I felt a bump and opened my eyes. Frank was slowing the SUV.
I was happy in Miami eight and a half years ago. As much as I understood happiness.
But you cannot negotiate with the past, my mother used to say.You cannot win an argument with a ghost, Gardy, she’d tell me.
I thought of my mom, clawing her way back to consciousness. She’d become a ghost and was trying to regain a sense of herself. Could I get back there? What would it take to return to some life that felt normal, like I had with Anna?
I sat up and found my phone. Texted my mother’s doctor, who had given me his personal cell before I left Texas.
How is she?
A moment later, three dots pulsed, and his message appeared.
Better. Out of the blue, she asked about you yesterday.
Except she fouled up your name. Called you Gardy.
I smiled. Then wrote back fast before putting away my phone:
Thank you for helping her. She deserves the best.
The world seemed to be returning to normal.
We pulled into the parking lot of the Homewood Suites. Through the front window, I saw Shooter, heading out of the lobby toward us.
“If it isn’t the conquering heroes,” she said as we got out of the car. “Can I say I knew you when? Get your autograph?”
“Where do you want me to sign?” Cassie said, and Shooter mimed pulling down her shirt. Cassie laughed out loud. “Where’s the rook?”
Shooter glanced at a set of exterior stairs that ran up to the secondfloor, and she shrugged. “He texted me twenty minutes ago. Said he had a big day yesterday. Thought he had a lead on this thing.”
“Cassie and I can grab him,” I said to Frank. “Leave one of the cars and go with Shooter. We’ll catch up.”
Cassie told me she needed coffee, so I headed up the stairs to the second floor alone.
As we’d left the bar last night, I had been thinking about Cassie and me. Watching her walk away now, a specific thought moved through my head.
Was there something between us still? Something that was about to develop fifteen months ago, but I had halted it? And if Frank was back, and soon he’d be the boss again… did this pave the way for something new?
I got to the second floor and knocked on the door.
If Richie needed time to get ready, I was going to pull Cassie aside and ask her if she felt something.
No one answered Richie’s door.
Do you feel something?
No. I would not say that. That sounded like I was asking about an earthquake. Or had just flatulated.
I called Richie’s phone, but it went to voicemail.
I would like to explore something with you.
No, not that, either.
Cassie made her way up the steps to join me, a Styrofoam hotel coffee cup in hand.
I turned to face her. “Hey,” I said.
