Page 20 of Ground Truth

Gaspar followed slowly behind.

Margo led them to an outdoor smoking section. Four chairs were arranged in a semicircle with an outdoor ashtray next to each. A few cigarette butts poked up from the sand.

Margo fished her cigarettes out of her pocket before she sat. Gaspar and Drake took the chairs opposite.

She offered smokes from the open pack. Gaspar and Drake declined. She extracted a long brown skinny cigarillo and lit it with a disposable butane. After a long drag, she held the smoke in her lungs, then finally exhaled.

Before the next drag, she asked again, “How can I help you?”

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Chapter 12

Houston

Flint’s flight landed in Houston more than two hours late. He collected his carry-on and hustled through the passenger ramp into the terminal. He trotted along the corridors, weaving between groups of slower travelers.

Scarlett had delayed the exhumation of Marilyn Baker’s body as long as possible, but the work had been completed in Mount Warren yesterday. The state had sent the body to Houston for cremation. The last message he’d received from Scarlett said the cremation was scheduled in about an hour. No time to waste.

He hoofed it to the escalators and then hopped down the moving steps to the bottom, where he jumped off and rushed toward the exit. When he emerged from the terminal, he hit the humid Houston weather like a brick wall.

Flint was already perspiring when he exited the building and the humidity soaked his shirt, plastering it to his chest like wet cotton.

He twisted his neck to scan the row of waiting vehicles looking for Drake’s big SUV. For the first time ever in their relationship, Drake had dropped the ball.

Traffic was heavy. Maybe Drake was running late. Flint had texted from the plane with updated arrival intel.

Flint checked his phone to be sure the text was sent and received. Affirmative on both counts.

He ran a frustrated palm over his clammy face and across his shaggy dark hair. He needed a haircut. And a shave. And clean clothes. But first he had to find a ride.

The line of traffic was moving slowly through the pickup lanes in front of the arrival lines at baggage claim. The taxi queue was longer than the line to enter a rock concert. He could call a car service, but it would take more time to get someone out here than he had to spare.

He heard an impatient driver mashing the horn. Which led to more drivers joining the chorus. Two dozen horns honking repeatedly and out of any reasonable rhythm was beyond deafening.

Flint scanned the mob pushing toward him from all sides. Which was when he heard his name being called from the far lane across six lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic.

“Flint! Over here!”

A tall, slender woman with tumbling dark hair stood on the running board, driver’s door open, waving her arm. The top half of her torso was visible above the SUV’s roof.

“Flint! Over here!” she yelled again.

Horns were honking behind her SUV encouraging her to get back in the vehicle and move, although she couldn’t go more than a few inches due to the vehicle ahead. Angry shouts added to the cacophony.

One guy a few vehicles back climbed out of his pickup and marched toward her as if he might physically relocate her if she didn’t get moving. The visual made Flint grin.

“I’d like to see you try that, buddy,” he murmured under his breath as he waved his arm toward the woman and hustled between the barely moving vehicles to reach Scarlett.

Once she realized he’d seen her, she slid behind the wheel and settled in with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake. The pickup dude was still coming.

Flint tossed his bag in the backseat and jumped into the front, with barely enough time to close the door again before Scarlett auto-locked all the doors, lifted her foot off the brake, and let the big SUV roll forward.

Flint glanced at the pickup dude in the side mirror. He shook his fist and blew out a stream of curses before he gave up, turned on his heel, and stomped back to his truck.

“That guy isn’t going to be bringing you roses anytime soon,” Flint teased.

“You’re welcome. Sorry I’m late. Had to drop Maddy off. Happy to be your personal car service. Anytime,” Scarlett replied sarcastically as she flashed a scowl toward him.

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