Portraits of the Forsaken

by E. E. Holmes

“I mean we can’t bloody find her! We don’t know where she is!” Savvy said. Her voice was rising now, a note of hysteria present in it.

  “Sav, take a deep breath and walk me through it.”

  I heard Savvy pull in a long, slow breath and blow it out. “You remember I told you last night that she was supposed to come on the five o’clock train? Well, I figured she just forgot—I mean, she’s not the brightest, you know that. I called her after you left this morning, but the phone just rang and rang. Then it just started going right to her voicemail, like someone had shut it off.”

  I frowned. “That’s weird.”

  “That’s what I thought, too,” Savvy said. “So, then I rang Phoebe’s mum, and she says Phoebe made the train. Said she drove her to the station herself and watched her get on!”

  “Huh. Did she talk to her at all after that?”

  “Yeah, she said that Phoebe rang her when she got to Paddington Station. She was complaining that Bertie couldn’t pick her up like he usually does, and she said all the cabbies were rude and she didn’t know how to work her rideshare app, even though we walked her through it a dozen times. Then she said something like, ‘Oh this must be him,’ and hung up. So, her mum assumed she got her ride, and that was the last she heard from her. That was a little before four o’clock yesterday afternoon.”

  “But then she never got to your flat,” I said.

  “That’s right!” Savvy said. “She always comes by for dinner when she gets to the city. And I just keep thinking, what if she just got in some random bloke’s car? I mean, she’s just such a duffer, and I’m afraid someone a bit dodgy might have taken advantage of her, you know?”

  “Okay, okay, let’s not jump to conclusions,” I said, as reasonably as I could, though my mind had made the very same leap as Savvy’s. “There could still be a logical explanation for this. Does she stay with you when she comes to the city?”

  “Nah, we can’t stand each other, and anyway there’s no room in my flat,” Savvy said, dismissively. “She always takes a room at this little hotel in Mayfair, and we do the Crossing there. It’s private, and there’s no chance of getting interrupted by my sisters or my fool of a mum asking us if we want something to eat.”

  “Well, have you called the hotel?” I asked.

  “Yeah, and the old biddy on the phone just keeps saying, ‘I’m sorry but I can’t reveal patron information, for privacy reasons,’” Savvy said, imitating the woman’s snooty voice. “Won’t even tell me if she’s checked in or anything!”

  “Is Bertie back? Have you told him?”

  “Yeah, he got back not long after you left. He’s headed to the hotel now, to see if he can get some more answers than I got,” Savvy said.

  “Well, there you go,” I said, more confidently than I felt. It was Bertie, after all. “I’m sure he’ll figure it out.”

  “I suppose, but… I just can’t shake off this horrible feeling,” Savvy said. “And Phoebe’s mum is ringing me up every ten bloody minutes demanding to know if I’ve called the coppers yet, no matter how many times I try to tell her that we don’t like to get the cops involved in Durupinen matters. I don’t fancy getting the coppers involved in any matters, come to that.”

  “Don’t worry about the cops,” I said. “If Bertie can’t figure it out on his own, the other Caomhnóir and the Trackers can help him. It’ll be okay, Sav. Honestly, she probably just lost her phone or fell asleep at the hotel.”

  “In the meantime, what am I supposed to do about this Crossing?” Savvy asked, sounding exasperated. “I can’t exactly do it myself, can I?”

  “No, you can’t,” I agreed. “It’s just one Crossing, Sav. I’m sure Hannah and I could come help, if you’ve got any spirits hanging around. But maybe you should call over to Fairhaven and see what Siobhán recommends, just in case? There might be a protocol for missing a Crossing. I’m not sure.”

  “Yeah, all right, then,” Savvy said, still sounding exasperated. “There’s at least one spirit who’s been nagging me something awful the last few days. If we don’t get this sorted by tonight, you think you and Hannah could come by and help me out?”

  “No problem,” I told her. “And keep me posted. I can put in a call to the Trackers’ office if Bertie wants help.”

  “Yeah, all right,” Savvy said. “Cheers, mate. I’ll ring you later.” She hung up before I could reply. Trying to shake off the uneasy feeling Savvy had left me with, I buried myself back in the book.

