Page 74 of Lion & Lamb

RAIN: I don’t have an alias or a pseudonym or an alternate identity. Just being me is enough.

LAMB: If only I knew who you really were.

RAIN: You’re looking at her.

LAMB: (Pause) I’d better go before Maddie and Archie Jr. decide to formally adopt my dog.

Chapter77

Transcript of private conversation between Cooper Lamb and Eagles co-owner Harold Sable in his office at Lincoln Financial Field

COOPER LAMB: Honestly, Harold, I don’t know how you keep all of these plates spinning on all of these poles.

HAROLD SABLE: What’re you talking about, plates and poles?

LAMB: I mean you must be crazy-busy right now, but you seem perfectly calm in the center of the storm.

SABLE: Is this why you had to see me right away? You want free lessons in time management?

LAMB: Just the expenses alone. I mean, how do you keep track of it all? Cars here, travel there, all of those luxury suites…

SABLE: Oh, I get it. You’re delivering some kind of private-eye monologue. Well, go ahead, don’t let me stop you.

LAMB: Not to mention all of the condos and apartments around town. I’ve seen Maya Rain’s pad. That place can’t be cheap.

SABLE: And now we come to the point. Only there’s one problem—who the f—is Maya Rain?

LAMB: You know exactly who she is.

SABLE: Maya, Maya…oh, right, the nanny. You thinkI’mpaying for Archie’s nanny’s apartment? Isn’t she living at Villanova or something? I still don’t see how this is any of my business or why you’re wasting my f------time with this nonsense.

LAMB: Nonsense? You were covering for Archie by taking care of his mistress’s penthouse. Anything to keep your star quarterback happy, right?

SABLE: If Archie had anything on the side—and I’m not saying he did—he could certainly have afforded to pay her living expenses on his own.

LAMB: Not if he wanted to keep it supersecret from Francine.

SABLE: You actually think Archie and this Maya were a thing?

LAMB: IknowArchie and Maya were a thing.

SABLE: (Laughs) No, a------. Maya and thedetectiveare a thing.

LAMB: (Pause) Really.

SABLE: You just don’t get it. I know you’re zipping around town trying to connect the dots and all. But you can’t make it fit, can you? That’s because there are no dots to connect. People are gonna do what they wanna do whether or not it’s convenient for you. So he’s banging the nanny. Who gives a s—? People do all kinds of crazy things.

LAMB: Crazy things like work for you?

SABLE: What’s this, now?

LAMB: I know Bernstein’s on your payroll.

SABLE: Unbelievable. Where’d you get that?

LAMB: You denying it?

SABLE: Yes, I’m denying it. Bernstein wishes he were on my payroll—he’d do a lot better than what the city gives him. No, I like Mickey because I was pals with his old man, and yeah, I might throw him some tickets now and again, but I throw a lot of tickets around. See, there you go again. Connecting dots that aren’t even on the same page.

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