The Feds walked out
,
and Sophie elbowed Manny. “Did you hear that? He wants me.”
“Th
at
might be news to his wife.”
“I won’t tell
.”
Sophie leaned against the desk again, turning serious. “Are you thinking of taking that Fed gig? Because i
f
you are, I’m not sure
—
”
“Wait,” Manny interrupted. The emotion on her face was more than
she
usually
allowed
. “I’m more concerned with my family, my cop family included, to think about that now. Let’s just see how the next few weeks or so play out with Gavin, this investigation,
and
Argyle. But I won’t lie. If I think the best thing for Jen and Louise is to get out of
Lansing, we’re gone.”
“I get that, of course, just realize that I’m coming with you, got it?”
He started to grin and
then
realized she wasn’t kidding. “I got it.”
Alex came in, brow knitted in a hard V
.
“Got what?”
“It’s a secret
,
and we ain’t talking,” said Sophie, folding her arms.
“Rumor has it that you won’t be able to
do
that after Christmas.”
“Do what?”
“Cross your arms
. Y
our boobs will be too big
.
”
“Yeah.
Maybe. But you won’t get to see ‘
em.”
“Thank God. Anyway
,
I came in here for a reason.”
“What reason?” asked Manny.
“You know that number we’ve been trying to reach on that fourth cell phone?”
“Yes. In fact, I’ve got it memorized.”
“Somebody answered it about five minutes ago.”
Chapter-68
Penny reached into her purse and plucked the phone from the inside pocket as she wheeled up to the STOP sign. She put the phone to her ear. “Hello.”
The static was intense, then abruptly cleared. “Hi. Who is this?”
She froze. The voice on the other end was familiar.
But why was she calling
me
?
Penny pulled the phone from her ear and swore. In her haste
,
she’d answered the wrong phone.
Damn it.
She quickly hung up, resting her forehead on the leather steering wheel. That was close. She’d almost given away everything. And she’d worked too hard for that. Maybe loved too hard was the better statement. She’d protected the man she loved and would do it all over again.
If she were caught, no one would ever understand how things were
for her b
ecause of him. How could anyone
comprehend?
The horn honked impatiently behind her.
She exhaled and drove through the intersection. No worries.
She had a good teacher.
Chapter-69
“Someone
a
nswered? Who? Where?” Manny rifled questions at Alex.
“Let’s see. Don’t know. And we’ll find out, but it may not be until Monday.”
Alex shifted his feet, a mannerism Manny knew well. It indicated Alex was going to talk
. . .
maybe a lot.
“
Buzzy
came in for a few hours and had the
number
sitting on her workstation. She decided to
call it
and a woman answered. The woman said something you don’t hear in church, then hung up.
Buzzy
had no idea who
she
was, but it was
definitely
a woman.”
“That makes sense, but why would she answer the phone?” asked Manny.
“
Buzzy
thinks she caught her by surprise.”
“Say you’re right. W
hy would she still have
that phone
?”
asked
Sophie.
“It might represent some kind of important event for her
, similar to
a milestone or an accomplishment. It could even
possess
some kind of talisman or good-luck charm,” answered Manny.
“She thinks she’s invincible as long as she has it?” scowled Alex.
Manny shrugged. “Who knows for sure? It might even
symbolize
the defeat of an enemy. Kind of like scalps to Native American tribes or headhunters taking the head of their conquered enemies.”
“So she kills three members of this
idiot
c
lub and hangs onto the phone as a keepsake?”
asked
Sophie. “Man. I thought I was screwed
up.”
“You are,”
said
Alex. “There is another possibility.”
“That there might be another member of the group?”
asked
Manny. “I don’t see it. It really pushed the
psychological
dynamics of the group to have more than three. Five is out of the realm of any killing group I’ve ever studied. Too many
character
differences
and chances are high that there will be more than one alpha type in a group that size. Besides, it doesn’t feel like that.”
“So your feelings seal the deal?” asked Alex.
He knew how Alex felt about intuition, especially given that science was his life. But there was no escaping history. “When was the last time one of my
‘
feelings
’
was wrong?”
“I know. But I don’t think it’s a feeling at all. I think you subconsciously gather information, piece it together, draw the most logical conclusion, and call it a feeling.”
“You know that
non
believers will end up in
hell
, right?”
said
Sophie.
“Yeah, Yeah. So I’ve been told.”
“You said we’d have to wait on the tower info
. Why?” said Manny.
“We
can’t
get the records until then. They will still be able to triangulate the location by the strength of signal from tower to tower, but
we won’t be able to get
the subpoena until Monday.”
