Page 34 of Secret Weapon

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know where he lives?Or you don’t know his name?”

“Any of it.”Where were those damn tissues?“I don’t know any of it.”

“But you were friends with Ottie?She was dating a guy, and she never even mentioned his name?”

“I… It’s complicated.”

“Please, do tell.”

Nico leaned forward in his seat, hands on his knees.He wanted to hear the story too.

“See, before Ottie got in touch a few weeks ago, I hadn’t actually spoken to her in years.We were best friends in high school, real close, but she graduated before me and went to college, then I travelled around Asia for a couple of years, and the internet out there wasn’t so reliable, and we sort of…grew apart.But she knew I was back in the US, and when she called and said she was having some problems and could she sleep on my couch until she found someplace else, what was I supposed to say?I figured it’d be good to catch up, plus I wanted to help her out.What else could I have done?Said no?”

“She didn’t have any family she could turn to?”

“Well, yes, but her parents are all the way over in Massachusetts.I just thought she wanted to stay on the West Coast.”

“So she lived nearby?”

“Not nearby, exactly, but in California.Nico, I’m so, so sorry about this.I’ll pay for any damage to the room, and—”

He waved a hand.“Forget the room.I’m more concerned about the woman in the hospital.She’ll be okay?”

Who the hell knew?“As I said, I’m not a doctor.”

“I’ll drive Leona over there myself.We should talk later.”

I shrugged.“Sure.”Nico seemed like an entertaining guy.Whatever Nine’s reason for avoiding him, it wasn’t because he was a prick.“I’ll be in room 103.We can chat over vodka.”

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