“Oh, and by the way,” she said. “Your little brother said to tell you that you greatly underestimate his incredible appeal to the fairer sex. I think the twins were putting ideas in his head.”
I was going to kill Noah. And the twins. And possibly Chloe. It would be therapeutic, really.
I opened the car door.
“Sweet dreams,” Chloe said.
I came this close to telling her I’d made out with Jack, but I didn’t. I was almost positive I could take her in the catfight that would ensue, but then we’d be one short for our halftime performance, and my head was going to explode if I had to memorize a new formation.
I walked up to my front door, and when I reached for the doorknob, the door flew inward. Noah stood there, smiling at me.
“Ask me how my night was,” he said.
I looked over my shoulder. Chloe was gone, but wherever she was, I was positive she was smirking in victory.
“Toby, just ask me,” Noah ordered. “Or better yet, touch me.”
“Noah, I’m not going to—”
“Just touch me.”
I reached my hand out to thwap some sense into him, but he jumped back. “Careful,” he said. “Don’t burn yourself, ’cause I’m on fiiiiiiiiiiire!”
And then he broke into a victory dance, moonwalk and all.
When I got my hands on them, Brittany and Tiffany were dead girls.
CHAPTER 34
Code Word: Halftime
“Hello, girls.”
This time, I had my “good morning, Charlie” impulses well under control, but really, my response had nothing to do with control and indeed nothing even to do with the fact that the cheerleading uniform I was wearing was highly uncomfortable. It had everything to do with the fact that hearing the Voice again sent me flashing back to that night, to the kiss, to everything.
John. It’s Alan. I need to talk to you. It’s about Jack.
“I know you girls have a big game today, so I won’t keep you, but we wanted to express our sincere appreciation for your work on this case. Heath Shannon is currently in custody and has agreed to provide us with information on his terrorist contacts in exchange for a light sentencing.”
I noticed that there was no mention of Heath Shannon similarly betraying Peyton, Kaufman, and Gray, which I tookas signifying that somehow, Mr. Playboy found the law firm more intimidating and potentially lethal than his terrorist contacts. Try that for mind-boggling.
John. It’s Alan. I need to talk to you. It’s about Jack.
“Infotech has been effectively shut down. Coincidentally enough, they’ve also had a major turnover in management. Apparently, several of their lead executives have fled the country.”
Given Heath’s decision, I wondered what the executives were more afraid of: the government or Peyton’s undoubtedly unpleasant methods for tying up loose ends.
“Toby.”
The Voice spoke my name, and I bit back the urge to speak back, to yell out that I knew who he was and to demand to know why he wanted to talk about Jack.
“The bug you planted at Peyton has been up and operational for the past two days. Though we don’t expect it to last indefinitely, it will be invaluable until we can find an alternative means of collecting intel inside the firm.”
An alternative means like, perhaps, being related to the guys who own it?
Tara gave me a look that told me I should reply, and though I managed to refrain from voicing my silent question, I couldn’t stop a smart-mouthed one from leaving my lips instead. “Does that mean I get a gold star?”
The Voice didn’t show a single sign of chuckling. “It means,” he said, “that we’ll keep you.”
