She tapped the side of the device, weighing her options, then deciding to lean into her “no guts no glory” attitude, she hit her sister’s contact.
“Hey,” Callie answered.
“Hey, yourself. How are you feeling? How’s my niece or nephew?”
She heard the smile in Callie’s voice. “He or she is doing great. We heard the heartbeat again today. They offered another ultrasound, but I figured you’d want to join us for that. We’re going to tell everyone else once you and Lovell are back.”
“And then we can party,” Daphne said, already planning a baby shower. She’d host one for the ladies, then one for both the guys and gals. Gabe shouldn’t miss out on the experience, but she wanted something more traditional as well. That is, if Callie agreed.
“Like an aging rock star who doesn’t do any drugs or alcohol,” Callie countered with a laugh.
“Still a party,” Daphne insisted. “I wanted to hear your voice, but there’s another reason I’m calling.”
“I figured,” Callie replied. “Not that we don’t talk at random times all the time, but there is nothing random about any of this.”
“There’s not, and I may be overstepping, but I’m going to say it anyway. James wants to be a part of the raid on Sweet Dreams. He’s planning to make a case to the FBI, and I want HICC to help.”
Silence. “That’s a big ask, Daph. Not impossible, but big. HICC often works in collaboration with the FBI, but we’re a contractor. Lovell doesn’t have the same status. From their perspective, he’s a civilian. A well-trained one, but still a civilian.”
“I know,” she replied. “That’s why I’m calling you now. Can that big brain of yours figure out a way to make this happen? If he catches them off guard with his request, I doubt they’ll agree. They probably wouldn’t under any circumstance, but definitely not if he expects them to make a decision on the spot.”
“You want me to pave the way.”
Below her, a young man pulled a young woman across the street, the couple laughing as they beat the light. “He needs thisclosure,” she said. “More to the point, though, I’m worried he’ll do something rogue if they turn him down.”
Another silence fell between them. Daphne didn’t interrupt it. Callie needed to think, and possibilities were probably already pinging around inside her head. She’d discard most, but that she was thinking about it at all filled Daphne with gratitude. Regardless of whether she could help, she had the best sister in the entire world.
Three minutes passed before Callie sighed. “I have an idea that might work. I can’t guarantee anything, but let me make a few calls.”
“You already know you’re the best, but in case you forgot, you’re the best.”
Callie laughed softly, but Daphne heard the affection. “You want some updates?”
“It’s only been an hour. Are there updates?”
“A deal has been struck,” Callie said. “Weeks will start talking once it’s signed, which should be any minute now. I believe the DA and the defense lawyer were reviewing it with the FBI. They have a vested interest because of the federal charges. He’ll start talking after.”
“Can you share the details?”
“I’m not privy to all of them, only that the death penalty is off the table for his murder of Beeker, as are all potential federal death penalty charges,” she said.
“But he’ll still go to jail, right?”
“Yes, reduced sentence, but with the number of state and federal charges, even a reduced sentence will take him well past his natural life span,” Callie answered.
“I’m not an advocate of the death penalty anyway. So long as he’s off the streets, I’ll be happy.”
“You and me both,” Callie said. They spent a few more minutes chatting about what they might do when Daphnereturned to Mystery Lake. Callie suggested a few short hikes—easy ones in the snow—and some restaurants she wanted her to try. They planned a night out in Sacramento to see the current traveling Broadway show and a day in San Francisco, weather permitting, to shop. Daphne wouldn’t buy anything for herself, but Callie would need maternity clothes, and her niece or nephew gave Daphne an excuse to splurge on baby clothes.
After that, Callie would be back to work full-time, although HICC offered to extend her vacation, given her work on the Weeks and Beeks case.
When they hung up, Daphne tapped her phone on the side table, another debate twisting through her mind. Should she open Pandora’s box? Once again, she decided to hell with caution. Itcouldhurt to look sometimes, but in this, it wouldn’t.
Opening a popular real estate app, she began searching houses on the market in Mystery Lake. She loved Paris and would keep her flat there, but she’d always envisioned being closer to Callie as they grew older. Moving to DC hadn’t made sense when her sister was living there because Daphne had always sensed it hadn’t been permanent for Callie. But Mystery Lake was different. It was her sister’shome. And home of Daphne’s brother-in-law and soon-to-be niece or nephew.
She found a range of houses from twenty million down to five hundred thousand; California was not a cheap place to live. She didn’t need a huge place, though, so she skipped the sprawling estates and focused on a size range she thought would be comfortable. She’d sent off four emails to agents asking about specific properties when James walked back into the room. Two homes were on the lake, but a bit far from Callie; one was in the mountains with sweeping views; and the other, the first to catch her eye, was on the east side, but up in the hills rather than close to the lake. It had five acres, half of which had been cleared to a meadow, and included a stream and pond. It only had peekabooviews of the lake, but with a swimming pond and the stream, she’d still be able to enjoy the sound of lapping and burbling water. The size also fit what she wanted—three bedrooms, each en suite, a spacious kitchen with an attached mudroom/laundry and butler’s pantry, a powder room, and a living room with a soaring ceiling, beautiful beams, and a large stone fireplace. A huge walk-out basement that could be converted into any number of things was the icing on the cake. It was on the higher end of her price range, but between her investments, income, and business ventures, money wasn’t anactualissue, just one she liked being cognizant of. She had no desire to be thrust back into public life, and flashing money around wouldn’t help that goal.
“I ordered delivery from an Italian place I like down the street,” she said, looking over her shoulder as James stripped off his shirt, always a welcome sight. “It will be here in an hour.”
