Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

B2: Chapter 15 - Making Friends and Influencing People - VI

  Jeremy went straight back to Lani as soon as he was done. He had no idea how long it might take for Meg to get the message to Hailey, and he needed anything to occupy his mind until then. Lani was the perfect foil to bounce theories off of, and one of only two people in the world he could trust with the whole story at the moment.

  Luckily for him, both of those people were in the room.

  Less fortunately, Maddie had a new bombshell to drop on him.

  "I've just seen a damn ghost," she said as soon as she arrived, only a minute after he did. She was still dressed in her campaigning outfit, looking the perfect mix of professional and attractive carefully calculated to get out the votes.

  "The fuck does that mean?"

  "Hi," Lani cut in, before the two of them could really get into it. "How did it go, Jeremy?"

  Jeremy shrugged. "Alden Bensen's long gone. No idea where. But it got interesting from there."

  "Interesting how?" Lani prompted, since Maddie still looked distracted, watching the clouds drifting by overhead out the window.

  Jeremy briefly explained his adventure at the Bensen house, though he made sure that Lani knew not to spread word about Alden to anyone else. His agreement with Meg was ironclad for the three of them. As he spoke though, Maddie was still clearly out of tune with the conversation.

  He poked her in the shoulder. "Who's the damn ghost?"

  "What?" she asked, looking around. "Sorry. It's been a long day."

  "Too many speeches?"

  "And too much gladhanding. Tuesday can't come fast enough."

  "No shit." He grinned. "Already reserved our table at Luke's for Wednesday lunch."

  "Oh God..." Maddie sighed. "I already promised Courtney I'd meet her for lunch Wednesday."

  "You didn't."

  "Gotta pay the devil her due. She probably won me the election, after all that last minute shit-flinging." Maddie looked thoroughly displeased with the idea. "I can't believe I took her money."

  "She offered it, Maddie. Take it and tell her to fuck off."

  "Not if I want to get anything done this year." She shook her head. "That's not what I needed to tell you though."

  "No kiddin'. What's got you spooked?"

  "There was someone at Courtney's fundraiser tonight. Someone who couldn't be there."

  "Why, 'cause he's a poor fuck like the rest of us?"

  "No, 'cause she's supposed to be dead."

  "...Come again?"

  "She changed her hair, and she was talking without an accent, but I know who I saw." Maddie frowned. "It was Kendra Laushire. I'd stake the election on it."

  Lani sat up in his bed so sharply that he pulled at his shoulder. Wincing through the pain, he pulled up her file. "One of the missing ones from Rallsburg. We had her father all over us for a month."

  "Yeah, I remember. Rich old bastard who wouldn't shut up."

  "I remember you almost decked him," Lani added, grinning.

  "You were going to punch Thomas Laushire?" asked Maddie.

  "Threatened to derail our investigation," Jeremy deadpanned.