Harlequin's Shadow

Chapter 16: Spiders

"I wish you could have seen Kramer's expression when I mentioned the sailing yacht," Sara said. "He looked like one of those fish with the big bulging eyes."

"Pufferfish?" Neal suggested helpfully. "Or perhaps one with sunken cheeks." He made smacking sounds over the phone. Sara laughed as she pictured him making a fish face.

"From now on, Kramer shall be known as Pufferfish Phil."

When she returned to her office at Sterling-Bosch, she texted Neal to call her when it was safe to talk. She'd picked up a salad on the way back to work for lunch and was eating it when he called.

"I'll be able to judge for myself," Neal said. "I'm sure Travis will want me to watch the feed, but I'll have to wait till tomorrow. I'm stuck on van duty all day today. Badillo finally took pity on me and let me take a lunch break. For now, I'll just have to imagine Kramer's smug smirk when you praised him for making me a person of interest."

Neal might think reviewing the video was a good idea, but not her. She had no desire for him to watch her trashing him. But if she objected, he might misread it and think she wasn't confident in their relationship. She restrained herself to a caution. "Hughes and I were piling on the manure with a shovel. Wear a hazmat suit when you listen."

"Thanks for the warning," he said, chuckling. "If it gets too bad, I can console myself with Bianka."

She winced. Unknowingly he'd just retaliated in advance. "Have you talked with her?"

"Yesterday. We're going out tonight."

"Someplace public, I hope?"

"You're not worried, are you?"

"Of course not, but you mentioned she was aggressive. I wouldn't want a valuable team member to wind up with battle scars."

"Relax. We're meeting at a restaurant. I've already made arrangements with Henry for a rescue call."

"Who else do you have on your phone bank of saviors?"

"Peter, El, June, as well as the rest of the team. In addition, Richard and Aidan have volunteered. The musketeers are ready for another adventure. Since they're both at Columbia in the evening, I can count on them to drop in at the most inconvenient times. Aidan's been itching for an excuse to schedule more fencing practice."

Neal had told her how Richard and Aidan pitched in during Fowler's frame attempt last autumn. She was feeling better by the moment.

"I also told my cousin Angela. She'll likely see me and Bianka on campus and wonder what's happening. She and her boyfriend Michael offered to help. Mozzie and his pet rat Percy can always be called on for an emergency lift. I can guarantee I'll be a frustrated lover."

Sara cringed at the term. She needed to switch topics before she embarrassed herself. "I saw Diana briefly. She's having lunch with Ruiz. The script has her meeting with Jones beforehand in the file vault to discuss your criminal ways. Hughes had relayed my evidence to Jones who considers it his duty to warn her about you. Diana said she played the loyal team member, skeptical of your duplicity. That's when he told her about the Degas. I expect Adler will be hearing about it shortly."

"I'm glad you told me. I'll know the cause when my ears turn scarlet."

She smiled. "You better get back to that plum assignment before someone else steals it away."

Ending the call, she reached into her desk drawer for the file of her current Sterling-Bosch assignment, an antique gallery theft. But after a few minutes, it was obvious that stolen silver wouldn't provide much solace. She retreated to the breakroom to make a cup of tea. She needed herbal soothing. Being a fake girlfriend had its thrills. Pretending to be Kate had been surprisingly passionate, although she'd worried how much of it was due to her resemblance to Kate. Neal said it wasn't, but was he just being kind?