Page 67 of Girl, Unknown

But watching the old dog sip coffee and act like a naïve schoolgirl about some new lover filled her heart with joy. Seeing Ripley open up for what might have been the first time since they’d partnered felt like a massive step in the right direction for her. Ella just wanted to see her ride off into the sunset already and leave the world of law enforcement behind.

“No. Nothing.”

Ella couldn’t have come this far without Ripley, but it was time to let her off the hook. She had a new life ahead of her. Ella might not. She’d go down with the ship if she had to, but she wasn’t going to bring Ripley down with her.

“Alright, well let me know if anything progresses. I’m going for a Steak de Burgo.”

Ella checked the clock. “It’s five a.m..”

“When in Rome. See you tomorrow. We’ll fly home about six.”

“Alright. Don’t get mobbed by fans while you’re out. You’re a TV star now.”

Ripley cackled on her way out the door, then left Ella alone for the time being. For now, she was far away from danger. No one would know she was here. She lay down and decided to get as much rest as she could, casting recent events far from her thoughts.

Tomorrow was a new fight, and she had no idea how it was going to go.

But whatever happened, she was ready for it.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

Mia Ripley input the passcode to her security system, entered her porch, and put her key in the front door. She turned it to the left but found it was already unlocked.

Suddenly alert, she reached for her gun out of instinct. It wasn’t there. It was still in her bag.

She edged inside anyway, and only when the pleasant smell of barbecued chicken invaded her nostrils did she realize the identity of her unexpected intruder.

He came out of the kitchen, dressed in his trademark white shirt and blue pants. Even fifteen years into retirement he still dressed like he’d just come back from the office. He held his arms open and said, “Thought I’d surprise you. You don’t mind, do you?”

Ripley threw her bag down, summoned Martin to meet her in the middle of the room. He obliged. Ripley embraced him.

“That’s a no, then?” Martin asked as he scratched his charcoal gray beard.

“Not at all,” said Ripley. “How the hell did you get in?”

Martin pulled a door key out of his pocket. “You know, about ninety percent of people keep their spare keys in a kitchen drawer. You’re one of them.”

“Devious,” Ripley said. “Have you been here long?”

Martin gestured to Mia to follow him into the kitchen. “Long enough to make you this banquet. Texas barbecue, green beans, the best pasta outside of Italy.”

Martin had laid it all out on Ripley’s kitchen table, prepped to restaurant quality aesthetics. “Wow, you’re really trying to impress me,” she said.

“Not at all, I do this for everyone. I did it for my mechanic this morning.”

Ripley chuckled, “How’d that go?”

“Good. He’s taking me on a date tomorrow.” Martin prepared the table for her, navigating the place as though he’d lived here for years. The thought was a little unnerving, but at the same time, Ripley thought that she could get used to it.

“Well I’m politely asking you to cancel. I want you here instead.”

Martin looked up from his preparation with what Ripley’s mother would have called his teddy bear face. She’d caught him off guard.

“Here? Two nights in a row?”

Ripley shrugged. “Sure, if that’s alright with you.”

“You’re throwing the once-a-week rule out of the window?”

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