Page 111 of Smooth Sailing

“’Bye, Diana.”

By the time we disconnected, Hugger had handed me my coffee and was sitting again on the side of the bed.

I took a moment to sip and enjoy the view.

“Where we at?” he queried.

“Scott says it’d be better if the interview happened at the station so they can get it on tape. But I think we should let her family come here to see her.”

“We?”

I nodded while taking a sip.

“Di, baby, this isn’t my house,” he told me something I knew.

“We’re in this together, aren’t we?” I asked.

His lips curved up, taking his beard with them, and I liked that look.

“We are that,” he agreed.

I sensed his assent had a double meaning, and since mine did too, I was totally down with that.

“Speaking of my house, how did you sleep?”

“All good.”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

A sharp, but quiet, bark of laughter escaped him, and I liked that too.

What I didn’t like was that it also sounded rough, like he didn’t laugh all that much.

With no other choice with all the stuff that was brewing, I had to let that go.

For now.

“Have you talked to Big Petey?” I inquired.

“Called him before you. He’s probably on his way by now.”

That was good. Madison had definitely bonded with him, and it seemed her gift of the phone cemented that.

“It’d be good you could get her to the station,” Hugger remarked. “We can get you there, and you’ll be safe there, since I got news from Big Petey that Wash is also in Phoenix. He showed last night. He wants a meet, and we’re guessin’ that meet means he’s gonna try to scrape Chaos off so they can go it alone. We’ll take security, and they’ll deal with the Babics.”

“Wash?”

“Prez of Resurrection.”

Oh.

“They probably should know which Babic they’re dealing with,” I noted.

“I don’t think they care.”

Eek!

“Okay, so our plan is, you get the bathroom first while I sip coffee and call my boss to tell her I’m taking a personal day,” I stated. “Then I’ll do the bathroom thing, I’ll wake up Madison, and get her good with her parents coming over, while also getting her good with going in and being re-interviewed by the police.”

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