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Aaron returns with the letter sealed in a large sandwich bag.
“Thank you, dear.” Gigi takes it from him.
“Can I be of any more help?” Aaron’s concern-filled gaze swings from Gigi to me.
“Check on Inez and see if she needs anything. Otherwise, we’re fine.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He turns and leaves the room.
Usually Gigi corrects people for calling her ma’am. She doesn’t like formalities any more than I do, but her attention is on the sealed letter. She retrieves a pair of reading glasses from a small chest on the coffee table and examines the note.
“What do you think?” I ask, still a tad on edge.
She lowers her glasses. “I don’t know her, so I don’t know what to think or if it’s even authentic.”
“But who else would send it, if not her? Who else would care?” My heart thumps faster again. “Someone else in the Mafia?”
Gigi lays her hand on my bouncing knee. “Darling, you have nothing to fear. We will get to the bottom of this. Mr. Glenn has a military background and is a former federal agent. He has connections and will know a great deal more than me. Patience. It’s very helpful in times like this.”
“I’ve never been in a time like this.” My hand shakes again, and I almost spill the tea.
Gigi takes the cup and sets it on the matching saucer, then she wraps her warm, soft fingers around my hand. “Perhaps some edible marijuana is in order.”
“Maybe, but not yet.” As a teenager, I smoked a few joints with friends. In college, Porsha and I ate gummies when we were stressed with projects or exams. Justice smoked pot regularly—too much, if you ask me. But I’m not ready to relax yet, as if my nerves are holding me together, which sounds ridiculous.
Inez enters with a tall, built, much grayer-haired man than I remember. I only met Mr. Glenn once or twice in the past.
Gigi rises to greet him. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”
“I wasn’t that far from the area.”
Gigi explains to him what happened and shows him the note.
“Who else touched it?” he asks.
“Nova and Katia, my seamstress. Her prints are on file, along with everyone else who works for me.”
Mr. Glenn nods and excuses himself. He makes a call and moves across the room, speaking in a muffled voice.
Gigi joins me on the couch again. “See? Everything is under control.”
Mr. Glenn walks over after a few more minutes. “I need to take this to my office. I also have someone checking into Riley and if we can contact him.”
“He’s friends with an FBI agent,” I blurt, then tense. Should I be saying this? I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.
Mr. Glenn moves closer, stopping across the coffee table from us. “What kind of agent?”
I send Gigi a nervous glance.
“It’s okay. Whatever you know is important in finding Riley.”
“No one will get in trouble?” I ask Gigi, even though the question is directed to Mr. Glenn.
“I promise,” he answers.
Gigi gives me an approving smile.
I peer up at Mr. Glenn. “Agent Keller is his former handler from witness protection. They still talk.”