Page 128 of Gave Proof Through the Night

“Good,” I say, the matter closed. “In other news, we have to clear out of here within the hour. Tanya? You got the tickets?”

She sighs. “Yes.”

Tanya pulls a tablet out of her bag and swipes to her digital wallet.

“Ginger, you’re on the 3am night owl train to Manhattan,” she says, tapping and texting the ticket to Ginger.

Ginger gets a ping. “Love that for me.”

Dale clears his throat. “I don’t really feel comfortable with that. A woman traveling alone with priceless art and diamonds in the middle of the night? No.”

“Okay,” Tanya says. “You go with her but pretend you’re not acquainted.”

“I’ll keep my eye on her the whole way.” Dale nods, solemn as a bodyguard. “And the loot.”

“Especially the loot,” Ginger says.

I turn to Tanya. “You okay to fly alone?”

“I’m good. I booked a 6am flight to Louisiana. I’ll be traveling light.”

She swipes to the next item. “I got your flight to San Diego, Suri. You’ll be at Comic-Con on time.”

Suri presses a hand to her chest. “May the Force be with you.”

“Ivy?” Tanya taps the folder. “You requested… Colorado?”

“Just until the heat dies down. I have scores to settle in DC before I relocate for good.”

“And where will that be?” Ginger asks. “There’s always a place for you in New York.”

Ivy gives her a grateful smile. “I was thinking Hawaii, but I’ll keep your offer in mind.”

Tanya looks up from her tablet. “Rue, you didn’t want travel arrangements?”

“Road trip for me.” Rue’s already got her duffel bag zipped up. “I’m going off the grid. Shooting for forty-eight states.”

“Okay.” I clap my hands once, mostly to keep myself from getting sentimental about it. “We’ll all check in with Zoe in two months’ time.”

“And what will you do?” Ivy asks.

“I have unfinished business here. Zoe will stay for tech support.”

Tanya tosses a set of keys underhand across the room. I catch them one-handed.

“Your safehouse, my liege,” she says.

“You’re a gem, Tanya.”

“Okay.” Zoe gets up. “That about settles it.”

“One more thing,” I say, before this room scatters to the winds for two months. “A man stopped me at the crosswalk and gave me this.”

I dig the card out of my boot and hold it up.

Zoe snatches it out of my hand before I can stop her. “Heath Kane?”

“What did he say?” Tanya asks.