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“I was going to tell the two of you that I gave Kostya information on our friend that he wants to discuss with us. We’re going to meet him at his house after the meeting with Captain Hale.”

“Not me,” Ryker said.

Gideon turned and looked at him.

“Why not?”

“I’m going to Amy’s now. Something’s not right and she’s a sitting duck at that restaurant of hers.”

Gideon shoved his hand into his pockets. “Here, take my Range Rover. We’re going to want to talk to you on your way up there, so don’t ride your bike, use my ride.”

Ryker nodded and left.

As soon as he got settled in Gideon’s Range Rover, he synched his phone with his system and called Amy. It immediately went to voicemail. It was three o’clock on a Thursday afternoon. She shouldn’t have been too busy to pick up her damn phone.

“Call me. It’s urgent.”

The next call he made was to Lawrence, and that one too went to voicemail.

“Call me. It’s urgent.”

The next call he made was to Charlie, and this time somebody finally fucking answered.

Amy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you for real?” she asked Gillian. “He really said that to you?”

“Yeppers. Told me that until I could afford to buy him a Porsche, I shouldn’t bother to come back.”

“Holy shit,” Valentina said.

“And this was your husband?” Amy asked for the fourth time. Maybe the fifth. She wasn’t sure. After the burn that she got from the little grease fire in the kitchen, and the meds they put her on, she wasn’t sure what she was saying. That’s why everyone decided it was just best to prop her up at the bar.

She jumped when she felt a big hand tap her shoulder. Then she turned around and saw that it was Charlie and she started to giggle. “I need you to do me a favor, Beautiful.”

“Okay, what?” she smiled.

“Find your cell phone. Take it off silent. Then when Ryker calls, answer the damn thing before he dies young. He’s sick with worry.”

“Did you tell him I tried to put out the fire? He’s going to be so mad at me,” she slurred.

“Yeah I had to tell him why you weren’t calling him back. I promised you’d call him when you got back to the restaurant. Just do me a favor and talk to him, would you?”

She nodded, then started looking around for her purse.

“Here you go,” Gillian said as she handed Amy her purse. Amy took it and tried to get her phone, but couldn’t because her hand was too bulky.

“Let me,” Gillian said as she pulled out her phone and handed it to Amy.

“Hi, Handsome,” Amy smiled at the phone as it started ringing.

“You need to answer it before you start talking.” Gillian pressed the answer button and put the phone up to Amy’s ear.

“Hello, Handsome,” Amy tried again.

“Amy, there you are. Charlie told me about the hospital and the kitchen fire. He said it wasn’t too bad, but how are you?”

“It’s nothing. Just a little owie. I wish you were here.”

“Well, you’ll get your wish. I should be there in about an hour and a half.”