Ten minutes into my shift, I got a call from Rose. She left a message asking me to phone back, which I would have, on my break, if her damned nephew hadn't called three times after that.
After the first time, I'd left my phone in the back--and on vibrate--but it didn't help.
"Liv . . ." Larry said, bringing my phone out.
"I know. I'm sorry. It's just--"
"Gabriel. I saw. Don't apologize. He's your lawyer. Take the call in back, and I'll cover for you."
When Gabriel answered, I said, "Have I ever told you about Margie? The server I replaced, in part because she kept getting calls during her shift?"
"I didn't realize you were at work, as I'm no longer in possession of your schedule."
"And my voice mail wasn't working?"
"I wasn't about to trust that you wouldn't simply delete the message unheard."
"Texting?"
"The buttons do not accommodate larger-than-average fingers." Which meant, apparently, that I'd hallucinated all the times we'd communicated by text message. He continued, "I was unable to arrange for a security system installation today. It will be done tomorrow. In the meantime, you will stay with Rose."
"I will?"
"I'll tell her you'll be by after your shift. As will I. We need to discuss a matter relating to both your mother and Ciara Conway. Nothing urgent, but I have a busy week."
"I don't get off until eleven."
"I realize that. I'll meet you at Rose's. I presume you'll want to gather an overnight bag from your apartment, and I'll ask you to wait until I arrive to do so."
"Okay."
Silence. Then, "I'm serious about this, Olivia. I don't want you going to your apartment alone at night--"
"Didn't I say okay?"
"Too quickly, suggesting you're humoring me and have no intention of actually doing as I asked."
"Mmm, if that was your idea of asking, I'd hate to see how you give orders. I inconvenienced you and Rose last night because I didn't get that security system. Insisting on staying in my apartment tonight without one would be careless and immature."
"All right. I'll see you at eleven."
--
"Gabriel's running late," Rose said as she let me inside. "He had a call from a client."
"I'll phone him," I said. "We don't need to do this--"
"He'll be here in fifteen minutes. It'd be a bigger inconvenience if he has to turn back."
True. A light was on in Rose's parlor, so I headed in there.
"What's wrong?" she said as I took a seat.
"Nothing."
"Do you remember what I said about the key to being a good psychic?"
"Being willing to make guesses and be proven wrong? Yes, you're wrong this time. Sorry."