by David Klass
In the second-floor office of the Green Center’s brownstone, her eyes blinking back tears, Julie nodded and whispered back to her father, “I understand.”
FIFTY-THREE
Lise taught her last class and biked home, and as she neared her house, a parked car blinked its lights at her, and she saw the driver open the window and wave her over. It took her a second to recognize him—he was growing a beard, and he seemed somehow different from when she had worked with him. He looked relaxed and unfettered, and he gave her a warm smile and said, “Nice bike.”
“Tom? What are you doing here?”
“I was listening to country music. The songs are fun if you don’t take them too seriously.”
“I meant what are you doing near my house? Are you stalking me?”
“I’m going camping in the mountains,” he told her. “Want to come for a day or two?”
“Camping?”
“I bought a tent. I’m not sure how to set it up, but I’m guessing with your engineering background we could probably figure it out. I’m actually driving cross-country to my new job in California.”
“I don’t know if I should even be seen with you,” Lise said. “The FBI has called three or four times with questions.”
“That’s why I thought I’d try to intercept you,” Tom told her. “Why don’t you come into my car for a second so we can have a covert conversation.”
Lise hesitated, lowered her kickstand, and walked to the small electric car and got in. “Camping?” she asked again.
“You look good,” Tom told her. “Sorry about the FBI. They’ve been all over me, too. They think I posted the video of Green Man at the oil field, but they can’t seem to prove it. Whoever posted it covered his tracks really well.”
“I should get out of this car and never talk to you again,” Lise said.
“You know I’m not much of a drinker, but on the off chance you’d agree to come, I bought a very nice bottle of Italian red,” Tom said. “I can afford it on my new Silicon Valley salary. I’m not bragging, but I wanted you to know that I’m a bit of a player these days.”
She looked back at him. “I have a conference call in half an hour.”
“I can wait.”
“It may be a long call.”
“When you drive cross-country, you go at your own pace. I’ll be waiting here.”
She looked into his eyes and finally laughed despite herself. “Why are you driving across country, anyway?”
“The long roads and big vistas are helping me deal with some of what I’ve been through,” Tom told her, and for a moment she glimpsed the pain behind his new bravado. “Also, I’ve given up flying in planes. I’m trying to lessen my carbon footprint. As a scientist and a biker, I’m sure you’ll understand that.”
“I understand that you’re nuts,” she told him, and then she reached out and gently touched his cheek. “Really?” she asked softly. “Camping in the mountains?”
“Don’t feel pressured. I was passing through and I thought why not invite you?”
“I never turn down a good bottle of wine,” Lise told him, and then she got out of the car and biked away up the block of fancy mansions, and Tom sat back and smiled.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The support of Aaron Priest, my wonderful agent of thirty years, was invaluable from start to finish. Thanks also to Lucy Childs for reading multiple drafts, and for her superb suggestions. Lindsey Rose believed in this project and was a magnificent editor. Many times while writing this I heard the voices of my dear parents, Morton and Sheila Klass, who taught me wise lessons about writing. The memory of Frances Foster continues to be an inspiration. I would like to thank David Orelowitz for his help and expertise. I could not have written this book without my consultant and friend Ed Nicholas, who generously shared his hard-won knowledge of police procedure and forensics and who advised me every step of the way. Deep thanks to my wife, Giselle Benatar, for her love and support, and for listening to all my doubts and helping me turn a dream into the finished novel now sitting on my desk.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DAVID KLASS is the author of many critically acclaimed young adult novels and has also written more than forty feature screenplays for Hollywood studios, including Kiss the Girls (starring Morgan Freeman and adapted from the novel by James Patterson), Desperate Measures (starring Michael Keaton), Walking Tall (starring The Rock), and In the Time of the Butterflies (starring Salma Hayek and adapted from the novel by Julia Alvarez). He has also written for Law & Order: Criminal Intent and currently runs the TV Writing concentration at the film program at Columbia University’s Graduate School of the Arts.
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