Page 54 of Never Never

“Makes sense,” Kit says. “Someone throwing around money is low-hanging fruit for the house. And it’s not like they don’t surveil the hell out of those places. They can probably ID a whale in thirty seconds.”

I rub my forehead, processing. “Well, great. Except for the part where I don’t have money to throw around.” And basically all the other parts, too.

“Wait, wait.” Kit lowers his coffee. “You weren’t seriously going to go by yourself, were you?”

“I…” Am I actually going to do this?

It feels like I can’t not. Not if I know it might lead me to whoever did this. I’d hate myself for not going. I’d hate myself for being chicken.

I’d hate myself for bragging to Pan for nothing. For not showing him up.

But what was my plan, exactly?

Because Kit’s right, even if he doesn’t really know it: I can’t handle going by myself, and there’s no point in denying it. I could invite Zuzu, I guess—but no, she’s Krye’s fucking daughter and more than likely to set off alarm bells if—when—anyone recognizes her. Plus, she doesn’t exactly blend in.

“I don’t know,” I admit.

“No way,” Fox says. “For something like that? You—you need backup.” He looks at his brother, and in a split second they seem to have an entire, wordless conversation. Then he fixes his big, kind eyes on me. “I’ll go.”

“What?” I shake my head vigorously. “No, Fox—” My chest aches. “You can’t, you don’t have to⁠—”

“C’mon, I totally can,” Fox says. “I told you I wanted to help Wendy.”

“But—”

“And I have some extra cash, too.” Fox snaps his fingers with a grin, excitement quickening his words. Or maybe just the caffeine-and-sugar combo. “Wait, this is perfect. I can be the whale, and Tink can be my, uh…” His ears go red, and he clears his throat. “Anyway. I’d be so good at it, I promise. I’d blend right in. Unlike some people,” he adds, glancing at Kit and the snake tattoo that coils up the side of his neck.

“None taken,” Kit says. “I chose the design. The distinguishing characteristics are my cross to bear.” He wrinkles his nose. “Besides, I fucking hate casinos.”

You and me both, I think. “Thanks, Fox,” I say. “But you really⁠—”

“No problem,” Fox interrupts, and the rest of my …really don’t have to dies in my mouth. “So when do you wanna go? Tomorrow? Tonight? Because I really just need a few minutes to⁠—”

The jingle of the shop bell cuts him off. Pan, Blue, and Wendy clatter in through the door, a warm gust of tar-scented street air at their back.

“Oh,” Pan says. “Well. Good morning.”

He looks as rough as I feel—or no, worse, like he hasn’t even slept, and maybe he hasn’t—hair in disarray, eyes bleary. And yet he’s somehow upbeat, despite it all, clutching a paper takeout bag from Pancake Hut. Just to his side, Wendy slurps on a styrofoam to-go cup that’s half as tall as she is.

“Morning yourself,” Kit says, his eyes falling to Wendy—Wendy, who, I realize, I didn’t even check on when I woke up. And she’s been gone this whole time.

“We went out,” Wendy explains. “Pan offered.”

“Whatcha got there?” Fox says, craning his neck.

“Breakfast milkshake,” Wendy replies. “It’s a thing.”

Blue snorts.

“We did, indeed, go out for breakfast,” Pan affirms, striding into the center of the lounge proper and dropping his doggy bag on the table—right next to my coffee, I notice. “Early birds and early worms and whatnot.” He stretches his arms overhead, yawning theatrically, and then snaps back into place. “You all getting a jump on the day too, I take it?”

He doesn’t actually smirk, not quite, but still. Something in his voice makes my skin prickle. Like he wants to needle at me after last night.

Well, I’m not giving him the satisfaction.

“Yeah, actually,” I say, ignoring how hoarse my voice comes out. I nod across the room at Fox and Kit. “These guys were just telling me how good my plan sounds.”

Kit’s eyes widen behind his glasses. These guys? he mouths. But I ignore him.