Page 41 of Sam to the Rescue
“What the fuck?” Pissed, I shout down the opening in my hallway. “Hey Rose, can you watch Mikey? I need to go out for a few.”And have a come-to-Jesus moment with a jealous rival.
Her head prairie-dogs up the hole. “How far do you think you’ll get before they find you?”
I point out the back, where freedom lies.
My cousin climbs the stairs, sets down a plate of lasagna and sticks her head out the window. “Joey’s watching. You’ll never make it.”
“I will if I send him on an errand.” Grinning, I holler. “Yo, Joey. Can youz come up for a second?”
He must’ve stepped into his back courtyard because his voice comes at me in stereo. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Why can’t you text me like a normal human being?”
I open the smaller window, poke out my head, and wave. “Because you’ll ignore me.”
“Yeah. And?”
“Do you think you could check up on Silliman and Kessler.”
His brows raise. “Is something up in the land of the crazies?”
“Maybe.” In truth, some of what I read this morning online gives me the chills. The alien laser postings on social media intersect way too often with those written by the COGs. Then, they’re amplified by the Chinese and the Russians. It’s a crazy cocktail of misinformation with a hangover too awful to imagine.
“Hey, just find out if they’re planning on any out-of-town trips, k?”
His eyes narrow, he nods, then his voice sounds from inside again. “Mia? Can youz watch the kid?”
“If you don’t mind her coming to bible study with me, I can.” Multiple footsteps sound in the stairwell, farewells are given, and soon the house is empty except for Rose, Mikey, and me.
I kiss her on the cheek, then give my son a hug. “I’ll be back soon.”
Minutes later, I stand in front of an elevator, reading a gold embossed plate with the tenants and floors listed. I exit on the seventh, turn right past the orthopedic surgeon, and enter Riley’s waiting area.
UnlikeSuds and Sam’s, his office is swanky, although not as nice as Patten’s in Manhattan.
Without his TV makeup, spanks and toupee, I barely recognize the private eye. He pales when he sees me but regains his composure pretty fast. “May I help you, miss?”
You got to be fucking kidding me. Miss? This is how he wants to play it?“Why did you try to kill me last night.
His laugh sounds hollow and his reptilian smile is betrayed by the worry in his eyes. “I’m sorry? What?”
“You rammed into my Uber. Sent me into a brick wall.” My arms fold in front of my chest.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I have proof. I have the emails you sent the driver as well as some you sent to Shabana Hosseini.”So, shoot me, I lied.
“You need to go.” He pushes me back toward the open door and adds, “If you had anything on me, I’d be under arrest.”
It’s true, but the fact he says so makes my trip worthwhile. Until I saw his face I couldn’t’ be sure. Now I am.
“You jealous? Is that it?” Since the pandemic, there’s plenty of work for all. I can’t fathom why he would take such a risk.
“Don’t mess with me. I got family in very low places, capice?”
“Oh, I understand more than you think. Goodbye Ms. Russo.”
I don’t bother to correct him but his slip up of using my maiden name worries me. I drop my purse and, on the way, leave a listening device. He’ll probably find it on the next sweep of his office but hopefully I will learn something useful before then.
Back behind the wheel, I put on my headphones and listen. As suspected, he places a call almost immediately.