Page 33 of 2nd Strike
Charlie
When Meg calls to tell me about Ryan Caldren, to cross him off the list, I feel inordinately depressed.
Jackie told me not to go near the office today, so when I called and Haley told me Meg and Matt had taken off together, I felt a spurt of hope. I knew they had a lead, so even though Meg didn't let me know what or who it was, I could barely sit still.
“You still there, Charlie?" she asks.
I force my voice not to betray me. "Yeah. It was a good lead. Thanks for trying."
“Have you come across anything you want us to follow-up on while we're out? Can we bring you some lunch?"
She knows me so well, knows I’m wearing a hole in the floor of my living room. She wants to take care of me, but really, what can she do? "I'm good. Just working on my part."
My phone buzzes with an incoming call, but I ignore it. My personal number got leaked to the world, and the media is intent on getting a statement.
Jackie and I reviewed the lawsuit Lily is bringing against me, and I honestly have no statement. She assures me it’ll get thrown out before she's done with it, and Lily will have to be content to go after the others on her list. I feel numb at this point.
I texted JJ her number, recommending he hire Jackie for the battle ahead. He hasn't responded, but I can hear him telling me we shouldn't share the same attorney. Not only is the media hounding me, I've already received a few threats from the public. Apparently, as Lily must have surmised, this story has hit a sore spot with a lot of people. I'm being called a homewrecker, a joke of an agent, and worse.
The FBI is taking a pounding, too, so I draw some comfort from that. Unfortunately, any of the cases I worked during my tenure with them are now being called into question. Before the week is over, I wouldn't be surprised if each one has to be reopened.
Along with that, every trial I testified in, for or against the defendant, could be thrown out due to misconduct and need to be retried.
I'm living my worst nightmare.
"Charlie?" Meg’s voice brings me back to our conversation.
"Sorry, mind travel. What did you say?"
“Dad left me a message a little while ago. He and mom are bringing food tonight for the four of us. We can do it at my place, if you're not up to hosting."
I love her and my parents for taking care of the routine things like eating. I know it's more than that, sharing dinner. They're bringing me support.
My first instinct is to say I'm fine and tell her meeting here is too. Instead, I admit I’d rather not try to make my place presentable, because right now it's in as much chaos as my brain. "I could use a chance to get out of these walls for a couple hours."
My phone buzzes again, and this time I look to see if I recognize the number. I think it might be JJ, or Jackie, but it's neither. “Hold on, Meg." My pulse picks up as I recognize the number. "Ethan's calling."
“Don’t hang up. I want to know what he says."
I put her on hold and answer. "Ethan? Is everything okay?"
He should be at school, but knowing him, he's faking being sick again. Before he speaks, however, I hear the sound of kids talking in the background, the clink of silverware and the clatter of trays. "I think I found him, Charlie."
"Who?"
"I'm sorry about what my mom did, but I think she may have helped us. This kid, he saw the story, and tracked me down. He messaged me through iWhisper. He wants to chat after school today. He thinks he's me."
The clever app is designed to look like a music manager, but kids use it for chatting, sharing photos and videos, and free texting and calls they don't want parents knowing about. I only know thanks to Matt, who keeps Meg and I up to date on these things. “You mean, he thinks he's the real Ethan?"
"Yeah."
This could be a dead end, a kid who’s mistaken, or trying to pull fast one. “What’s his name?"
“He goes by Arrow.”
I sigh. Smart kid, only using a screen name. At least, I assume it’s a fake. “What time are you chatting?”
“Four. He thinks his mom’s…weird. Like, he’s always felt she wasn’t really his.”
