Page 86 of Talk Birdie to Me

Her heart raced even more, despite already beating at a record pace with the stress of the evacuation. She hadn’t seen him much over the past couple of days, while they were both busy with work and animals. But seeing his name on her phone made everything feel okay just for a moment.

Got a second to talk?

He’d been checking on her regularly since Gary was taken. She’d been spending as little time at home as possible since it was so darn quiet in there without him. So most of her time was spent working late or with Taylor and the animals.

Can’t. Evacuating the shelter.

He responded immediately. Can I help?

Her racing pulse was now accompanied by a fluttering in her chest. Despite his insistence that he wasn’t a relationship person, he was one of the kindest and most helpful people she’d ever met.

Not to mention the best kisser.

But it was the information at the end of their date that really had her twisted in knots.

He wasn’t sure he would be leaving after all.

Geena hated the uncertainty of it, but she accepted she had no control over the matter. All she could do was enjoy the time they had together and try not to fall too deep until she knew what his final decision was.

We’re almost done, I think. Thanks.

Geena put her phone in her pocket and headed down the hall where Sierra and Taylor were loading animals into crates. Before she could ask which were ready, her phone rang.

She pulled it out and put it to her ear awkwardly while she reached with her other hand for one of the smaller carriers that would fit in Liz’s car.

“We’ve got it handled, I promise.”

“Do you? Because the mediator said he’s still waiting for you to turn in our tax returns from the last three years.”

The voice didn’t belong to Cody. Instead, it was the voice of someone she’d been trying to reach for the past three days.

And, yes. She had forgotten to forward those forms to the mediator. In her defense, she’d been a little busy. Not to mention all the time they’d wasted until now waiting on his declarations.

“Now you’re calling me back?” Geena couldn’t believe Ricky’s timing. “I’m busy. I’ll call you in a couple hours.”

“I won’t be here. I’m heading out with Deidre.”

Geena was tempted to ask him what happened to Monica, but she didn’t care, and she didn’t have time for his answer. She had something more pressing to ask.

“Fine then. What did you do with that parrot? I know you wouldn’t get your own hands dirty, but I know you know where he is.”

There was a long stretch of silence, then, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What parrot?”

“The one you heard in the background on our phone call last week. The one that belonged to your client, Anthony Montesano. And I know you’ve been getting paid by him off the books.”

Technically, she didn’t know that last part for sure. But he didn’t bother denying the accusation either.

“Geena, have you lost your mind?” There was another brief pause, then he stammered, “Wait, you have Tony’s bird?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Ricky.” She put the carrier containing a fluffy orange and white cat on the ground beside her so she could finish the call without jostling the poor guy as she fumed in frustration. “I know you took him. You heard him at my place, and you must have heard him on your calls with your client. You put two and two together and what? You thought you could sell him? Maybe ransom him from Anthony?”

“Ransom? Geena, are you on something? I didn’t take that bird.”

Her stomach clenched with the sinking feeling that she was on the wrong track. Ricky was a liar and a miserable excuse for a human, but he wasn’t a great actor.

“Then who did?”

“How am I supposed to know? I was just calling to see if you had our tax returns ready.”

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