3 pairs of surprised eyes were looking at me. "How?" Lewis asked suspiciously.
"I don't know if it will work, but there's someone that Denman trust, maybe enough to tell her where Rikki and Bella are." I said.
"Who?" Cleo asked me.
"Lauren. She en Denman know each other apparently from when Lauren still lived in Sydney." Why are you helping them?, a voice in my head suddenly said. I don't know, maybe because I'm stuck here too? I answered it.
"It could work."Will defended my plan.
"There's only one catch." Cleo said. "We have to tell Lauren the truth about mermaids."
"Would she believe you?" Will asked.
"At first probably not. Lauren is quite skeptical about such things. Or at least, she used to be. I'll have to show her my powers and my tail."
"Then if she believes you, would she wanna help us?"
"Maybe, she'd do it because we were close friends. But she'll definitely help us if she knows her brother and his girlfriend are in this shit as well."
"Then are you gonna try it?" I asked.
"And why would you care?" she asked me.
"Harrison threatened me as well. You asked on which side I am right now, I think –and I can hardly believe it myself, I'm saying this, but – I think I'm on your side right now."
"Okay, fine." Cleo said. "then I guess, we'll have to try it, unless anyone else has a suggestion?" I noticed she looked asking, maybe begging was a better word, at Lewis and Will, but they both shook their head. Then I guess, this will be the plan.
Isn't it funny how things can turn around in just a few days? A week ago, I was blackmailing Rikki, and now I'm trying to help her escape from something I was accessory to. I realized my brother's friends weren't maybe as bad as I thought they were. They're different, for sure, but they're very loyal to each other too. They care about each other, I secretly wished I have also such loyal friends, but unfortunately I haven't.
Lewis took his mobile phone and dialed a number. "Hey. … No, she hasn't. … Okay Zane, don't freak out, but we believe Denman got her. And Bella too. … They're both unreachable. There's no other explanation for it. … Zane, calm down. Maybe we can get her free, but we need you to help us. … Sophie got an idea. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's true, it was her idea. … Well, Sophie says your sister knows Denman from when she still lived in Sydney. Sophie had the idea that we could fill in Lauren about the mermaid-secret and that she can maybe figure out where Denman is keeping Rikki and Bella. … Okay. See you there." Then he hang up. "First of all, Cleo you don't go out mine or Will's sight. Second: the same to you Sophie, you may have come up with a plan, still doesn't mean we trust you. Third: Zane is pissed off because of the idea that his dad has done this again. And fourth: he doesn't want to wait any second longer, he wants to tell Lauren right now and she's working at the café right now. So, he asked if we could go there immediately." Will and Cleo nodded in agreement.
A few minutes later, we all had left Will's boatshed and we're heading in my brother's boat to Rikki's. When we got there, I was actually surprised. It surprised me how much effort Cleo had to do to avoid water, while stepping out of the waltzing boat. It was now I realized it mustn't be always so easy and pleasant to be mermaid. Although I can imagine it has also its good perks. Being down there, swimming between the dolphins, the coral, the fish,… I already a lot as a scuba-diver, but doing that as a mermaid must still be something else.
When we entered the café, Zane and Lauren we're talking inaudible behind the counter. Then he looked in our direction. Nate was also there, he came right to Lewis. "Oh Lewis, finally, there you are. You were supposed to be here already 15 minutes ago. For our rehearsal, remember? And do you know where Bella is? She isn't here yet either! And she doesn't answer my calls. Do you know where she is?" He asked.
Cleo looked at Lewis for a second and answered instead of him. "Bella isn't feeling really well right now. She had an angina and has no voice right now. She's home, in bed, rusting. Probably she won't come for a couple of days. She asked me to tell you." Wow, I never knew Cleo was such a good liar. She always seemed to be the perfect girl, not at all a liar. That was a characteristic I'd rather give to Rikki.
"How can she ask you without a voice?" Nate asked. Why was he always the one to ask the stupid questions, anyway? Sometimes I wondered if he's really that stupid, or that he's just pretending it.
"Well Nate, big surprise. They've discovered something like texting." Lewis teased Nate. Ouch, that must have come hard to the stupid boy. He turned around, complaining to himself, back to the other 2 guys of the band. When he was standing behind his keyboard, he yelled so loud the entire café could hear it. "Lewis, are you finally coming?" Lewis sighed and looked at Cleo. "You can go. We'll handle it, don't worry." She smiled at him. So Lewis walked over to the stage while Cleo, Zane and Lauren headed to Zane's office. Will stayed with me at a table in the café, while Amber ordered our juices.