Page 95 of Devious Gambit

“Sup,” I hit back.

He leaned against my doorframe. “Sorry about your grandfather, man. Gramps told me.”

“Yeah, it was bit of a shock.”

“And ah…sorry about your girl. I didn’t know she meant that much to you.”

“She’ll come around,” I answered. “I’ll hound her until she caves.”

He smiled. “You gonna keep going with her?”

“Yep. She doesn’t know it yet.”

“I get the feeling she doesn’t like me much,” he admitted, smirking. “Called me a bozo last time I went into Stads.”

I sniggered. “Sounds like our Gallagher.”

“Yeah, she’s a fire cracker that one. I can see why you like her.” The more we talked, the less awkward it was between us. He was my best bud and I didn’t want hold a grudge forever. “We lost the last game,” he told me.

“Yeah, I know.”

“We need you back.”

“I’m back.” Although I didn’t know how long for.

“Good. I told Coach you had family issues. He’s had a lot on his plate with Sweeney and Greene…”

“Yeah. I won’t abandon the team.”

“Looking forward to hitting the water in Maui?” he enquired

“Hell, yes.”

“You know, ah, that Klimt…”

“Yeah.”

“Fake.”

“Fake?”

“Yeah. Gramps sent someone to retrieve it from where Moody said he hid it and he got it appraised.”

My jaw slackened. “You don’t think it was Moody who swapped them?”

“Nah. It’s an exact replica of the real thing, I doubt Moody would know the difference. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered to hide it. It was either Gramps or Heinrich.”

I tipped my head back and laughed at the funniest thing since Gallagher’s crappy Christmas joke.

“I thought you’d be pissed off?”

“Nah. Not now. Life’s too short. Besides, during all the deception and pretense I got to know Gallagher. And I’m telling you right now you’re not using her as a fucking mule again.”

“Alright.” He showed me his palms in surrender.

“I mean it. She’s off limits.”

“Got it.”

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