Page 90 of S.O.S. Billboard

Rather than block him, as she might have in the past, she threaded her fingers through his and hung on tightly.

Mizzay continued. “I’ve been in touch with Anna Jakes, and since hers is the closest place available where we can talk, she’s very graciously offered up her living room so we can get to the bottom of tonight’s debacle.”

Mizzay looked extremely pleased with herself, and Billboard knew it was because she’d get the chance to grill Anna and O’Shea together, finding out what the hell had been going on between them to send O’Shea—who’d been antagonistically loose-lipped at the Q and A session—into Barnie Jakes’ town meeting tonight.

After Mizzay gave Delaney and O’Reilly orders not to evencontemplatetrying to disappear, the team and company all left the premises and piled into four black SUV’s that were taking up an intimidating amount of space outside the police station doors.

Billboard had just settled into the back seat beside O’Shea when a thought hit him. “My Bronco,” he grunted. “Can we go pick it up? I’m not sure I want it left at the town hall tonight. I wouldn’t put it past those cops to make sure it suffers some kind of damage.”

“Already taken care of,” Mizzay told him breezily.

Billboard blinked. “But…keys?” He and O’Shea had just been given envelopes which held their pocket-belongings, and his keys were in O’Shea’s.

She shrugged. “Not necessary when you have people with skills.”

“Right,” Billboard snorted. “You mean since my vehicle is as old as dirt with none of the new-fangled shit getting in the way to stop you, someone hot-wired it.”

“Confirmed,” one of the female black-suits dead-panned, unprompted.

O’Shea elbowed Billboard and grinned. “They’re grumpier than you,” she whispered.

“Impossible,” Perkins said from her other side, clearly having heard. He was looking at the agent…speculatively, but matched his voice to the low tone taken. “Billboard takes the cake when it comes to cranky.”

The balance of the ride was done in silence, and sure enough, when they pulled up to Anna Jakes’ house, Billboard’s Bronco was in the driveway, along with the SUV Billboard had borrowed. That was no surprise. Mizzay had spare keys for that one.

The four large vehicles parked on the dark, suburban street out front, and Billboard chuckled to himself. The neighbors, some of whom he could see peeking out of their lighted windows, would be talking about this possible “federal invasion” for a long time.

They went inside to convene in the living room, with Zoe immediately heading for O’Shea, twining around her ankles.

“Thanks, Zoe,” Billboard thought he heard O’Shea murmur as she bent to stroke the cat’s fuzzy head, and he laughed. She’d forever think the psychic feline had truly sent Billboard to find her.

It was a tight squeeze, but nobody was complaining. Especially Perkins, who, if Billboard wasn’t mistaken, took the opportunity to get as close to the peevish agent as possible; the one who’d taken credit for jumping Billboard’s Bronco.

Everyone else seemed more interested in finding a seat, or propping themselves up on a nearby wall. They were all clearlyanxious to get to the bottom of what was going on with Anna Jakes’ ex-husband.

But first…

Billboard eyeballed the youngster still in the room, and it caught Anna’s attention.

“Ethan?” Anna used her mom-voice on her offspringaftershe and her son had been introduced to everyone they didn’t already know.

“Yeah, Mom?” he responded, resignation already in his reply.

“It’s time—”

“For bed. I know.” He looked toward O’Shea with pleading eyes. “I’mneverhere for the good stuff. Can’t I stay? Please?”

“Sorry, bud,” O’Shea shook her head. “You have school tomorrow and it’s already approaching midnight. Be happy your mother let you stay up long enough to meet everybody.”

Ethan, grumbling, scooped up Zoe, then stomped off down the hall, sending a terse “goodnight” over his shoulder.

“Okay, O’Shea,” Del took charge. “Spill.”

Once O’Shea got started, Anna chimed in, filling in a lot of the blanks as they apprised everyone gathered about Barnie’s past abuses toward her and Ethan; how Anna had suspected him of wrong-doings where the town was concerned, and that she’d stashed away some damning documents in a safe in her garage.

By the time O’Shea and Anna were finished, everyone’s heads were shaking.

“I’m not trying to step on your toes, Anna, but we should take those papers off your hands,” Del stated.

---