Page 77 of Mr. Match

“Well, you’re blonde too.”

“Not like you, Katya. You’re the perfect blonde. Golden rays of sun to my dingy dishwater.”

“Well, thank you.” I don’t get a lot of compliments, so I take it gracefully. “But we practically have the same hair. I just spent more time in the sun this summer, I guess. Let’s go. I have an appointment at noon, so I really will be leaving your little tea party on time.”

“I’m the one who came ready.” It’s a little dig at me. But I brush it aside and twine my arm in hers as we leave the apartment. I feel guilty for not working on a project this morning. But I can afford it, I guess. I have her next semester’s tuition almost covered. I’m ahead. I can relax a little and enjoy the only family member I have left.

Chapter Thirty-Three - OLIVER

“What’s going on?” Pax says from the top of the stairs.

West and I both whirl around, taken by surprise. Jesus Christ, I really do need an office door. We are both huddled up to my computer, looking at the tracking app I have access to on Ariel’s phone.

“When did you get here?” West asks, recovering for me.

“What are you guys looking at?” Pax asks, walking over to us.

“We’re just trying to figure out what the girls are up to,” I say.

“They’re downstairs. Why don’t you just ask them?” Pax says.

“Because they’re having some kind of secret meeting today at lunch and we want to get in on that.”

“Hmm,” Pax says, taking a seat in a chair. “Victoria is looking for you, West. I told her I’d come see if you were up here with Oliver.”

“OK,” West says with a sigh. He looks at me. “Let me go take care of her and I’ll be right back.”

I nod as he leaves, but I’m looking at Pax. “What?” I say, after West’s footsteps fade down the stairs.

He props a foot on the opposite knee. Like he’s getting comfortable. “I just have a question or two about that ‘hack’ you showed us yesterday.”

“Why are you making air quotes for the word ‘hack?’ You don’t believe me?”

“I’m just confused,” he says, using a familiar overly patient tone. Which I hate. “I need some clarification. About all of it really.”

I don’t volunteer anything.

“So you said that Allen set you up and you had to go along with it because they made a forum which implicates you in some kind of hitman-for-hire operation?”

“That’s what I said.”

“And that’s it? Plus, you saw your sister?”

“I saw my dead sister, Pax.”

“Missing sister,” he corrects me. “Is she presumed dead?”

I just stare at him.

He waves a hand through the air like he’s clearing it. “Never mind her. That was just my opener. To let you know I’m not buying your bullshit. Because while I might not be as clever as you Shrike people when it comes to computers, I am not a stupid man.”

I know what he’s going to say. My explanation yesterday in the SCIF room was lame. So fucking lame. But it was all I could come up with without asking for Ariel’s help.

“They threatened you.”

“They did.” My tone is neutral. “Still are,” I add. Because all that’s true.

“Do they mine data from your site?”