Page 123 of Maddy's Justice

Quentin got in the passenger side of Evan’s Land Rover while Evan was on the phone.

“Found them. They were right where we thought they’d be.”

He was talking to Odessa who was relaying the information to her boss.

“What?” Evan said a little bit startled when Odessa passed along instructions. She cryptically repeated them using a code in case of an intercept.

“Do you understand?” she asked.

“Yes, perfectly. We’ll get right on it. Day after tomorrow at the latest.”

FORTY

Marc impatiently pushed the ‘up’ button for the elevator for the third time. He looked around at the lighted floor numbers of the eight elevators to see which one was on the way down.

“I’ll let you in on a secret,” Connie said. “If you push the button five times it will get here faster.”

Marc looked at her with an annoyed expression. Of course, he went back and hit the button two more times.

“I knew you’d do it,” Connie laughed.

“Not funny. What’s taking so long?”

“I don’t know. I’m not the elevator whisperer,” Connie said.

“Do you ever wonder why you’ve been divorced twelve or thirteen times?”

“Because I’m in demand,” Connie said.

At that moment, an elevator arrived as Marc sarcastically replied, “Yeah, that’s it.”

“Don’t talk to him,” Connie said to the receptionist. “He hasn’t had his feeding yet.”

“Oh, oh. You’re here to see Melanie Stewart?” the woman asked.

“Yes,” Connie said.

“You can go right back.”

Passing through the interior security door, Connie said, “I know what it is. You miss Maddy.”

“I do,” Marc admitted. “She gives great back rubs.”

“Yeah, right. That’s what you miss about her.”

“I’m serious. She does.”

“I guess that explains what you see in her. Most of us have been wondering,” Connie said.

“Come in,” they heard Melanie reply to Marc’s single knock on her door.

“I guess she does have some other qualities, too,” Marc replied.

“Here it is,” Connie said handing Melanie a dozen sheets of paper stapled together.

“What’s the total?” Melanie asked before reading the document.

“Not quite ten,” Connie replied.

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