Page 24 of About the Green

“So then he can also be at lunch. And, you know what? I know a really great barbecue spot. He is kind of obsessed with it. Since we need to talk to him anyways, we could have this discussion over lunch.” I'm so pleased with this idea that I grab my phone and begin typing to Redd without confirming that Vert is on board.

Vert unlocks his phone to read the notification that’s just popped up. “Did you just send me an event request for lunch in thirty minutes?”

“Yea, so everybody knows exactly where we're going. On top of the fact that it also has everyone who's involved in the event. So we don't have to, like, do that, like, group message thing. It just seems kind of dated.” I shrug.

“I really don't want to talk about it that much.” As in going to have lunch and talk with me there.

Oh well.

“We should leave it up to Redd. I don't imagine he has any pushback. He can always email me if he doesn't want to do a lunch meeting.”

“I don't want to do that. I want to go home and not have to listen to you yammer on about whatever the fuck it is that you're always yammerin’ on about.”

“Yea. But we need to debrief him on what happened today, what we saw.”

He doesn't say anything else, just putting the key into the ignition to drive away.

Chapter 10

It amazes me how no one finds anything suspicious or wrong about the way Nina presents herself. I can't say that anyone at this table is particularly morally sound, but there has to be some honor among thieves, right?

Not thieves, per se, either.

I don't know if that's even the phrase to use.

That's not what's important, but my whole issue is the fact that she gets to go unchecked just because she's cute.

Yea, I know she's cute—I can see that with my eyes.

She's adorable, and that's fine, but it's a lie.

All of it's a lie.

So, here I am at a fucking barbecue restaurant because somehow Redd accepted the invitation via calendar and is here.

He won't even answer my calls or texts without having a buffer between. He has to check that everything I'll say will be important enough for a meeting. But he must have some sort of filter for barbecue and to make his way for every opportunity that includes it.

My ribs sit untouched as I wait for Nina to finish telling him everything that happened at the watch. He's not overly engaged, more so in his analysis mode, where he's just taking in information without responding at all. It leaves a big opening for Nina to go on unimpeded about all the events. She tells him about when we got gas, at what point I sneered at her, and even some of the smaller conversations we had outside of what we actually saw happening in that building—that we saw the man we're looking for, and that we think he might be able to be identified by Liezel once she's able to get back to us.

He nods, taking a long sip from his drink, and then asks, “Anythin’ you'd like to add, Vert?”

“No,” I say, because she literally told him about even the weather condition of where we were. “Seems like Nina could have went by herself.”

Then he chuckles, to which she feels extremely smug vindication about. Since she's sitting beside Redd, she's able to stick her tongue out at me without him being able to see.

I've got something for your tongue, little—

“What's next?” Redd asks. “Heard back from Liezel? If she’s got a name I can start diggin’.”

I decided to push my food aside, since I’ve lost my appetite thinking about how unknown my time in Atlanta will be. I want to see my daughter, and not over video call. “Next is figurin’ out if we're able to get this man alone to see if we can come to terms with how big this operation is, and if they have any plans to move next.”

Redd has no problem eating his food, stuffing candied yams into his mouth before asking, “Will you need more men? I’ll approve any request if you need the support. From what I can tell they don’t have small numbers and can spare the men to protect whoever they deem important.”

“No,” I assure him, knowing that we have what few men we have left, spread pretty thinly. “I have what'd you call her?” tossing a thumb her way, “Rainbow Pixie Bright here.”

“Oh,” she says, eyes glittering in the dull lighting of the restaurant. “I like that so much. What a sweet name.”

“Redd,” she says playfully, slapping his shoulder, “that is such an adorable name.”