Summer Camp
“Hey, Griffie, how’s summer camp?” Lance answered his phone in a sing-song voice.
“Camp North Star all the way.”
“Have you met any…special friends?”
“Oh, trust me, they’re all special.”
“Good for you, little fella. Good for you.”
“I was instructed to ask how Mrs. Lincoln is enjoying the play.”
“Oh, you mean our most very special, favorite-ist femme fatale ever?”
“Does she send her love?”
Lance’s voice became suddenly curt and business-like. “Haven’t heard from her. I’ve reached out, but…”
“Nada?”
“Nada.”
“Well, she got her dad’s journals and medals back,” Griff said.
“I don’t think that’s the reason.”
“What is it?”
“Rumor has it that she will be putting in a grand appearance next week.”
“And not at E.J.’s behest.”
“Nope. So, deal with it,” Lance said. “He thinks it would be best for you not to have an…adverse reaction in court.”
“I’ll leave my shocked face here at home, then.”
“Be for the best.”
“But it might be good, no? Maybe alibi-wise?”
“Oh, Griff, Griff, Griff—I tried to warn you. I tried. Different rules, man. Different rules. Just never underestimate the power of a political campaign contribution to turn steel-hard truth into Silly Putty.”
“I’m fucked, aren’t I.”
“As your attorney, I advise you—”
“But you’re not my attorney.”
“Griff, you’re going to have to trust E.J.”
“Do you?”
“Honestly?”
“Yeah, honestly.”
“If he was fifty years younger, I’d be hiring him for our litigation team. You’re in good hands.”
“How’s Hannah taking this?”
“I had to talk her out of baking you a pecan pie with a file in it.”
Griff sighed.
“You’ll see her soon. Trust me.”
“Yeah, but you’re a lawyer.”
“Trust me anyway.”
***~~~***
Maura came to the Detention Center Sunday afternoon to visit Griff. They sat in an awkward silence in the visitation center surrounded by the chattering of other inmates and their families under the watchful eyes of guards.
“We only have an hour,” Maura finally said.
Griff just nodded. “Been to any games lately? How are the Reds doing?”
“I’ve been a little busy with things and all, you know?”
“So, lots going on at work, then, with you and Dewey?”
“We’ve been helping Johnny.”
Griff just nodded. “So, seen any good movies lately?”
Maura shook her head.
Another awkward silence.
“Anyway, I talked to Lance.”
Maura sighed and looked around the visitation center, then back at Griff. “Do you really want to talk about the case or just chit-chat?”
“Chit-chat.”
“Okay, so tell me about home.”
“What do you mean?”
“When we went to see Cap, you said Pine Hollow was a lot like home. So, tell me about home. Tell me about the ranch. Tell me about Wyoming. I’ve never been west of the Mississippi.”
And for the next forty-five minutes Griff told her about his land, his Arapaho mother and cowboy father, Ben and Swan, Shep and Johnny Eagle, Rodya, Winston, the special place with no name, and his dead brother.
***~~~***