  What felt like a moment later, a soft knock on my door jolted me from a doze. I glanced at the clock. It was almost three o’clock in the afternoon.

  “Jess? Are you awake?” Hannah’s gentle voice called.

  “I am now,” I said. “Come on in.”

  She peeked around the door, her expression contrite. “Sorry about that.”

  “No problem. I wasn’t asleep on purpose. I just nodded off,” I said, marking my place in the book and laying it aside.

  Hannah looked down at the cover, which was written in Gaelic. She frowned. “I thought we agreed you weren’t going to torture yourself with those?”

  “I’m not torturing myself,” I insisted. “I’m arming myself with knowledge. Finn asked for my help, and I want to be helpful. So, I’m going to learn as much about the príosún as I can, not to torture myself, but to hopefully be a better resource.”

  Hannah gave me a little smile and nodded. “That sounds… healthier.”

  I laughed. “Yup, that’s me. The glowing picture of mental health.”

  “Hopefully Bertie will be able to help, too,” Hannah said. “I wonder if Savvy’s had a chance to talk to him yet.”

  “Oh, yeah, I talked to Savvy a little while ago,” I said, suddenly remembering. I filled Hannah in on everything that Savvy had told me about the situation with Phoebe.

  She furrowed her brow. “Hmmm. That is kind of odd, isn’t it?”

  I shrugged. “Phoebe is a bit… well…”

  “Naïve?” Hannah suggested.

  “You’re a better person than I am. I was going to say dumb as a rock.”

  Hannah smacked me on the arm, which I allowed, because I deserved it.

  “Well, I’m sure Bertie will track her down,” Hannah said, though she didn’t sound sure at all.

  “Let’s hope so,” I said grimly.

  “I was just checking to see if you were hungry. I made soup,” Hannah said.

  Although I hadn’t thought about food even once since I’d started reading, my stomach suddenly snarled ferociously, and I realized just how hungry I was.

  “Yeah, that sounds great,” I told her gratefully.

  Out in the living room, Tia was standing in front of Milo, who was circling her and looking thoughtful.

  “Yes to the earrings, they are fierce, but only if you take your hair out of the braid and wear it down,” he announced.

  Tia bit her lip. “But the braid is…”

  “Safe,” Milo said bluntly. “The braid is safe. It’s study-group safe. It’s lab goggle safe. We’re not going for safe. We’re going for unforgettable. Hair. Down. Now.”

  He reached out and, with a grunt and a burst of energy, he popped the elastic at the bottom of Tia’s braid. Her hair untwisted and twirled. Milo created a chilly breeze as he waved his hands around until Tia’s hair fell, in shiny waves, onto her shoulders.

  “What’s going on?” I asked. “Is Tia joining the blog model crew?”

  Tia looked horrified. “No! Milo’s just helping me get ready. I’m meeting Charlie for a movie and then a bite to eat, neither of which involve a red carpet.” She looked back at Milo with her eyebrows raised.

  “Sweetness, everyone I style is paparazzi ready at all times,” Milo said. “You can thank me later.”

  “I’ll thank you now,” Tia said, breaking into a grudging smile.

  Milo gave an elaborate sort of twirling curtsey and sashayed back to the kitchen to hover over Hannah while she ladled soup into bowls.

  “Wh
at time are you meeting him?” I asked Tia.

  “In a few minutes. He’s picking me up, actually,” she said. She avoided my eyes as she said it, but I could see her cheeks rounded in a smile as she bent down to pick up her purse.

  I could think of about a dozen things I wanted to say to her: that I loved seeing that smile on her face, that her happiness made me feel less empty, that Charlie couldn’t possibly understand what a ridiculously sweet and wonderful person he now had the privilege to spend time with. But when she looked up at me, I just winked at her and said, “Have a great time.”

  My phone buzzed in my sweatshirt pocket, making me jump. I fished it out and saw that Savvy was calling me.

  “Hey, Sav, what’s—”

  “I need your help, Jess.” Her voice was tense, anxious.

