Page 84 of Moonlighter
“How you feeling about your chances?”
I shrug. “The lawyer seemed confident. But then Jared tried to call me tonight.”
“You didn’t answer, right?”
I shake my head. “I’m not that stupid. But I’m pretty curious to know what he would have said.” I pull the phone out of my pocket and peek at it. “He didn’t leave a message.”
“Maybe he decided he’s not that stupid, either.”
“What do you mean?”
“Max would find some way to use it against him. That man could find a way to blackmail a nun.”
My heart rate doubles. I’d rather not blackmail anybody. “Dare I ask why you’re watching from the box tonight?”
“I had to get out of the house.”
“Eric.”
He laughs. And then he turns slightly to address Duff as well as me. “I had knee surgery last week.”
“Oh shit!” Duff says. “Sorry, man.”
“So am I,” I add, looking down at his knee as a reflex. But all I can see is a slight bulge in his trouser leg where the bandage must be. “How long is that going to set you back?”
“Hard to say,” he grunts.
“That’s all I get? I promise not to call ESPN.” The puck has dropped, so we both lean forward to watch the first line do battle for the puck.
“It’s not my favorite topic, Engels.”
“Sorry,” I say quickly. “Bingley would only tell me that you were out with a lower body injury.”
“You asked Bingley about me?”
Whoops. “I was upset about the loss to Ottawa.”
“Huh. I don’t think you mentioned you were a Brooklyn fan. In fact, I could swear you said you didn’t like hockey all that much.”
My shrug has as much nonchalance as I can summon. “I watch a game now and then.”
“Do you now?”
Duff snickers.
“I was upset about that loss, too,” Eric admits.
“Devastating,” I quickly agree. “That missed opportunity in the first minute of overtime? Atrocious.”
He laughs. “I don’t get it.”
“Don’t get what? The net was wide open!”
He drops his voice so that only I can hear it. “I don’t get why you never returned my call. After you sent that card.”
“Oh.” I’m not really prepared for this question. “I wanted to call.”
“And?” He gives me an arch look. “You broke your thumb and couldn’t dial? Oh, wait. You have Bingley for that.”
