No officer carrying another secret.
No hidden envelope.
For once, what mattered was already in the room.
Then Julian’s phone rang.
Maya.
He answered.
“What?”
Her voice was loud enough that I heard it from several feet away.
“Tell your mother I have a proposition.”
“No.”
“Tell her.”
“You’re trying to buy the bass.”
“Not relevant.”
“It is literally the only relevant thing.”
I held out my hand.
“Give me the phone.”
Julian looked horrified.
“Mom, don’t encourage her.”
I took it.
“Maya?”
“Mrs. Vance, before Julian gives you a biased account—”
“No bass.”
Silence.
Then:
“Wow.”
“Good night, Maya.”
“You’re both unreasonable.”
“Good night.”
I handed back the phone.
Julian stared at me.
“I’m impressed.”
“I’ve been practicing parenting for thirteen years.”
“You’d think you’d be better at it.”
I threw a dish towel at him.
He ducked, laughing.
And something occurred to me then.
