Page 65 of 2nd Strike

I set the tray down. “Help yourselves.”

They continue to peer at me and the awkward silence returns. Suddenly, I’m the outsider in this little reunion.

I get it. They need time to talk without an audience. Without someone who is a partner in a PI agency.

“Boys,” I say, “how about I give you some privacy. Would that be okay?”

Ethan and Jon exchange a look and communicate in some sort of teenage language I’m way too old to understand.

“Yeah,” Ethan says. “That’d be good.”

I turn to Carl. “I’ll be right next door.”

Rather than go out the front and give the reporters a photo op, I head out back.

Fresh air wraps around me and I note that my morning meditation has long since worn off.

Three minutes. That’s all I need to ground myself. To get focused and recharge.

I sit on the rattan high-backed chair that has become my sanctuary on nice days and prop my feet on the ottoman.

A bird tweets and I rest my head back, breathing deeply as I close my eyes. A light wind caresses my cheeks and…yes…my body begins to loosen.

“Meg?”

Charlie’s voice.

So much for my three minutes. I open my eyes, see my sister standing over me, her blond hair backlit by streaming sun.

I check the time on my phone. I’ve been sitting here at least ten minutes. I must’ve fallen asleep. Dammit.

“Hi,” I croak. “Sorry. I was coming to update you, but needed a second.”

“It’s all right. I saw you sitting out here and wasn’t sure what happened. Is everything okay?”

Shaking off the fog in my brain, I nod. “Carl got here about fifteen minutes ago. They’re inside. Talking.”

“It’s a good sign if you’re sitting out here.”

“It seemed to be going okay. I sensed the boys wanted privacy.”

“Where’s Lily?”

“Still at work, I assume. He didn’t say.” I stand and give my neck a stretch. “I’m going to check on them. Want to come inside?”

Charlie peers at my door, her longing to enter evident. I sense her protective instincts being brutally smothered as she shakes her head. “I should steer clear. But call if you need me.”

My poor sister. She’s been submerged in this case for days, pushing people’s buttons and digging up info from every conceivable angle and is now forced to step back. Whatever happens with Lily and this damned lawsuit, Charlie will get the credit due for finding the real Ethan.

I’ll make sure of it.

29

Charlie

Several hours later, I still have no final results to prove George is Ethan’s father.

The lab in California is dragging its feet because there's no pressure on them yet. Taylor would do it, except she's still wrapped up with Susie and that fiasco.