Trust Your Eyes

FIFTY-ONE

Lewis’s flight got in ahead of Nicole’s, which gave him time to arrange the rental of a white panel van. Two seats up front with an empty cargo bay. When Nicole got off the plane she said she needed to hit a Home Depot on the way. She couldn’t take ice picks on a plane, and had to buy them as she needed them. Lewis grabbed a roll of duct tape and some moving blankets.

They pulled up in front of the house. It was still daylight.

“So we’re just bringing him back,” Nicole said.

Lewis, behind the wheel, nodded at all the empty space behind them. “Yeah. My boss has some questions for him.”

Nicole nodded. Neither of them spoke for a few seconds. Finally, she said, “I know you’re not happy with how this went down.”

“No shit,” Lewis said.

“But once we bag this guy, take him back, that takes care of things,” she said.

“Hope so,” he said. “Depends on what kind of answers we get from him.”

Nicole glanced across the road to the house. “Either way, I’m done at that point.”

“Well, after he’s been questioned, we’re going to have to deal with him. This isn’t like when you’re fishing and do catch and release.”

Nicole shot him a look. “But after that, we’re square.”

“Sure,” Lewis said.

Nicole looked back at the house. “How you want to play this? You want to knock on the front, I’ll come in around the back?”

“I don’t see why we don’t both go to the front door. Do we look threatening?” He grinned at her. “We look like a nice couple. We need directions. We need the phone. Listen, once he opens the door, we’re walking right in.”

Nicole reached down, gave the top of the ice pick that was tucked into her boot a reassuring tap. Lewis rooted around between the seats for a backpack that contained a few things he might need, including the tape.

“Let’s go,” he said.

They got out of the van, crossed the street, and walked up the drive. Lewis went up the porch steps first, but waited until Nicole was standing next to him before he knocked.