“That kind of sucks, what if
—
”
His phone rang, it was Louise. He snatched the handset from the cradle. “H
ey
. Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, we’re fine. Well, sort
of
.”
“What’s up?”
The
re
was a quiet, almost pleading silence that was beginning to make him a little nervous.
“I don’t know how to say this any other way, so I’ll let it go with both barrels. I’m staring at the tickets we have for the Tiger game tomorrow, and I think I want to go. So does Jen.”
“Louise. I don’t think that’s a great idea. I mean
—
”
“I know. I
k
now. The son of a bitch is still out there, but he won’t know where we are
, right?
”
“It’s not a good idea.
There are
too many things that could go wrong.”
“I’m not stupid
.
I know that. But you’ll be with us and
—
”
Manny heard
(maybe felt was a better word)
her emotion well up and knew that she was trying to hold back the tears.
“I really need this. He took my normal life away and replaced it with fear. I can’t beat that fear on my own. I need to get back to normal. I need this
. . .
please.”
How could he say no to that? Besides, maybe
he
needed i, too. Maybe this is where beating Argyle start
ed
. “Okay. You’re right. Let’s do it.”
“
Thank
you. I’ll see you for dinner and
. . .
I love you.”
She hung up.
Manny
sat
down and tapped the computer mouse. No new messages. No update on Argyle. No new homicides.
No more leads to chase, for now
.
Hell, no more spam telling him how much he needed to grow his manhood
and how big it could get.
He clicked the calendar and Sunday began to pulse.
The
T
iger game notification came to life.
Must be an omen.
“You know. I’ve got Tiger tickets for Jen, Louise
,
and
me
for tomorrow, and
we’re
going.”
Sophie punched him on the shoulder.
“Is that wise?”
“Probably not, but Louise really needs to take a stab at getting back to normal. I think all three of us do.”
“Do you want an
y
security?”
“No!”
He turned
to both of his friends. “We’re going as a normal family.
Understand
?
I can take care of
them
.
”
His two friends scoured the floor
like scolded children
.
He threw up his hands.
“But I guess I can’t do anything about you two going to the game, now can I?”
Alex grinned. “You know,
Barb’s
never been to Comerica
Park.”
“Neither has Randy,” said Sophie
.
“
H
e loves cotton candy and beer.”
“Just keep yourselves out of sight. Just in case. And I mean it.”
“Yes sir
.
D
amn,
”
said
Sophie. “Grouchy old bastard.”
“That’s the nicest thing you
’ve
ever said to me,” he grinned.
“
Now.
I’m going to stop by and see Gavin and Mike and then go home to tell the women in my life about tomorrow’s plans.”
Manny turned off his computer and walked out the door. His pulse raced with the prospect of just the three of them, together at Comerica Park in Detroit, eating hotdogs, buying souvenirs, and laughing like families do.
At that moment in time, things seemed right
. . .
perfect, in fact.
But in less than
thirty
world-shattering hours, his life would change forever.
Chapter-70
“Did you get the tickets?” asked Louise.
“Yes ma’am. I took them off the refrigerator
magnet clip thing
and put them in my billfold.”
Louise was dressed in a Magglio Ordonez jersey and white shorts, Jen in a Brandon Inge tee-shirt and jeans. She liked
Inge
because he was hot, not caring what position he played.
He tugged at the blue and orange cap lettered with the Old English “D
.
”
It traveled with him every time he’d gone to a game in the last few years. He
had even taken
it on the cruise in June. Nothing like familiarity to breed comfort.
“Let’s get this show on the road. We might even get to see some batting practice,” said Louise.
“And just how tight the players
’
pants are,” grinned Jen.
“Well, that too,” agreed Louise.
“You two have been hanging out with Sophie too much.” He grabbed the keys off the microwave and headed for the front door. “Okay
,
you perverts, in the car
. W
e’re out of here.”
Louise turned to
Sampson
. “Watch the house, big dog.”
Sampson
did the patented three turns and stretched out on the floor.
Manny shook his head, “I guess he’s got it covered.”
They
hustled
out the door, waved at the unmarked car across the street, and zoomed off
to
the land of Major League
B
aseball.
An hour and a half later, they were seated behind the third-base dugout, four rows up, and cheering
with
the rest of the
other
30,000 fans.
Looking around, he noticed every type, every color, and every size person one could imagine. Families, excitement radiating from each face
;
men laughing and drinking with their friends
;
wom
e
n giggling with their daughters
;
grandparents pointing things out to wide-eyed grandchildren. Amazing.