Read Online Matala by Craig Holden - Free Book Online

least—which is to say I’m not nobody, unlike some of the people at this table.”
    â€œHoly shit,” Justine said. “Don’t you have a train to catch, little girl? Back to your nanny and your little chums?”
    â€œI’m not the one with little friends,” she said.
    â€œAre you referring to Maurice? Little? Hardly, dear. Not someone you want to mess about with.”
    â€œReally? Is he in the same league as you two big-timers? Or does he at least make enough to get by? I’ll tell you, I’m impressed. Con artist central, here we are.”
    It was then, of course, that I began to see how badly we’d misjudged. I didn’t know the full extent of it yet, but I felt it. It made me cold at first, chilly. My stomach knotted and unknotted. Not that there was anything really dangerous about it; it was just that we’d misread things so badly. It hadn’t happened before.
    Justine, on the other hand, couldn’t stop the act. She put on a shocked expression and said, “What?”
    Darcy sat back in her chair and laughed, and I had to suppress a smile lest Justine see it.
    â€œWhat do you call it? Grifting? Scamming? How much of an idiot—Is anyone really as stupid as you’ve taken me to be?”
    Now Justine just sat, saying nothing. Waiting for it. I didn’t know if what I was feeling was excitement or illness.
    â€œYou think I went out to that toilet you call a hostel because I wanted a glass of bad wine? Because I was swept off my feet? I have to admit I didn’t see the spike coming. That was good. That was surprising. Weirdly vicious, I have to say. Way over the top. Sick, even, but effective. I’ll give you that. What was it?”
    Justine flicked off an ash and said, “GHB.”
    â€œNobody ever taught you how to pick a stupid pocketbook? You’ve got to knock someone out to steal their money? Jesus. What else did you do to me?”
    Justine shook her head and said, “Nothing, dear. We made sure you were safe.”
    â€œWell, thank you. So was there a plan? Milk the rich bitch as long as she lets you? Let her buy your tickets and your meals and your hotel room until she gets tired of it and goes back where she belongs?”
    I nodded without realizing I was doing it. Justine didn’t move.
    â€œYou’re kidding, really, right? I was kidding. That’s even more pathetic than I thought. I mean I was waiting for something. Some idea. You know, you call Daddy Warbucks and tell him you’re holding Annie, and if he doesn’t cough up a hundred grand, you’ll snuff her. Something. I mean, God, all this for a train ticket and a room? Who are you people?”
    â€œAll right,” Justine said. “Shut up, okay?”
    Darcy looked out the window again.
    â€œWho are you?” Justine asked her then.
    â€œI’m only who I said I was: a girl from Ohio who’s on a tour of the great art and architecture of Europe. And bored of it and wanting some distraction.”
    â€œWell, I guess you got some.”
    â€œI guess I did. Can I ask you something? Why didn’t you take that money he put down here?”
    â€œBecause I’d owe him even more than I do now. And I hate owing him anything.”
    â€œThen why don’t you do something about it? For starters, get your hands on as much of his cash as you can.”
    â€œWho—What do you know about any of this?”
    â€œMore than you’d guess, Madre . I know he’s as much of a chump as you are. He’s just got you scared for some reason.”
    â€œOh, stop, will you?”
    â€œI could get money out of him tonight before we leave here—lots of it.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThen do it.”
    Darcy pulled her hands from beneath the table and laid the leather file on it.
    â€œOh,” Justine said, “fucking hell. Are you insane?”
    â€œI might be,” Darcy said.