Page 100 of Things We Hide from the Light
The woman had taken my dog for a treat and now she was lying to me. Lina Solavita was maddening.
“Hey, listen. If you haven’t hit the pharmacy yet, mind grabbing me a bottle of ibuprofen?” I asked.
We were both going to need it later.
“Sure! I can do that. No problem. Is everything okay?” She sounded nervous.Good.
“Yep. Fine. Gotta go do cop stuff. See you later.” I hung up.
Thirty seconds later, the cherry-red Charger zipped past us before flying out of the parking lot with a chirp of tires.
I got out and slammed my door harder than necessary.
Nolan got out and jogged to keep up.
“That was cold, my friend,” he said with just a hint of glee.
I grunted and stabbed the intercom button outside the main entrance.
When the heavy door buzzed open, we stepped into a squeaky-clean lobby. Guards waved us through the metaldetector and directed us to the front desk behind its protective glass. I’d been here before for hearings and interviews, but this time, it was personal.
“Well, hello, gentlemen. What brings you to my fine establishment today?” Minnie had been working the desk at this prison for as long as I could remember. She’d been threatening to retire for the past five years but claimed her marriage wouldn’t survive retirement.
The truth was, the prison would probably fall apart without her. She was a grandmotherly figure to inmates, visitors, and law enforcement alike.
I produced my badge. “Good to see you again, Minnie. I need to see a list of all the visitors Tina Witt has had.”
“Ms. Witt sure is popular today,” Minnie said, giving us the eyes. “Lemme talk to the boss lady and I’ll see what I can get you.”
TWENTY-ONE
FAN, MEET SHIT
Nash
Igave Lina’s door an official-sounding knock and waited.
Finally, the door opened a crack and she peered out at me, then smiled and opened the door a little wider. “Hey. I was just taking a bath.”
I brushed past her and stepped inside.
“Uh, come on in,” she said, sounding nonplussed. She was wearing nothing but a towel and a pair of fuzzy flip-flops. Her skin glistened with water droplets. I had to look away because I didn’t trust myself. I felt like a volcano ready to blow. Betrayal and need. Those two opposing forces mixed in my blood, fanning the need to explode.
I shouldn’t have come when I was this keyed up.
“Your ibuprofen is on the counter,” Lina said, her voice more tentative now.
The box of files caught my eye. It was open and there were papers lined up in neat stacks around it.
I headed for it.
“Nash. Wait!”
She caught up to me just as I picked up the first folder. Her front met my back and she reached around me, but I shrugged her off and flipped it open. My gut rolled in on itself. I absorbed it like I would a blow.
“I can explain,” she said quietly.
I slammed the folder down on the table with Duncan Hugo’s face staring up at me. “Talk. Now.”