  “What’s going on? Did Bertie find Phoebe yet?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. He was supposed to be heading over there when I talked to you. He promised to call me when he talked to the woman at the hotel, but I can’t get ahold of him either now. It’s been hours,” she said. She sounded close to tears. I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard her sound so close to losing it.

  “Okay, okay, Sav, take a deep breath. I’m here, how can I help?” I said, in the calmest voice I could muster. From across the room, Hannah looked up, a bowl of soup in each hand and a frown of concern on her face.

  “Can you come with me? I want to go over to that hotel myself and figure out what’s going on, but I don’t want to go alone,” she said.

  “Of course, I’ll come with you,” I said. “Just let me throw some clothes on, and I’ll be right over.”

  “Do… do you think Ambrose could come, too?” Savvy asked. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t ask, I know he’s a wanker, but… I have a really bad feeling about this whole thing, Jess. It just don’t sit right.”

  “It’s okay, Sav, don’t apologize. This is exactly the kind of thing we have Caomhnóir for. Of course, I’ll ask him. I’ll be at your place as soon as I can.”

  “Cheers, mate,” Savvy said, and hung up.

  “What’s going on with Savvy?” Hannah asked.

  “Bertie went out to find Phoebe, but now Savvy can’t get in touch with him, either,” I told her, jumping up from the couch. “She asked if I would go over to Phoebe’s hotel with her. She really sounds like she’s freaking out.”

  “I’m coming, too,” Hannah said, abandoning the soup bowls on the counter. “I want to help.”

  “Hey, if you two are going, I’m there, too,” Milo said.

  “Good. The more the better,” I said. I had no objections. I could feel Savvy’s nervousness seeping into my own thoughts, making them chase each other around inside my head as I groped for a logical explanation.

  “What’s going on?” Tia asked, looking from one of us to another.

  “Hopefully nothing,” I said over my shoulder as I jogged into my room to change. “Savvy’s having trouble getting in touch with Phoebe. I’m sure it’s just a miscommunication.”

  “Can I do anything to help?” Tia asked, twisting her hands together. She was too perceptive not to pick up on the fact that the situation was more serious than I was allowing.

  “Yes, you can,” I said, reemerging from my room, having swapped my sweatpants for a pair of tattered black jeans. “Have a fantastic time. We’ll see you when you get back, by which time I’m sure everything will be completely sorted out.”

  Hannah hastily poured the soup back into the pot and shoved the pot into the refrigerator before saying to Tia, “Obviously, Charlie is welcome here any time, but do you think you could hold off on hanging out here tonight? It’s the full moon, so…”

  “Oh, right!” Tia said, nodding. “Your Crossing. No problem. I wasn’t planning to bring him back here or… or anything.” Her face went bright pink at all the unspoken implications.

  “Great, well, tell him we said hi,” I told her, sliding my feet into a pair of purple Converse sneakers and grabbing my keys and wallet out of the bowl on the entryway table.

  “I will,” Tia called after us. “Tell Savvy I said good luck! I’m sure everything will be fine!”

  I gave Tia a quick wave and ushered Hannah and Milo out before pulling the door shut. I stopped in front of Ambrose’s door and pounded on it.

  “He’s not home,” Hannah said at once.

  “He’s not?” I asked. “Where the hell did he go?”

  “Out for a run,” Hannah said. “He stopped by on his way out, while you were sleeping. I figured it was fine, since we weren’t supposed to be going anywhere.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Typical. Can’t fucking escape him ninety-nine percent of the time, and the one time I actually need him for something, he’s not here. Come on, then. We’ll take the Tube and have him meet us.”

  I hurried down the stairs, pulled the door open, and walked smack into Charlie. He stumbled back and we both fell into the railing, catching hold of each other before we toppled off the front stoop.

  “Jesus! Charlie, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were standing there!” I gasped as we righted ourselves.

  “No worries, no worries,” Charlie said with a laugh. “Although if you don’t want me dating your flatmate, you needn’t tackle me. I can take a hint.”

  I gave a half-hearted chuckle. “Yeah, I’ve never been known for my subtlety.”

  “Where are you off to in such a hurry, if it’s not presumptuous to ask?” he asked, looking at Hannah and me curiously.

