Four sticks were lined up on the bathroom vanity, like soldiers in a firing squad, each aiming straight for my gut. One set of parallel lines, two plus signs, and, presumably for those who needed the news to be literally spelled out, the word “pregnant” appearing digitally. They all meant the same thing. And all claimed ninety-nine percent accuracy. What were the odds I’d fall into the one percent for every single one of them?
The first thing I’d done after Billy left was go to four different pharmacies to buy more tests. Because it was always possible the first one had been wrong, no matter what Billy said, and it would look stupid to buy four of them at the same pharmacy, right? And if I only got one more, and it was negative, well then I’d have to go out again to break the tie. Four more would make five in all, and there could be no tie. (Trust me, it had made all kinds of sense at the time.) Besides, driving all over town from one pharmacy to the next beat the heck out of crawling into Dr. Phil’s king-size bed, hiding under the covers, and bawling my eyes out. I had apologized to the agents following me, making up some shit about a specific brand of feminine hygiene product I needed, so they would give me some space. Men tended to be squeamish about tampons.
The second thing I’d done was stop for gas, because yeah, driving all over town.
I dug my own phone out of my luggage, where I kept it stowed so as not to accidentally use it when I was being my client. Not, I told myself, to check for messages from Billy. (There weren’t any.) There were seven voice mails from Mom (mostly requests to call when my job was done, because she had plans to make and needed my input) and one from James. I had a pretty good idea what he wanted to talk about, and I wasn’t up to it yet.
There was also one from Mark, asking me to call when I got the chance. Probably an update about Loughlin. My chest clutched at the idea of talking to him, but I couldn’t not return his call when I was technically working for him. Just because my personal life was falling apart around me didn’t mean I couldn’t concentrate on my job. That’s what being professional was all about, right?
He picked up after the first ring. “Good news, Howdy.” Well, that would be a refreshing change of pace, I thought wryly. “Your client has decided she’s placated her husband long enough, and is insisting on getting back to work.”
“But is that safe? What about Loughlin? What if the Russian wasn’t the only one working with him?”
“Her brother finished his other assignment, and has been given leave to stick close to her. Rudy’s a good agent, and Misha knows it. And we’ll leave a complete security detail, too. Dr. Carson will be well looked after.”
“Great,” I said. “So, when’s the handoff?”
“Later tonight, after the neighborhood is asleep. My guys will bring Phil and Misha straight to the house from the airfield, and take you back. Billy, too, if he’s there with you. His Mooney should be at the same field.”
“Billy’s not here. He was, but he had to leave.” There. I sounded natural. My voice hadn’t even cracked.
“Did he say where he was going?”
“No. He left in kind of a hurry. It might have been one of his side jobs.” Hey, it might have been. Sure, it would have to be the mother of all coincidences for him to suddenly remember something he had to do on one of his side jobs at the precise moment he’d learned I was pregnant, but it was poss—okay, so it wasn’t possible. If God wanted to strike me down for the lie, He was welcome to have at it. It wasn’t like my day could get much worse anyway.
There was a pause, maybe half a beat too long. Mark’s spook antennae going up, no doubt, but he didn’t pursue it. “All right. My guys can take you to D.C., or back to New York, if you’d rather. Laura tells me your mother is anxious to get everyone settled close to the nest for the holidays.”
Ack. No way could I see Mom yet. Even thinking about it made my belly flip. Hell, she’d probably sniff out another grandbaby like a bloodhound, and I could not deal with that now. “D.C. would be perfect. I need to get some stuff done there before I dive into the crazy.”
Mark chuckled. He’d spent many a Christmas holiday with the Halligan clan, and knew exactly what kind of insanity I was talking about. “All right, Howdy. But don’t let your guard down.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” I said. Not for a minute, I thought, one hand automatically moving to my belly.