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“But—”
Mikhail cuts me off. “We’re doing everything we can. Once Enzo finds the van, he’ll let us know. Or that green haired fucker decides to show his face again.”
“Maybe he took her because of how funny Lara is,” I grumble as I follow him.
Mikhail stops and stares hard at me over his mask. “Are you joking?”
I shake my head. “She makes me laugh all of the time. Is that how clowns are made? They just take people? I don’t know anyone who grew upwantingto be one.”
This void in my chest is gnawing at me.
It’s like my skin doesn’t fit right anymore and bugs keep crawling through the gaps.
Mikhail drops his head and doesn’t answer, but pulls me with him.
He drives us to the airport and through the side gate to his plane.
“I don’t feel like jumping today.” My favorite reason was so I could hope to catch a glimpse of Lara standing on the deck of the cabin.
“You’re gonna be my co-pilot.” He hands me a headset and points to the seat next to him.
“Why are we doing this? We should be looking for Lara.” Only half of what I say makes it into the mic as I slide it in front of my mouth.
He calls in to the tower and idles us onto the runway before glancing at me. “Sometimes, you work best when you don’t know you’re working.”
Pushing the throttle, the g force pushes me back into the chair.
I usually like this part. The anticipation of a dive always makes my heart beat faster.
Today, it just feels like I’m running away.
As the trees grow smaller, I can hear the static before he talks.
“I want you to tell me about why you wanted a clown.” Mikhail banks us away from the cabin.
“To make Lara happy.” Easy.
“Why did you want to make her happy?” He prods.
“I knew she’d be upset about Niki and Mila. She was already mad about Zoya and your sister.” I can’t get the image of the tears in Lara’s eyes out of my head.
Fuck, I need her back.
“Look over there.” Mikhail’s thick hand extends in front of me.
“Hey, I can see my house!” There’s the backyard where Sheila lives.
It’s the last place I saw Lara laugh.
“What did you tell the clown?” Mikhail’s voice has almost a hypnotic cadence through the speakers.
“I told him to be funny.” It was important to me. Ever since I was little, it’s been my purpose.
The clown has been here since he was a small boy.
“He was from Russia, too.” I’m still trying to keep my home in view when the wings tip the other direction. “Hey, where are we going?”
“You never mentioned that before.” The set of his jaw beneath his balaclava means he’s determined. Or pissed.
