Glamorama

I wipe away a tear that rolls halfway down her face and the gusting wind causes confetti to swirl wildly everywhere around us.

"How?" I'm asking.

"He offered... Palakon offered you to... Bobby. They made a... deal."

"What deal? Why?"

"Palakon"-she swallows thickly-"had promised Bobby... a new face. Bobby wanted a man... so Palakon sent you. It fit perfectly. Your father wanted you gone... and Bobby needed a new face. Palakon put the two together." She coughs, swallows again. "At first Bobby was mad... when he found out it was you... Bobby knew who you were... who your father was. He didn't like it."

"I thought Bobby liked using people who were famous," I say. "I thought celebrities had an instant cover."

"Your father..." Jamie's shaking her head slowly. "It was too much... it made Bobby suspicious. He didn't like it and that's when... Bobby was convinced Palakon was working for someone... else."

Silence.

"What happened, Jamie?" I ask slowly.

"Bobby realized he could... use you to his advantage."

"His advantage? How, Jamie?" Panic starts rising.

"Bobby contacted your-"

"No, no, no," I'm saying, grabbing her shoulders.

"Bobby and your father-"

"No, Jamie, no." I'm closing my eyes.

"Your father and Bobby talked, Victor."

"No... no..."

Everything's slipping behind me, floating away.

"The Japanese... were angry at Bobby when he... made a deal with... your dad." Jamie breathes in. "They just wanted you gone out of the country... but now they had to protect you."

"Why?"

"Because if Bobby... went to the press with... stuff about you and the things you did with us... it would destroy your father's chances." Jamie leans her head back and something passes through her, causing her forehead to crease. "The Japanese... want your father... to win."

Another gust drowns out a sentence. I lean in closer but she's turning away. I place my ear to her mouth.

"Palakon didn't know... what was in the hat, Victor," she says. "That was another lie."

"Then why did he tell me to bring it?" I ask.

"Bobby knew what was in the hat... Bobby told him... to tell you to bring it," she says. "Bobby needed someone to bring the... Remform over here."

Her voice suddenly turns gentle, curious almost. "Palakon didn't know what was in it... until later... and then he found out and... and..."

She trails off. Her eyes open, then close. "The Remform... was supposed to come... to me."

"Jamie, hey, look at me," I whisper loudly. "How did you get into this? Why did Palakon send me to find you?"

"He knew I was... involved with Bobby. Palakon always knew that, Victor... okay? Palakon thought it would work to his advantage... that you and I knew each other at... Camden."

She's drifting.

"Jamie, hey, Jamie." With my hands I gently maneuver her face closer to mine. "Who was Marina Cannon?"

Her face crumples slightly. "She was on the ship... to warn you, Victor... You were supposed to go with her."

"What happened, Jamie?"

"Bobby sent people... from New York to watch you... to make sure you would not go to Paris." She starts crying softly.

"Are you talking about the Wallaces?" I'm asking. "That English couple?"

"I don't know... I don't know their names. They got back to us and-"

"The ship stopped, Jamie."

"-Palakon also wanted you to go to London."

"It stopped, Jamie. The ship stopped. They said there was a distress signal."

Chapter Nineteen

"I know... I know..."

"The f**king ship stopped, Jamie," I'm shouting. "In the middle of the ocean it stopped."

"Bobby didn't want you to go to Paris. He didn't want you to come to London either... but he definitely didn't want you to go to Paris." She smiles secretly to herself.

"Was it Bobby? Was Bobby on the ship that night?"

"Victor-"

"I saw the tattoo," I shout. "What happened to Marina?"

"I don't know," she mumbles. "I found out after you told me... that night in the hotel... and I confronted Bobby. He wouldn't say... he just wanted the Remform."

"What else did he want?" I ask.