Claire wasn’t sure that the police were actually after Shane, but if they were, staying in plain view was a bad idea. She bought (over his protests) an MIT hoodie for Shane from one of the souvenir shops, and he put it on with an annoyed sigh. She pulled the hood up for him. ‘Just trust me,’ she said. ‘You really need to lay low. These police aren’t going to be the kind that you can call off with a plea to the Founder; they’re serious stuff. And don’t forget, my own place is a crime scene. If they’ve connected me to you and found your weapons, it looks even worse.’

‘Okay,’ he said, ‘I can see your point. So where are we going to go? Got any friends who don’t mind hiding wanted fugitives? Because it usually takes a little longer than a few days to make those.’

Shane had a point, and she didn’t really have an answer, but it didn’t really matter. Shane had already pulled out his phone and checked something. He scrolled and hit keys, and put the phone to his ear.

‘Who are you calling?’ she asked.

‘Pete,’ he said. ‘Look, the guy hangs out with a vampire chick and is some kind of midnight vigilante. He probably isn’t too judgemental when it comes to hiding other people’s secrets.’

‘You think he knows about Jesse?’

‘Yeah, I’m sure he does. Hold on …’ Shane turned partially away from her, focusing on the new voice in his ear. ‘Hey, man, it’s Shane – yeah, I know about the cops. Speaking of that, I need someplace to get out of sight. You got any suggestions?’ He listened for a few seconds, then made a scribbling gesture to Claire, and she dug out a pen and paper and handed it over. Shane wrote something down and handed it back to her. It was an address. ‘Got it. I owe you, Pete. Big time.’

He hung up and dropped the phone in his hoodie’s pocket. Claire held up the address. ‘Where’s he sending us?’

‘His place,’ Shane said. ‘It’s not far.’ He offered her his elbow, and she threaded her arm through the crook, and they set off toward the south, down the tree-lined street. Funny how it felt so familiar, too … just another street in another town, but the two of them were together, and that made it home. Even knowing what she did – Liz missing, the police after Shane – she felt oddly peaceful now. Whatever was coming, they’d be facing it together.

Shane winced and let go of her to rub at his arm beneath the hoodie’s sleeve. ‘It’s nothing,’ he said before she could ask. ‘Itches like crazy, and it burns. I’ve never been allergic to anything, but maybe that’s what it is. Maybe I’m just allergic to hot, smart college girls.’