“Where is the unit? Can we go right now?” Akeem asks.
“I have to look here first. Are you here long?” Pritha asks.
“We are here as long as we need to be,” he says.
“Okay good. I really hate to leave but I have to report to work in thirty minutes. When I get home, I’ll look. You two can come for dinner,” Pritha says.
“We can bring dinner. This was delicious and I appreciate hearing so much about my sister. It’s clear she loves you very,very much and you love her too. Cooking when you get off work is too much,” Sunjiya interjects.
“We can definitely bring dinner. I don’t think anything will taste better than this,” Akeem says, then nods at his empty plate. “But we’ll bring something. What’s a good time?”
“Let’s say seven-thirty. That’ll give me the time I need. Where are y’all staying?” Pritha asks.
“The El Governor in Mexico Beach,” Sunjiya says.
“Right on the water. They have good seafood spots there,” Pritha says, then stands. She starts to grab their plates but Sunjiya stops her. Together, they tidy the kitchen.
“I’m gonna get the car,” Akeem announces. “Thanks again for the spaghetti and everything,” he says.
“Crab Shala,” Pritha corrects him, smiling. “And you welcome. See you tonight.”
He heads out of the house to the rental. Things are starting to fall in place and hopefully tonight, they’ll have a solid lead to Tanjaya. When he pulls into Pritha’s driveway, Sunjiya and Pritha are embracing in the doorway. Pritha releases Sunjiya but watches her until she’s inside the car.
“I can’t believe Tanjaya didn’t tell her about me,” Sunjiya says once she’s comfortable in the passenger seat. “They seem really close.”
“Real shit. You can tell they’re close. Honestly, I don’t think she believes you ain’t Tanjaya,” he admits.
“I know right,” she says with a little grin. “I wonder what she thinks she has.”
“Who knows but I’m hoping it’s what we need to find her. If it’s not, we need to hang here a little longer. This is a safe space for her. She hasn’t come yet but she might be on her way,” he says.
“Aunt Pri is definitely a safe place for her. With her is probably the safest she’s ever felt. If I were her, I would for surecome here. Marcelin knew of her Los Angeles home but you heard her, she just moved here. He wouldn’t know that.”
“True.”
“How did your partner find her?” she asks.
“He’s a genius like that with technology,” Akeem says.
“Can I ask who he is? Or is that top secret with your missions?” she asks, genuinely curious.
“No missions. Contracts but he is my brother.”
“Let me guess, older? Right?”
“Why would you guess that? I haven’t said anything about him.”
“He has your back. That’s big brother shit,” she says.
“I watch his too,” he counters.
“Yeah. I’m sure you do because look how you’ve stepped up for me and my sister. But it’s something else too. I can’t really put my finger on it but I can just tell.”
“That’s bullshit. You just made a lucky guess,” he says.
Her grin grows into laughter at his tiny scowl. “See, lil brother behavior,” she teases while continuing to laugh.
“I like that,” he comments.
