Part 30 (1/2)
”It's too late to do this now. Maybe I can come up there first thing in the morning.”
”Sure, of course. Can you just tell me if Dr. Box is okay?”
”We're not sure.”
”What's that mean?”
”He's missing. And so's his car.”
”What about Renee?”
”I'm not at liberty to say. Not at this time.”
”What about Dr. Box's cell phone?”
”That's a h.e.l.luva good question, Miss. Hang on.”
The line goes quiet for several minutes. Then he says, ”That's missing too.”
”Oh my G.o.d!” I shout. ”Thank G.o.d!”
”Ma'am? Why is the missing cell phone such good news?”
”I'll see you tomorrow, Detective. And thanks for your help.”
I terminate the call and answer the call that got me so excited.
”Gideon! Is that you?”
”It's me,” he says.
”Are you okay?”
”Yes.”
”Thank G.o.d.”
”Trudy?”
”Yes?”
”Are you still open to the road trip?”
”If you would've asked me ninety minutes ago I'd have said yes in a heartbeat.”
”But now?”
”Can I ask you four questions?”
”Yes. If I can ask you one.”
”You'll have to answer honestly.”
”You too.”
”I'll start,” I say. ”First, did you f.u.c.k my sister today?”
”Yes.”
I close my eyes, shake my head. ”Why?”
”Is that your second question?”
”Yes. I had another one in case the answer was no.”
”Okay. So the question is why did I have s.e.x with your sister? The short answer is I didn't know Renee was your sister. The complete answer is she was one of three women I'd been writing to, on the internet for several weeks.”
”Faith Hemphill, Renee Williams, and Zander Evans.”
”How did you know?”
”Small towns, Gideon. People talk.”
”Still.”
”Question three. Where are you?”
”Less than a mile from you. In a motel.”
”Why?”
”Is that question four?”
”No.”
”I'll answer it anyway. I'm staying here tonight so I can see you tomorrow. And if you decide you want to come to New York with me, I'll keep staying here till you're ready to travel.”
”Question four. What happened tonight? After you were cleared of the robbery.”
”You know about the robbery?”
”Small towns, Gideon.”
”Right. So anyway, I go back to my hotel room after being framed for robbing the bowling alleya””
”With Zander Evansa””