Page 115 of A Breath of Life
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Casey’s Diner was a popular cop joint located close to the headquarters building. My apprehension mounted as Costa pulled into the parking lot. I was all too aware of the passing of time but knew if anyone was going to succeed in helping me find Clarence, it would be my cousin. He was head of the IT department and a hacker to his core. Even Diem begrudgingly admired Costa’s brain.
We had spent the past hour driving aimlessly around town. The conversation I’d had with Diem’s captor suggested they had no idea where I was, but Costa wasn’t taking chances. Spiffed-up Converse dude had been outside the courthouse during our escape. If he saw me, he could easily report that there had been two of us in the car. My story would crumble.
Costa asked what Diem and I had learned about Clarence, so I told him about our illegal nighttime excursion to the man’s apartment, the photographs in the closet of the dead wife, the notebook of passwords,the bank statement, the massive donation to St. Michael’s, and our suspicion that Clarence had hired Ace to eliminate his wife.
Costa asked a few questions but mostly sat quietly, absorbing the details. Once he was convinced we didn’t have a tail, he headed for our scheduled rendezvous.
Instead of parking in the lot at Casey’s, he drove down a service road beside the building and cut into an alley where deliveries were made. A blacked-out unmarked police car waited near the rear entrance. Costa pulled in behind it, and hisgood friendgot out.
“I should have known. Is this a good idea?”
“He’s solid. I trust that man with my life.”
Quaid Valor, an MPU detective I’d had a few run-ins with, shook his head with a humorous glint in his eyes as my cousin and I met him in the alley. “Making trouble, Costa?” he asked.
“Me? Never. This one seems to land in it without trying.” He thumbed in my direction. “Always gotta rescue him.”
“I resent that.”
“It’s true.”
Sadly, he was right. “Hi, Quaid.” I tipped my chin at the detective.
“Tallus. Should I ask?”
“The less you know, the better,” I said.
“Fair enough.” He gave my cousin the keys to the unmarked. “As requested. Your stuff’s in the trunk.” From a pocket, he removed what looked like an old-style Nokia phone. Quaid studied it with a quirk at the corner of his mouth before tossing it at my cousin. “I’m best friends with James freaking Bond. You have no idea what kind of a turn-on that is.”
My cousin laughed and slipped the phone out of sight. “It’s probably why you’re so attracted to me. Here I thought it was the tattoos, but it’s the bad boy persona, isn’t it?”
“Must be.”
Costa handed Quaid the keys to his vehicle. “Leave it in my spot at headquarters. Anyone looking for me will think I’m working.”
“No problem.” Quaid eyed me before asking, “Is there anything else I can do?”
“Not right now,” Costa said. “Like Tallus said. The less you know, the better.”
“Are you safe?”
Costapffed, waving off his concern.
Quaid nodded as though he figured that was the answer he would get. “Call me in a couple of days and let me know you’re alive.”
“I will. How’s my goddaughter?”
Quaid practically glowed with the question. “She’s wonderful. Napping with Papa when I left. How’s Tia?”
“Miserable. Morning sickness is killing her. She didn’t have any with the girls. I’m telling you, it’s a sign. I’m getting my boy this time.” He crossed his fingers.
I cleared my throat. “I don’t mean to interrupt this lovely catching up, but I’m on a tight timeline, and my boyfriend has a short fuse and a hot temper that could easily get him killed if I don’t hurry the fuck up and rescue him.”
Quaid arched a brow.
Costa sighed. “Subtle is not in your vocabulary, is it?”
