Her mind drifting to tomorrow’s mission, Gabby asked, “What’s Kramer’s family like?”
“You were supposed to read the file,” Valentina said, all of her jokes dried up and back to her normal accusatory self.
“I did read the file.” Gabby flashed an annoyed look. “It says he has a wife and two kids, but the guy is in the office before me every day and he’s always the last to leave. Most of the time when his wife calls, he has me tell her he’s in a meeting. He could be clipping his toenails and he makes an excuse not to talk to her.” Gabby shrugged. “Like how are they still married?”
Valentina nodded. “That tracks.”
“You know what he does love, though?” Gabby raised her eyebrows. “His cars.”
“Your point?”
“Well, he won’t leave the office for his wife. He doesn’t seem interested in his kids. He has a bathroom ten feet from the safe. His cars, though…”
Valentina raised an eyebrow. “I like the direction you’re headed here.”
“I think I have a plan to get the codes,” Gabby said. “But it’ll have to be tomorrow afternoon.”
An hour later, Operation Gabby’s Idea was on the books.
Wednesday, Lucas’s bedtime, Greene household
What do you want to read tonight?” Gabby asked Lucas. “We’ve gotDiary of a Worm,Benjamin Bunny, some Walter the Farting Dog…” She scanned the titles on his bookshelf.
Lucas’s eyes were at half-mast, and a teddy bear was tucked in his arm. “I’m not tired,” he said, yawning.
Gabby smiled. “Which book, though?”
“Megalodon Versus Great White!” He broadcast the title like a sports announcer.
So much for a peaceful fifteen minutes with a bunny.
She tucked in under the quilt next to Lucas. Now that Granny and Burt had taken over the master suite, Lucas had a better setup than her, starting with an actual mattress.
“Which one do you think is going to win?” she asked.
“Megalodons. They’re bigger.”
“The bigger things don’t always win,” she said, more to herself than Lucas.
“The things with more teeth maybe then,” he added with another big yawn.
“It’s also about intelligence, commitment, preparation.”
“Preparation, Granny said that today. Preparation H. Is that for fighting?”
Her brain screeched to a halt. “What?”
“Granny stopped and got some for Burt. He said it was because his—can I say a bad word?”
She shook her head and held up her hand for him to stop. “I think I know why she bought it.”
At the sound of muffled giggling, Gabby looked up to see Kyle in the door frame. Present, accounted for, and wearing a pair of previously unworn unicorn pajamas that Gabby bought for her as a present. Gabby didn’t say anything. Don’t scare away the teenager.
“Mom, Mom.” Lucas bid for her attention. “It was for his—” And he pointed dramatically to his butt.
Gabby shook her head, and a look of understanding passed between her and Kyle, a “how are we gonna make it?” look. Everything wasn’t perfect, but at least they were in it together, on the same side. Victims of Burt.
“Megalodons can fit a car in their mouths,” Lucas said, thankfully onto another topic.
