Finding a toilet stall he could hide in was more difficult than Rémy thought it would be. Eventually, he found a staff bathroom on the lower level of the museum and broke the lock. Once inside, he sat up on the cistern, his feet on the seat and his guitar case balanced between his legs. He drank three bottles of the yoghurt he’d pinched.
Nothing like hiding in a toilet again, Rémy Dupree Rush. Like you didn’t do enough of that in grade school.
He squelched back the threatening tears. He’d grieve for all that he’d lost when he figured out all that he’d lost.
‘The Victoria and Albert Museum is now open for visitors,’ announced a polite recording.
Rémy climbed off the cistern, flipped his guitar case over his shoulder, rinsed the three empty yoghurt bottles in hot water and used a paper towel to pick them up and toss them in the bin. He didn’t think the police had his fingerprints yet, but there was no point in being stupid.
Spotting a rambunctious school group filing up the stairs from the main entrance and gathering near the gift shop, Rémy slid among them, taking advantage of an ambivalent chaperone and a flustered teacher with too many tickets to give out.
‘Sir! Young man!’
Rémy instinctively shoved his hand into his pocket and fingered his harmonica. Another busload of visitors was swarming the entrance. Too many people to control.
‘Sir!’ said the guard, jogging a little to catch up. ‘I’m afraid you’ll need to leave your guitar case in the cloakroom. We don’t allow backpacks or any bulky bags in the museum.’
Relief flooded Rémy. He didn’t want to be separated from his possessions, but at least he hadn’t been rumbled.
His stomach growled as he deposited his guitar case at the cloakroom, the words on the museum map in his hands swimming across the page. It was difficult to concentrate with sleep and hunger and sorrow all competing for attention. The yoghurts he’d pilfered had only teased his appetite into thinking something more substantial was on its way. He was almost down to his last few coins, but if he didn’t get some food soon, he’d let his guard down and his search would be over.
The Moor would have to wait.