  It was presumptuous to ask, but he couldn’t possibly know that, the poor guy. “We’re heading out to help a friend with something,” I said. “Just going to catch the Tube.”

  “Would you like a lift to the station?” Charlie asked, hitching a thumb over his shoulder to a van parked right over his shoulder. It was black and had the museum logo painted on the side. “I realize it’s not the most stylish ride, but it does the trick.”

  “That’s really nice of you, thanks,” I said. “But we can walk. Besides, four is a crowd on date night.”

  Charlie shrugged. “Suit yourselves, then.” He stifled a yawn behind his hand.

  “You sure you’re going to be able to stay awake for a whole movie?” I asked him, giving him a skeptical look. “No offense, but you look more tired than I do.”

  “The study of medicine is not for the faint of heart or the lovers of sleep,” Charlie said solemnly. “On the bright side, I’ve successfully memorized all the enzymes in the body.”

  “Good for you,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “And there’s coffee up there if you need it.” I considered for a moment warning him that I’d murder him in his sleep if he treated the girl waiting for him upstairs with anything less than borderline religious reverence, but decided that might come off a tad overbearing. “Well, I hope you and Tia have a great night!” I said instead, and took off down the sidewalk before I said something that would get me in trouble with Tia.

  I waited until we rounded the corner onto Portobello Road before I pulled out my phone and called Ambrose.

  “Ambrose,” he grunted, by way of greeting. He sounded winded. I must have caught him mid-run.

  “Hey, Ambrose, it’s Jess.”

  “I know that. What do you need?” he replied.

  “Where are you right now?” I asked.

  There was a pause. Then he said, “Abbotsbury Road, west side of Holland Park.”

  “How far away is that?” I asked.

  “Mile and a half,” Ambrose said.

  “When you get back to the flat, I need you to bring the car and come meet us at a hotel in Hackney,” I said.

  “What on earth would you want to go to a hotel in Hackney for?” Ambrose asked, sounding truly mystified now.

  “We promised Savvy we’d go with her. It’s where her cousin Phoebe is supposed to be staying.” Quickly, I filled him in on what was going on.

  “Why hasn’t the Council been notified?” Ambrose asked sharply. “A missing Durupinen is
not a matter to be taken lightly.”

  “We don’t know if she’s missing or not,” I snapped at him. “And we won’t know until we can find out whether she’s checked in to the hotel.”

  “Why don’t you let the Trackers handle this?” Ambrose suggested.

  “I am a Tracker,” I practically yelled at him. “Do I need to get it tattooed on my forehead for you to remember that little detail?”

  “I just meant… the full-time Trackers… the ones with more experience would be better suited to—”

  “Look, if we get there and she’s nowhere to be found, I’ll bring in the entire Tracker department,” I said waspishly. “But right now, it might just be a miscommunication, okay?”

  “Yeah, yeah, all right then,” Ambrose grumbled, finally admitting defeat. “I’m headed back to the flat now. Where is this hotel?”

  “Savvy said it’s just a few blocks from her flat. That’s where we’re meeting her. Just head toward Hackney and I’ll text you the address when I get it from her,” I told him.

  “Right. Don’t do anything stupid, all right? If anything seems dodgy, just wait until I get there.”

  “Yeah, yeah, the helpless females will just wring our hands until you arrive,” I snapped, and hung up the phone. “He’ll meet us there,” I told Hannah and Milo, who were both trailing along in my wake as I continued to plow down the sidewalk.

  “Do you think we should just wait for him, and we can all go over together?” Hannah asked, a bit breathless from walking so fast.

  “No,” I said bluntly. She didn’t bother arguing with me—or maybe she just didn’t have the extra breath to.

  When we arrived at Savvy’s building, she was already sitting outside on the stoop waiting for us, chain-smoking cigarettes.

  “Cheers, you three,” she said, standing up at once.

  “No problem,” I said. “Have you heard from Bertie?”

  “No. Still not answering his mobile. I can’t think of a single time he hasn’t picked up on the first ring whenever I’ve needed a word.”

  “There’s lots of good reasons not to answer a phone,” Hannah said soothingly. “I’m sure everything’s fine.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s make sure, eh?” Savvy said.