Page 36 of Force At Third

“No, I got it. You do what you need to do to get ready for the day.”

“Why do you have sunglasses on?” Cora asks her, and I can’t help but laugh. “What happened to you?”

“There was a cat fight at the baseball game last night, which is why I’m here early—I needed makeup to cover it up.”

Needing a minute to breathe and process, I ask, “First, coffee?”

“Of course. First, coffee,” CeCe agrees.

Thankfully, they both leave the room, because I need Marks, I need the moms, I need Danny to get Chloe the fuck out of here, and confirmation, even though she seriously looks so much like both of them that it’s obvious. It’s those stunning eyes. But, most of all, I need to be able to gain my composure so that the two of them don’t freak the fuck out completely which, I might add, would be warranted.

I spend the next four hours on the phone, bringing others on board and checking in with Maze, willing that motherfucker to go back to the hotel.

“Babe,” he groans.

“I won’t call back. I’ll be away from the phone for a bit and wanted to check in before I’m out of service,” I lie.

“No, not yet,” he sighs then laughs. “But babe, you’re a terrible fucking liar.”

“Whatever,” I huff. “What about the other exits and entries and?—”

“Got people on it,” he cuts me off. “Even have a person inside. He shows, we’ll know.”

“I know we said not to apprehend, but?—”

“Please tell me I can shove a shitbag in the trunk and meet you on a side road.”

I bite back a smile. “That would be illegal.”

“Yeah, that’s what makes it fun.”

“You need more people there?—”

“You have half the community on someone who is connected to these chicks.”

“How do you know that?” I ask, truly curious.

“Babe,” he sighs.

“I’ll check back in later,” I say as CeCe walks in.

He laughs out, “I’m sure you will.”

I end the call.

“We close for an hour for lunch. I’m ordering in. What would you like?”

“I’m good with whatever.” I look back down at my tablet when it pings.

“I’m also going to try to get Cora to nap in one of the exam rooms and have her stay at my place tonight.”

Well, that can’t happen, and now I have to explain why. “You wanna close the door and have a seat?”

She looks at me like a deer in the headlights and slowly shakes her head but does so, anyway.

Once she’s sitting down, I softly explain, “I think Cora should stay at a hotel tonight and?—”

“I want her with me.”

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