Page 85 of Lion & Lamb

RAIN: You think way too much of me.

LAMB: Here’s some honesty: I think about you a lot.

RAIN: (Pause) Cooper…we can’t do this.

LAMB: Because you’re with Mickey Bernstein? How did you even meet him?

RAIN: I should get back to the kids.

LAMB: Give me one more minute. Tell me why you were watching Roz Cline. You know she’s dead, right? Pushed right off her penthouse balcony in the middle of the afternoon.

RAIN: I know, Cooper.

LAMB: Of course you know. Bernstein is investigating that murder too, even though he should be a million f------miles from all of these cases.

RAIN: I don’t ask Mickey about his business, and he doesn’t ask about mine. How we met doesn’t matter, but it has nothing to do with Archie’s murder.

LAMB: So why keep tabs on Roz Cline?

RAIN: I did it for Francine. I know this may not make sense to you, but she’s become my dearest friend. I was hired to care for her children, but I came to care for her too. That’s the way it happens sometimes. And the thought of anyone hurting her…I just couldn’t let that happen.

LAMB: How could Roz hurt Francine?

RAIN: Cooper, my friend, I think you know exactly how.

LAMB: None of this makes sense. You know that, right? Help me out here.

RAIN: That’s what I’ve been doing, whether you believe me or not. Kids’ messes aren’t the only messes I clean up.

LAMB: Who’s looking out for you?

RAIN: That’s sweet. And I truly mean it. So few people look out for each other these days. Especially in this city.

LAMB: So let me protect you.

RAIN: Go listen to the rest of the game with your kids. I think the Birds are going to give people a big surprise.

LAMB: Says the non–sports fan.

RAIN: Call me an optimist.

Chapter89

“WOW, DAD,game of the century and we’re sitting in your car,” Ariel said. “Can’t wait to tell my grandkids someday about the epic championship game Ialmostsaw.”

“Ingrate. Up until an hour ago, you were feasting on sugary sweets in one of the owners’ boxes! Tell your grandkids aboutthat.”

“This is so lame.”

“Shhh, quiet for a second.”

Cooper didn’t want to care about the Eagles or the game or anything else that wasn’t related to the three murders he was investigating. But he couldn’t help it; the gamewasone for the record books. It was a nail-biter right up to the very end, when the new quarterback managed some kind of insane Hail Mary pass (and oh, did Cooper regret not being able to see it) and, with justsecondsto go…clinched the Eagles’ victory.

“Dad.”

“Wow, wow, wow,” Cooper said, stunned.

“Dad,”Ariel said. “I can’t believe we missed that!”

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