Page 92 of Proof

“Not yet, but I might not be able to pick Carter up from camp, which will throw a monkey wrench into Lucinda’s schedule, and she may use it against me. She’ll tell the judge it illustrates what an unreliable father I am and how my job always comes first.”

“I thought you were heading back today.”

“I was, but something came up, and I have an assignment.”

“That sounds exciting, no?”

If only. More like unnerving.

“Nah. Just some follow-up work, but it has to be done.”

“Well, that’s really too bad. Do you want me to get him if you can’t?”

Not if you’re in jail, Chris thought to himself. “Let’s see how the rest of the week plays out.”

“Okay, but if not you or me, than maybe Cullen,” Luna said, offering up her brother’s services.

“That would be good. Do you think he’d mind?”

“Cullen? Nah. He loves Carter. And they can talk about refurbishing classic cars.”

“That could work.” While I find bail money and polish my résumé. Chris was not feeling very optimistic. “Where are you now?”

“At Gail’s Airbnb. I made some pasta and garlic bread.”

Chris’s stomach growled. Maybe he could actually eat something. “Sounds delicious.”

“I’ve been into the lemon and herb thing lately. Gail was used to tomato sauce, but I turned her on to something a little lighter.”

“You’ll have to make it for me next time.” If they let inmates in the kitchen.

“Absolutely. Not sure about the garlic bread, though. I almost burned it in the broiler. Poor Max went a little bonkers when the smoke detector started to go off.”

“That bad, eh?” Chris could not fathom that this woman he was talking to could be a double agent of some sort.

“I told Gail that while it’s a good idea to have a smoke detector in the kitchen, it shouldn’t be that close to the stove. She blamed Robert.” Luna chuckled. There was a rap on Chris’s door. “What was that?” she asked.

“Nothing. I knocked something over.” Another lie. He had to get off the phone before Legend and Buck knocked louder. Chris faked a yawn. “I better go. I just might be able to sleep. I don’t want to miss this window of opportunity.”

“Gotcha. Sleep well. Love you.” Luna signed off.

“Love you, too.” And he did. Now what? He opened the door, where the two men were waiting.

“Someone smells good,” Buck announced.

“I had to get the grit off me.” Chris chuckled as the three men went down to the main floor.

They sat at a table far away from the smattering of people in the restaurant. Legend was the first to speak. “We have another room on the same floor that we’ll set up as our workstation, since WITSEC doesn’t have an office here. It’s adjacent to mine so I can make sure no one else has access.”

“So what do we know so far?” Chris leaned in.

“A woman named Luna Bodman was seen at Canyon Farms early this morning.”

Chris thought he was going to vomit. “You have her name?” he asked as calmly as possible.

“Rental car. Either she’s not involved, or she is some kind of idiot to rent a car using her real name.”

“Good point.” Chris knew Luna wasn’t an idiot. That was hopeful news. “Maybe she was just a friend,” Chris offered. Was he supposed to tell them she was his girlfriend? If not now, when?

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