The Big Time

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

" WHEN WE SAW YOU at G Money's the other night," Agent Williams said, "you just appeared out of nowhere. How did you get there?"

Troy bit his lip and raised his eyes toward his mom. She furrowed her eyebrows and said, "Wait a minute. He rode there with Drew last night, right?"

"No," Agent Williams said, "he just showed up on his own Sunday night."

Troy winced and studied the checkered tablecloth.

"Sunday night," his mom said, her voice as flat as a pancake. "Interesting."

His mom sighed loudly before adding, "Dad, I don't know what I'm going to do with him."

Troy snuck a look at his gramps, who said, "I know what you do. You just love the boy. He wants a father. He's wanted that for a long time. Everyone wants that, Tessa, and it's hard for those of us who've had a father to know what it's like not to. Let it go, darlin'. He's a good kid."

"Okay, Dad," she said. "You're right."

"Most times." He grinned.

"So," Troy's mom said, "how did you get there, Troy?"

"The wall," Troy said under his breath. "And Gramps's ladder."

"Great."

"Tessa," Gramps warned.

"Okay." Troy heard the sound of surrender in her voice.

"So, that's what we need you to do this time, too," Agent Williams said. "We can't risk having anyone see you being dropped off down the street. You just go in the same way you did before, only this time you'll be carrying our quarter.

"Now, do you have a reason to go see your dad?"

Troy knit his brow and said, "I guess the deal we agreed to, and my mom wanting to back out of it. I mean, it's something that might make me want to go see him. Not that I was going to do that."

Troy stole a look at his mom, who flashed him a mildly disgusted look.

"Perfect," Agent Williams said. "That's what you tell him. That will keep them all off guard, and I won't be surprised if this whole contract thing isn't part of their business."

"What?" Troy said.

"This contract," Agent Williams said, "how fast he put it together. I think Drew Edinger is under a lot of pressure. Your contract might be just what he needs to turn down the heat."

"Why would my contract do that?" Troy asked.

"The money, Troy," Agent Williams said. "Anything's possible, but I think he's planning on taking it for himself."

"What?" Troy said with even more disbelief. "Even if he wanted to, how could he do that?"