Page 98 of Fluke
I shrug. “I have no idea. Moss and Maddox get them too, but about different animals.”
Pippa presses the button for the elevator.
Unknown: Octopuses can navigate through mazes, solve problems, and remember solutions. They can take things apart for fun.
I readit aloud to her. “I can’t tell if it’s a joke or if someone is marking us for … death or something.”
“Or if it’s Banks.”
I look at her out of the corner of my eye. “Or if it's Banks.”
It’s the most obvious answer. Occam’s razor would draw a line right to Banks’s front door. When Moss first mentioned his random penguin texts, I immediately thoughtBanks.
But there’s one problem that makes me unsure.
“Except,” I say, grimacing. “They are all factoids. I’m sure he could cut and paste them from somewhere online—he doesn’t have to know this shit. But, think about it. Would Banks spend his time looking up facts to send to his brothers? It just feels too … smart.”
Pippa snorts. “Be nice.”
Me: And to think I’ve called them octopussies my whole life.
As expected,there is no reply.
The elevator rings and the doors open. We step inside and press the button for our floor.
“Speaking of Banks,” Pippa says. “What are you doing with that rooster?”
“I have plans for the rooster.”
She quirks a brow. “Oh, really?”
“You see, Banks gets off on getting an immediate rise out of you. He likes instant gratification—like some other person I know.”
She grins.
“In order to really get to him, you have to drag it out a little. Stay a step ahead. He’s incredibly predictable and that’s his Achilles heel.”
“So … you knew he’d break into your house when you left?”
“Yup. Granted, I thought he’d at least wait a day—or until dark. That surprised me. But there was no way he wasn’t going to sleep on my couch while I was gone.”
The elevator buzzes and we step into the hall.
“Why doesn’t he just sleep at his house?” she asks.
“Now that, I don’t know.”
We make our way down the burgundy and gold carpeting.
“So what did you do to stay ahead of him this time?” she asks.
My chest shakes as I chuckle.I can’t wait for this fallout.
“Are you not going to tell me?” she asks.
I snicker. “I can’t risk it. Not that you would tell him,” I say. “But I don’t want to jinx it. I want to make sure it works before I say a word.”
“Ah, I guess that makes sense.” She plucks her shirt away from her body. “I can’t wait to get these clothes off. I feel dirty and claustrophobic in them.”
