Page 13 of Girl, Haunted

‘You always tell me to stay away. Now, find your phone so we can get going.’

Ella did a quick scan of the room. She’d tried to keep her romantic attachment to Luca on the down low, but two people could only keep a secret if one was dead. Somehow, word had gotten out within a week.

She rummaged through her desk drawers like a raccoon in a dumpster. Office supplies, half-finished reports. No phone. No hairbrush. Just the ghosts of cases past.

‘Dammit. Nothing here. The hell did I do with that thing?’

‘Did you try down the back of the sofa?’

‘I tried everywhere.’

‘Maybe you left it in New Orleans.’

Ella's lips twitched. ‘Can you ring it?’

‘Why? And see if some Southerner picks up?’

‘It’s worth a shot.’

‘Fine.’ Luca pulled out his cell and dialed Ella’s number. He stuck the phone to his ear.

Ella watched on in hope, but the expression on Luca’s face said it all. ‘Anything?’

‘Yeah,’ Luca said as he closed his screen down. ‘Louis Armstrong answered.’

‘Hawkins. Come on.’

‘Dead. Your phone is switched off.’

‘Gah. Fine. It’s gone.’ Ella slammed shut a drawer that she’d left half-open.

‘Who cares? It’s a phone. You don’t even need to buy a new one. You’ve got a work phone.’

Ella shot him a look. ‘I had my contacts in there. Videos, photos. All that stuff.’

Luca raised an eyebrow. ‘What type of… photos?’

‘You know.Photos.’

‘You don’t mean…?’

'No, I don't mean,' Ella snapped. 'All sorts of things.'

‘You never backed them up into the cloud?’

Ella shook her head. ‘Never.’

Just then, a mountain of a man plopped down at the empty desk next to hers. He placed his drink down and said, ‘Always back up into the cloud. You should know that, Ells.’

It was her old comrade. The man she’d spent her entire FBI career sitting beside. ‘Thanks, Roady. What’s new?’

The man swiveled to face the agents. He propped his hands over his enormous stomach. ‘Dandy. Who’s this fine gent?’

Luca extended his hand. ‘Luca Hawkins. Or Agent Hawkins. Either works.’

‘Pleased to meet you. I’m Roadrunner,’ he said as he shook.

‘Roadrunner?’

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