Page 98 of Gone Before Goodbye
The payphone. It’s old. Porkchop had been able to pay more to get the number personalized. She knows the final six digits correspond with the letters V-I-P-E-R-S.
What are the first?
The area code is 201. So it’s only one number.
It comes to her now.
How long does she have? Between Bob at the bar and Mr. Alena-and-Friend Distracted, she can’t stay on very long.
What are the odds Porkchop is at Vipers and by the phone anyway?
She doesn’t know. But what other choice does she have? Plus if what she thought was happening at homewashappening, well, Porkchop could be resourceful.
She quickly loads the digits in with her finger and presses send.
Porkchop answers on the first ring. “Where are you?”
“Dubai.”
“More precise?”
“The Bugatti residence.”
“Do you need to be extracted?”
“No, I’m good. Listen, I don’t have much time. I went to Russia. Barlow hired me—”
“I know this,” Porkchop interrupts, because he listened when she said she didn’t have much time. “The mistress. Nadia Something.”
“What about her?”
“She specifically requested you for the surgery.”
Maggie makes a face. “What do you mean? She doesn’t even know me.”
“You said you’re short on time.”
“I am.”
“So don’t waste it. It wasn’t Barlow’s idea to hire you. He was just a go-between. Nadia wanted you in Russia. Any idea why?”
Maggie’s head spins. Nadia? Nadia requested Maggie as her surgeon? “Who told you that?”
“Barlow.”
“It makes no sense.”
“Make it make sense. This Nadia knows you. She wanted you in Russia. We’ve researched her and found nothing significant.”
We.
Interesting choice of words on Porkchop’s part. She gets his hidden meaning here.
“Why are you in Dubai?” Porkchop asks.
“They think Trace is missing,” she says. “They want me to help find him.”
“Would I be sexist and belittling if I said it sounds too dangerous?”
