Page 57 of The Rat

Rory snorted, and took the phone.“Thank you.”

Sebastian tilted his head, thenreached outand cupped Rory’s face.

He traced Rory’s cheekbone withhis thumb, then mumbled, “No problem. I’ll stand watch outside,when I startcoughing in a hysterical manner, it means you should hangup, hang up and come perform the Heimlich on me.”

Rory laughed, and Sebastian backed away. Hepulled the door to as he left, and Rory turned his attention to thephone.

No contact numbers, nomessages, nocall log. There was nothing left on it, Sebastian covered histracks. Rory huffed, tapped the phone on his chin, then reopenedit, and typed in Erica’s number. She didn’t pick up, and he triedagain.

“Please,” hewhispered.

“I haven’t had anaccident, andI don’t wanna buy anything.”

Her voice wascroaky, andRory sat upright. “What’s he done now?”

“Rory?”

“What’s Danny done?”

“Nothing.”

“You sound like you’ve beencrying?”

“No, no, wait asec.”

Rory frowned at the sound of arustle, thenErica very obviously blew her nose.

“I’ve got a cold. Had itfor a few days, it’s hell.”

“Hot lemon, honey and a dashof—”

“Chili, I know, dad’s specialty, but I can’tmake it the same, and when Danny tried my tongue caught fire. Hey,why did you assume Danny had upset me?”

“Thought you might havefought about the caragain.”

“No, nofight. In fact, we’re getting a newone, picked it together.”

“What is it?”

“Sexy soft-topPorsche.”

Rory rolled his eyes. “I thinkyou’re too young for a mid-life crisis, but I guess he’s not.”

A distorted laugh made it to Rory’sear.

“We took it for a test drive, andit won me over. It’s gonna be our first baby.”

“I can’t be an uncle to acar.”

“Uncle to the car, see if you canhandle the responsibility, then maybe in a few years, uncle to a baby. That’senough about me, are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’mokay.”

“The spying’s goingokay?”

Rory nipped hislip, then mumbled,“It’s harder than I thought.”

“Where are you?”

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