29

Dolly

Juniper is tall, slender, and fit. Her wife, Helena, is shorter, curvier, softer. The two of them arrive at Oscar’s apartment approximately thirty minutes after he calls. They come in without knocking, and they both wrap me up in a big, shared hug.

“What’s happening?” I ask.

“Just go with it,” Oscar says.

“What?”

“Don’t fight it.”

When the women pull back, they look at me and nod.

“I’m Dolly,” I say,

“And we’re delighted,” Helena says.

“A pleasure,” Juniper agrees.

They turn to Oscar.

“What’s wrong?” Helena asks. “You said there was trouble.”

“It’s about those emails,” he says.

Juniper lowers her voice. “The ones about Project Sunshine?”

“Yes.”

Oscar has already filled me in on the fact that his mother was a great lead in figuring out what Edgar was up to. She used to work with him and played a major role in the company.

Quickly, he explains the situation to his mother. He describes Craig and the abduction. He explains what happened with Hank. He even tells her that the two of us are sleeping together now.

Juniper and Helena don’t even flinch at this information.

“Is he being good to you?” Helena asks me.

“Yes.”

“Good.” She nods, satisfied, and turns back to Oscar. “Tell us how we can help.”

“That’s the problem,” he says. “I don’t know where to go from here.”

“You think Craig is going to attempt to take you again,” Juniper says.

“Yes.”

“You have security on site?”

“On the first floor,” he says. “But I’ve commanded my people to stand down if Craig shows up. I don’t want any of them getting hurt.”

“It doesn’t sound like he’s the killing type,” Juniper says slowly. “If anything, I think he’s the least of our worries.”

“Why’s that?”

“He seems to be the muscle, but he’s not very muscly. And he doesn’t seem to know as much as we all think he does.”

“So, what are you really saying?” I ask.

“I think Hank is pulling the strings, Dolly. He’s the one you should be worried about.”