Page 96 of Lucky Strike

“Sounds like trouble.”

“It could be,” Tristan agrees. “But if it pans out, it might help make up some of what we lost last spring in the robbery.”

“All right, well, let’s make sure Tilly checks out.” I balance the phone between my ear and shoulder, helping Bria corral the dogs into the house “And then we’ll set up a meeting.”

25.Bria

Now

Liam squirms like a little eel as I help him into his skeleton costume. It’s a simple design, basically black cotton pajamas with white bones, but it’s extra-special because it glows in the dark. The temperature is in the upper forties, so he’s wearing long johns underneath to ward off the chill.

I wasn’t going to dress up for Halloween, but Liam begged and begged, so here I am, in the adult version of his costume. Mine’s a looser fit, as I wasn’t in the mood to go for super-sexy, and it has an attached hood, but we make a cute pair. I give Liam his plastic pumpkin and usher him out of the bedroom for our big reveal, the dogs trotting along behind us. If they’re weirded out by our appearances, they don’t show it.

Maeve is downstairs, waiting for us in the living room with Lucky. “Oh my gosh, you guys look great!” she squeals, scooping Liam into a hug. She’s a ballerina, of course, but with pink Converse in place of pointe shoes.

“Thanks.” I poke her glitter-studded bun. “So do you.”

Lucky chuckles, angling his phone at us. “Hold on, I promised I’dsend Mama Sloane a picture,” he says, snapping a couple. “I like the creepy face paint.”

I glance at myself in the gilded mirror next to the window, pleased with the effect. “If we’re going to do this, might as well do it right.”

“Gotta do it right, Dad,” says Liam.

Maeve joins me at the mirror. “You really did a good job.”

“I begged Portia to send me step-by-step directions,” I admit, grinning.

“Of course!” Maeve claps her hands in delight. “Portia’s the makeup queen.”

Liam tugs at my pant leg. “I need my glow sticks.”

“I think they’re in the kitchen, on the table.”

Lucky stands, watching wistfully as Liam darts off. “I wish I didn’t have this meeting. Who the hell schedules something on Halloween?”

“Who the hellgoesto a meeting on Halloween?” snips Maeve, applying more lip gloss.

“It was the only time they could meet,” he says, but it’s obvious his heart’s not in it tonight.

My heart squeezes, partly for him at having to miss some of Liam’s trick-or-treating, and partly for me, because I’d rather do this with him. Once we agreed we were in this together, I let myself feel all of the things I’d been trying to subdue. All of my defenses are down now, and sometimes, on nights like this, it’s hard to let him go. “Don’t worry—you said you’d meet us over at Boston Common later, right?”

“Yeah, as soon as I’m free.” He checks his watch. “I should get going. Traffic is always a mess on Halloween. Liam!”

Liam skitters back in, an open pack of glow stick bracelets in his hand. He thrusts it at his father, wiggling his wrist. “You can have one, Dad.”

“Thanks, bud.” Lucky kneels, fastening one of the bracelets around Liam’s wrist. Then he taps the kids’ smartwatch he bought Liam as a back-to-school present last month. “This is charged up, right?”

“Yeah.” Liam slides a glow bracelet over his dad’s wrist.

Lucky’s eyes twinkle at me over Liam’s shoulder. “Good. That’s how I’ll track you guys down tonight.”

I roll my eyes playfully. Liam is a little young for tech likesmartwatches, but Lucky insists it was a practical purchase given the life he lives. The lifewelive. In fact, he’s been trying to get me to wear a smartwatch too, so we can all keep tabs on each other, but that’s what phones are for.

“I wish you were coming,” Liam mumbles.

“I know, buddy.” Sighing, Lucky gets to his feet. “I promise I’ll be there as soon as possible, okay?”

Liam nods, but his disappointment is visible, even under the face paint.

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