Page 126 of Sexting His Assistant

“I’m not a child.”

“No,” she says calmly. “Children listen better.”

Then my phone vibrates again.

Pavel.

Pavel: Security report from garage incident updated. Will send within hour.

I stare at the message.

Pavel Semyonov is efficient. Quiet. Too neat in his habits. He’s been useful since the day I hired him, but useful is not the same as loyal. Useful men are often loyal only until someone pays them to be useful elsewhere.

I attach the photos of the sedan.

Me: Identify this car. Owner, driver, route this morning, cameras around Nina Hale’s block. Quietly.

His reply comes quickly.

Pavel: Understood.

I look at the word for a few seconds.

My mother notices my expression. “What is it?”

“A car I don’t like.”

“Cars have started offending you?”

“Men inside them have.”

She sets her cup down. “Does this involve the girl?”

I look at her.

She does not blink.

Mothers are worse than interrogators. Interrogators need tools. Mothers only need silence.

“It involves many things,” I say.

“And Nina is one of them.”

I don’t answer.

She sighs softly. “Luka.”

“Don’t.”

“I have not said anything.”

“You are about to.”

“Yes,” she says. “You were with her yesterday?”

I look back at her. “You are becoming intrusive.”

“I have always been intrusive. You were simply less interesting before.”