ALICE Ch 377

Alice’s fingers ache as much as her back.

“Alice, I’ve been doing this a long time. You’ll never take Fernando like that. You have to wait out his tyres.”

“That’s two-time world champion Fernando to you, Glynda. How’s Faye?”

“She’s fine.”

“You know I’m asking where she is!”

“Behind you. Worry about Fernando, and stop trying to fight him when the conditions aren’t right. Waste of your tyres.”

“I can tell you’re saying it with a Y. Stop it. It’s unprofessional.”

“Don’t use that word, Alice. You don’t know what it means.”

“I’m gonna tell Faye you’re bullying me.”

“Mind your—wait! He’s pitting. Why’s he pitting? Push.”

“Way ahead of you, sweetheart.”

FF1

Annette frowns as she gazes down the hallway beside a woman in a Formula One windbreaker. These upper VIP areas are so well soundproofed that she can hardly hear the race. Irina Orlova’s box is down there. “What do you mean she’s not in there?”

The aide has been paid for her cooperation, but she still looks uncomfortable. “She is not here, and I don’t think she’s coming.” The woman holds up her radio. “No arrangements have been made for security.”

Troubled, Annette returns to her box. Irina never misses a chance to show her face on a race day. Where is she? What’s she doing? Annette’s sources at the hotel have talked about all the VIPs checking in who have nothing to do with F1. It’s this party at the Shigeno. Irina’s never done something this big before. It has to mean something. What is Where is Bea? Where is Lotte?

She walks up to her window and switches on the commentary.

“She’s done it! With a trail of bodies behind her, Alice Wilde is hot on the heels of Patty Dunham! They are coming up on turn 3, and there is possible debris from LeClerc. Akiko Tanaka, fighting for the hopes and dreams of the Japanese motoring enthusiasts, fends off Valeria Flores again! Will Carlos Sainz change tires? No, he’s staying in and living dangerously. He’s lost five hundredths of a second on that lap. Let’s go to Red Bull comms.”

Annette wants to talk to Riley and Adella, but they’re working. She turns her back on the window and starts to pace. If Irina’s using the party as cover for something, that works both ways. The party can be cover for Annette as well.