I open the map and recognize the
shape of Manhattan from too many films. I quickly pinpoint Grand Central and
orient myself to look towards the green space of the park in the middle of the
map.
‘Don’t tell me, top of the
Empire State Building,’ says Teague. ‘Romance isn’t dead after all.’
I feel a skip in my chest as I
remember that Penny had always wanted to see the top of the Empire State. I
could just leave and see if she was up there. But then I have the problem of
Teague following me around. I can just imagine our reunion.
I’ve missed you so much, Penny.
Well,
yeah, I’ve missed you too, but I didn’t know we were bringing people. You
should have phoned ahead.
I
eye the bag, still sitting on Teague’s shoulder. All of Yates’s research. How
do I get it back from him? He’s not just going to hand it over and he’s bigger than
me. I can lead him around and hold him to ransom with the promise of returning
him to the land of the living, but he’s bigger than me, overpowering him will
be difficult.
‘We’re going to Central Park,’ I
reply. I figure I might as well tell him. What’s he going to do? Set some
pigeons on me?
‘How lovely,’ he states with a
deadpan quality in his voice. ‘Did you bring a picnic?’
I take to ignoring him and start
outside into the sunshine. The park is a short walk away, straight down 5th
Avenue. We should be there in 15 minutes.
‘I could research,’ Teague says.
‘In my lab, I’ll find another way. Easton, I want to appeal to your nature,
your good nature. I don’t have much time.’
‘How about you lead with that next
time?’
He looks down at his feet as we
turn onto the long avenue. I regard the shops on either side, noting how
similar it looks to a London street until you look up. The bustle is definitely
the same. I wish I had the time to explore. I can only imagine all the secret
places I could find with a little ghostly assistance.
‘We will go you your lab, but
when I find my friends. We’ll do the research, with your assistance. Like it or
lump it.’
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