having a last go-round. I can’t believe I’m putting yet more food on my plate, but there’s just so much. Every time you think I’ve had everything, you turn a corner and see some huge pile of fresh waffles, or chicken skewers, or chocolate-covered strawberries, and a bit of your brain shouts, I’ve paid for this! I need to eat it! even while the other bit is moaning, I’m full! Take it awaaaay!
I pour a glass of milk for Minnie and glance over at Suze, who’s getting some juice on the other side of the counter. My whole body is tense with guilt. I’ve never had secrets from Suze before.