Julia smiled. “Is that good?”
“No, not in the least.”
45
Half an hour later, Julia was in the car driving to McGlinchey’s. Her cell phone rang, and she checked the screen to see Gianluca’s smiling face. She realized with a stab of guilt that so much had been going on, she hadn’t called him. She picked up. “Gianluca, hi, I’m sorry I didn’t call. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” Gianluca answered, tense. “My lawyer’s been in touch with the authorities. The meetings are getting scheduled for late next week, so I bought you some time. Leni’s still not sleeping well, she’s missing you and worried about you, but that’s not why I’m calling. I want to know how you are.”
“I’m fine.”
“Julia, really? Tell me the truth.” Gianluca’s voice went hushed, so Julia knew he was getting upset.
“I swear, I’m fine.”
“But I see you were at a prison riot, and there were two murders. Injuries, police. Is that the prison where Courtney is?”
Oh shit.“How do you know that?”
“I checked your location on the app. I googled it and got the news. Julia, what’s going on? I’m asking, are you truly okay?”
“I’m fine. Paul and Courtney’s lawyer were there, too, and we weren’t in any danger.” Julia didn’t want to lie to him anymore or tell him half the truth. “But a friend of Courtney’s was murdered, Alex Dudek.”
“Oh no, how horrible. Is he an inmate, too?”
“No, he was with us.”
“But I thought you just said you weren’t in any danger.”
“We weren’t. We were there for a legal proceeding when the riot broke out. Alex ran off to see about Courtney, got involved, and was killed in the melee.”
“Oh no, that’s sotragic.” Gianluca moaned. “And what about the woman who was killed? I saw her name online.”
“She was Courtney’s cellmate.”
“Hercellmate? Was she in the melee, too? WasCourtney?”
Julia braced herself. “No, the cellmate’s murder was a case of mistaken identity. She was biracial, too, and I think someone was trying to kill Courtney.”
Gianluca gasped. “Why? Why would they do that?”
“I think there’s a conspiracy trying to stop her from looking into her grandmother’s murder. That’s why they framed her, too. She had a medical emergency last night, so she wasn’t there when her cellmate was murdered.”
“So it could’ve beenher? These people arethatdangerous?” Gianluca’s voice stayed quiet, but he talked faster, his frustration raw and undisguised. “Julia, what are you doing? You’re getting too involved, and it’s getting more and more dangerous. This is worse than what Iworried about, worse than I feared would happen. Are you getting more visions, using your gift—”
“Only a little,” Julia interrupted, but even she knew it sounded lame.
“You’re alittlepsychic now? Julia what are you thinking? What are you doing? Please stop now, please come home.” Gianluca paused, collecting his thoughts. “It’s not the time you’re taking anymore, or even that Leni needs you, or that I need you. It’s that you’re putting yourself in danger,willfully. Why would youdothat? Can you think of no one but yourself?”
“I’mnotthinking of myself.”
“Yes, you are. You’re acting like a free agent, but you have a family, me and Leni. You’re a mother. Remember, you told me when I became a father that I shouldn’t ride motorcycles, it was too dangerous? So I sold my bike. The same principle should apply to you. You’re a mother now. You can’t put your life in jeopardy any more than I can.”
“It’s not the same thing, Gianluca.” Julia’s thoughts began to clarify. “Riding motorcycles was a hobby, and this is not. This is me trying to get to the bottom of what’s going on, to get Courtney out of jail. If I can help free her, Gianluca, I have to try.”
“But at what cost? I thought we understood each other. I thought we loved each other.”
“We do!”
