Aliens on Aventine Hill

Lola [Part 6]

Elias followed Derek with his eyes as he held the telephone handset to his ear. His partner disappeared out the door, still whistling a tune—headed off to the lunch date he had been eagerly awaiting all morning—and Elias quickly dialed the number from his pocketbook. He counted the rings with dread.

A subtle click interrupted the fourth, but there was no customary hello. Just silence.

Elias adjusted his grip on the handset, "Hello? I'm looking to speak to Grayson Blakesley."

"Remy's sleeping."

"Roman?"

"Mmhmm."

"Hello, Roman," Elias took a deep breath. "Would you go get your brother? It's really important I talk to him about something."

"What?"

"It's really important, Roman."

"Not Martin."

"No," Elias assured him. "It's not... that."

"Is it taken care of?"

The question was so emotionless, as if he were asking after a chore, not a crime. Elias needed a moment to sort himself, "It's taken care of."

"Mm."

"Now, would you please go get your brother?"

"He's sleeping."

Elias' brow wrinkled, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, "He didn't come in to work today. Is everything alright?"

"He's sick."

"Sick?" Elias' knuckles paled on the handset. He kept his voice low and slow, "What sort of sick, Roman? Is he hurt?"

"No. Stay-home-from-school-and-eat-soup sick."

Elias let out a sigh of relief, "OK."

"What do you need to tell Remy?"

Elias hesitated, "I don't know if I should tell you, Roman. It's..." grown-up talk, he wanted to say, but he couldn't help thinking of the little boy coming up to him in the library and blurting: Martin's dead. The body's in the river. He shifted uncomfortably, "Listen, I was thinking that I might come over tonight."

Roman audibly stiffened.

"I need to tell your brother—and you—the truth," Elias forced the words out, "about myself. And I'm hoping that maybe your brother—and you—will tell me the truth about what's going on with you two."

"You're too late."

Elias' heart stopped, "What?"

"You're too late. You can't come over tonight."

"Why not?"

"Lola's coming over tonight."

Elias cursed under his breath. No choice but to tell him now. "Roman, I need you to listen to me very carefully. Are you listening?"

"Yes."

"Be very careful around Lola tonight. Both you and your brother. She..." he heard Derek in the back of his head: Do you have any proof? "I'm worried she may not have your best interests at heart."

"Why?"

Elias bristled, "It's hard to explain, but I promise I will later, OK? For tonight, I just need you to promise me that you and your brother won't eat any of the food she brings over. Just to be safe."

"OK."

"Just remember: No food," Elias nodded, "for you or your brother." He took a deep breath, "I'll be by later tonight, after she leaves, and we'll lay all the cards out on the table. OK, Roman? Roman?"