The kids need to build their social circle here.
She nods.
“Home by seven-thirty,” Connelly says. “And keep your phones on.”
“Deal!” Fiona shovels pasta into her mouth at record speed.
Finn eats at less frantic pace. When he finishes, both kids take their plates to the sink without being asked and head for the door.
“Phones,” Sasha reminds them.
They grab them from the charging station and vanish with a chorus of ‘goodbyes.’
The house feels very quiet suddenly.
Connelly reaches for the wine bottle and tops off both their glasses. “So. How was your day?”
“Productive. I got into the library, spent more time with Linda Morrison. And I saw Caleb working in one of the study carrels.” She pulls out her phone and shows him the photo. “He was writing in a notebook.”
Connelly leans in, squinting at the blurry image. “Can you make out what it says?”
“Some of it.His handwriting’s atrocious. But it looks like he was journaling about something. Maybe making a pros and cons list? He’s trying to make a decision. I overheard snippets of a conversation with his agent.”
“A decision about what?”
“I don’t know. But he’s worried about what happened in Turkey.” She points to the underlined phrase. “That much is clear.”
“In fairness, though, anybody would be rattled if they wrote a terror attack that came true. I wouldn’t read too much into it.”
She gave him a sour look. “Did you get something better?”
“Emmaline went into labor today. During our lunch period. Her water broke while she was out walking. She went straight to the hospital, and Caleb panicked because their hospital bag was at home.”
“Let me guess. You offered to get it.”
“I offered to get it.”
She waits.
“I had full access. I could have searched his office, photographed everything, and he never would have known.”
“And?”
“His wife was in labor. I couldn’t. It felt dirty.”
She smiles at him. “I’m glad you didn’t. But we might need to get into that house eventually.”
“Guess it’s a good thing I made a copy of the key.”
“Huh. Didn’t see that coming.” She sips her wine.
“I had to walk right past a hardware store. How could I not?”
“How could you not. What did Hank want?” she asks.
“Just checking in. He said they should have a full report on the attack within the week.”
They’re both silent for a moment.
