Page 39 of The Fallen Man

Devonte paused and looked at Jackson’s feet on the seat. “Were you raised in a barn? What is this?”

“Thank you,” said Evan.

Jackson rolled his eyes and moved his feet.

“How am I supposed to sit there now?”

“You want a napkin for your tush?”

“Maybe.” Devonte swiped dramatically at the seat with his scarf, and Evan laughed as he scooted around the booth to make more room for the large man. “See, this is why I’m going to come work for you,” Devonte said to Evan as he sat down.

“Don’t remind me,” complained Jackson. “Did you get your Series 7 test thing scheduled yet?”

“Yes, January fourteenth. I’m nervous as fuck.”

“You’ve been studying for a year. You nail every pop quiz,” said Jackson. “You’re going to ace it.”

Evan smiled at his cousin. Jackson’s boundless encouragement was not a Deveraux trait, but Evan loved it all the same.

“Well, I hope so, but still, come January fourteenth, say a prayer for me or whatever it is you do.”

“Meditation,” said Jackson. “Unless I’m about to die, and thenit’s a lot of prayers. What’s Pete’s brainwave?”

“OK, so you know how we haven’t been able to come up with anyone that would possibly want to help Granger?”

“The man was spectacularly unpopular,” said Jackson.

“Understandably so, really,” said Evan. The waitress arrived with Devonte’s drink, and Devonte looked bemused by its arrival but happy.

“Well, so Pete was over at his in-law’s house, and it occurred to him that Granger probably sent his special file to a relative. Because relatives might not like you, but they still feel some form of obligation.”

“I’m concerned for Pete’s marriage if he had this thought while at his in-laws,” said Jackson.

“Agreed,” seconded Evan.

“Nah, his husband’s solid,” said Devonte. “It was probably just one of those word association things that he does.”

“Well, we’ll hope so,” said Jackson. “But maybe I’ll remind him to take some of his vacation days anyway.”

“I didn’t think Granger had any relatives,” said Evan.

“He’s got a bumper crop of ex-wives,” argued Devonte, “and a sister in St. Barts.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” said Jackson. “Please tell me I’m not paying for Pete to go to St. Barts? I know just said vacation days, but please.”

Devonte grinned. “If that was the case, you’d be paying for me to go. But no, Pete thinks we can just give her a call or email. He says Aiden can probably put a fancy lawyer touch on it if we have to.”

“I’m not sure why she would respond,” said Evan. “Unless it was in the hope of resolving some sort of estate issue.”

“That was what Pete was hoping to imply—some sort of legalese about the hearings or some such. It just has to sound important enough to get her on the phone. But the ex-wivesare a different story. They aren’t tied to Granger legally, so there’s no leverage. But he still thinks they’re decent targets. Unfortunately, all of them are sort of off the grid. They all got remarried, and with the additional name changes, it’s hard to track them. Pete thinks it would be faster if we fly out to their last knowns and talk to them in person.”

“It’s not bad,” said Jackson. “Where are they at?”

“One in California, one in Vegas, and the third one, we think was in Colorado.”

“We might as well try it,” said Jackson. “We’re all out of other straws to grasp at.”

“That’s pretty much where I was at,” said Devonte. “I mean… we’re still totally chasing down leads. Something could pop at any time!”