Page 214 of The Last Good Man

I expect her to argue my point. She doesn’t. She can’t because I’m probably right. There will be other types of gatherings, anniversaries, and birthday parties, but not the babe’s club, and that's normal.

“It’s fine.”

“So, are you coming or not?”

“Probably not. But don’t tellheryet. I may show up. It really depends on how I feel next week.”

“Uh-huh. How do you feel this week?” she asks, a smile lining her voice.

“It’s not funny.”

Grinning, I tell her about the apartment I saw the other day and how, despite going back and forth,I’mnot sure whether to buy it.

“Buy it,” she says.

“You suck as a financial advisor.”

“Seriously.”

“I know. Seriously. My mother said the same thing. I said the same thing. The thing is… What if I buy it and want to move to LA next year.”

“You’ll never move to LA. Don’t wait too long. Someone will snatch it up.”

“My real estate agent said the same thing.”

She laughs, amused.

“I can’t have an original thought, can I?” she says.

A chuckle rolls from my lips, but it fades off quickly.

“All right,” I say, pushing upright as a pause ensues.

I’m sure Alice doesn’t know any private investigators.

I could ask my sister.

Her husband knowsa lot of people, but I don’t want this to become a family matter.

What if I ask my landlord?He seems tobe the type who hirespeople to dig up dirt on other people.

He’ll blow a fuse.

“Is everything else good with you?” I shift the topic, and she talks about her wedding dress while I think about my options.

Later, we end our conversation, and I do the last thing I should do. I call Mina.

MELODY

FRIDAY

This whole thing is surreal.When Mina said Jax London and his business partner were scheduled for a meeting today with one of our wealth management advisors, I thought she was smoking something, and she started early.

I thought she was joking, although she didn’t seem in the mood. It was seven o’clock in the morning, and we had both just gotten in.

She ordered food for me while I went straight to my desk.She dropped the news in passing after the food had been delivered, and she brought it to my desk.

I still think it’s a joke, but my eyes are trained on theirnames on the schedule.Jax London, and Marco Costa. Is the mafia doing legit business now?

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