Page 406 of A Matter of Time

“Rego’s limo,” he clarified.

“Yeah.”

“When?”

“Last night.”

He growled at me. “And he hit you?”

“Yeah, but I kinda deserved it. I freaked him out a little.”

“Jory!” he exploded, pushed to the edge.

“Sorry.” I sighed. “I’m really… I know I’m makin’ you nuts.”

He cleared his throat. “Okay…tell me now where you are.”

“In Dallas.”

He coughed.

“Sam?”

“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?”

“What?”

“You left the state?”

“Yeah. I hafta save Caleb.”

“Jesus Christ,” he groaned.

“Sam, he’s innocent, I know he is.”

“And so you’re gonna do what…find something nobody else could and vindicate him?”

“Yes,” I said confidently.

“Jory, there are⁠—”

“Jory!”

Dane had taken the phone back. This was fun.

“Is Aja all right?” I asked my brother.

“What?”

“Is Aja⁠—”

“Aja’s fine. She’s with her folks and policemen and her very own bodyguard, who could kill most people with his pinky, so you don’t worry about her. Right now we need you, so very shortly you’re going to get a visit from the Dallas PD, and they’re going to take you in for us and keep you safe until we get there.”

“Have you thought about what you’re saying?”

“What?”

“If Caleb is the bad guy in all of this, and that’s what you truly believe, and he’s there, and I’m here…where’s the danger coming from that you think I’m in?”