Page 74 of In Death, Love Survives
My Nova girl is unsure where the lines are for our audience.
“I quit smoking,” I share.
“You did?” She perks up.
“Yeah, a beautiful woman once told me she didn’t like it, so I put an end to it before it would become a problem.”
“Just like that?”
“Yeah, Doctor. Just like that.”
“That’s very hard to do.”
“Not for me. When I’m motivated, I find a way to overcome anything in my way.”
“A fine trait.”
A long pause. I know this is awkward for her, probably more than I even realize, since she can’t talk to me about it freely.
“Let’s talk about how to navigate the different people I’m meeting here.”
“In Roper State?”
“Yeah. I’ll happily take your advice.”
She eyes me carefully before understanding dawns.
“Okay. Right. Let’s start with your cellmate?”
“Yeah, that’s a good place to start.”
We carry on for the remainder of the hour, pretending as if I need Nova’s help with prison politics. I don’t bring up the potential move to a different prison, not when I assume Dr. Owens is listening in. Not when I’m not sure if she even knows yet or if he planted that with me ahead of time.
I just hope I get a chance to learn what happened today and, most importantly, that Nova isn’t under any kind of suspicion for helping me.
On the walk back,I stop to make a call. I haven’t spoken to Caleb in days. I know he’s out there searching for answers.
I call his cell, and he actually picks up.
“Wolfe.”
“Where you been?” I ask.
“Out in the dead zones.”
I lean against the open space in between the phone booths.
“What’s wrong?”
Caleb sighs as he stalls.
“Someone has been ramping up their efforts. Stealing from some of the registers.”
“Registers?”
“Yeah. I know. From the diners, some of the smaller operations.”
“Well, fuck, man.”
