Page 86 of Girl, Empty

‘Something like that,’ Ripley said.‘Riggs, we need to get out of here.Is there anything else you need?’

‘Nope.Just take my thanks and be gone.I couldn’t have done this without you.’

‘Same for you.Thanks for being our computer expert.’

‘Don’t mention it.’

The agents said their goodbye to Riggs, then Ella watched him disappear back amongst the crowd.She turned to her partner, ‘Ready to get out of here?’

‘Hell yes.This concrete is freezing my ass off.What time’s our flight?’

‘Your flight’s at 8.Mine’s at 9.’

Ripley snorted.‘You so important you’ve got your own plane now?’

‘I wish.I mean I’m not going home.I’ve got to stop off somewhere first.’

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

The TSA agent did a double-take at Ella’s passport photo, then at her face, then back to the photo like he was trying to solve a spot-the-difference puzzle.

‘Rough night?’he asked.

‘You should see the other guy.’

‘Very good.’

Ella and Ripley passed through security, then came the fork in the road.Ella’s gate went to the left, Ripley’s to the right.

‘You sure you don’t want me to come with you?’Ripley asked.

‘No.You hate where I’m going.’

‘That’s true.Did you… sign the thing?’

Ella felt the affidavit in her jacket pocket.The folded piece of paper had been prodding her in the ribs for the three days now, but she kept it there out of some masochistic urge to remind herself that she still had the nuclear option at her disposal.

‘No.Not yet.’

‘Are you going to?’

Ella didn’t have an answer.

‘I’m going to stop by the office if I have time.If Edis still has a job, he’s probably there.I’ll give him the rundown of everything.’

‘Thank you.I’ll be back in a day or two.Don’t do anything stupid without me.’

‘No promises.’

And with that, Ella went to Gate 13, carrying her burdens toward whatever truth waited for her on the other side of the sky.

***

It was after midnight by the time Mia Ripley got back to D.C., and she’d stopped by HQ on the way home to begin the arduous paperwork process.Even as a consultant, the admin work hadn’t lessened, even if the responsibility had.

On the top floor of the building, she passed Director Edis’s office, and noticed his blurry silhouette on the other side of the frosted glass.Ripley figured that he was probably spending his last few days tying everything up before his ceremonial kicking to the curb.

One knock.The silhouette moved a little.‘Come in.’