Chapter 26 #2
Gray glanced at her in surprise. “You’ve already done recon on the lab?”
Barbie nodded. “I don’t write about places I haven’t checked out for myself.”
That earned a nod of respect from Gray.
“Did you just say we when referring to the reconnaissance trip to the lab?” I asked Barbie.
Barbie nodded. “I did. If you’re going to check the place out, shouldn’t you take someone who has been there before?”
“Fair point,” I conceded.
“So, we’re really going to check out the lab in broad daylight?” Basia asked. “And we’re sure that’s a good idea.”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I need to be able to clearly see what’s there. Also, I don’t want to risk using my laptop in the dark. It would give off light, and someone could spot us. That means we go in daylight.”
“Fine, but we have a bit of a problem,” Basia said. “What are we going to do about the guys? Our guys. They’re certain to be calling soon—it’s almost nine o’clock. They may be hungover, but if I know Slash, he’ll be calling you shortly. What do we tell them?”
“Who’s Slash?” Barbie interrupted.
“My husband,” I said. “I’m going to tell him the truth—we had to relinquish the dog last night, so we no longer have her.
However, we’re not convinced the lab is on the up and up, so we’re doing some digging into it.
We just want to make sure the dog is safe and whatever is being done to her at the lab is ethical and legal. ”
Gray raised an eyebrow. “And the reconnaissance on the lab? Do we mention it? I can just imagine what would run through Hands and Slash’s heads if we tell them that plan.”
“Wait,” Barbie interrupted. “Can we back up a minute? Your husband’s name is Slash? Who has a name like that? Is he some kind of assassin, model, singer? Is that his real name?”
“It’s his name,” I said, letting at drop at that and then added, “He’s a computer guy like me, not a professional singer or a model.” Since I wasn’t clear on the assassin part, I left that one out.
“He should be,” Basia said. “Think Italian, dark haired, sexy, and swoon-worthy accent. Need I say more?”
Barbie thought it over and shrugged. “You could have added ‘shirtless,’ but overall, I’m good with that image.”
I rolled my eyes and pretended not to be worried about the guys’ reactions, but I knew full well they’d drive up in a second if they thought we needed help.
“We’re just going to look at the building from a distance,” I said. “We don’t need the guys for that. No need to freak them out. We’ll be home tomorrow, and that’s that.”
Basia narrowed her eyes at me. “You just don’t want Slash coming here and—”
“—bringing Elvis, Xavier, and Hands with him,” Gwen finished for her.
I reluctantly nodded. “True. Why should we ruin their weekend? Why should any of them think they need to come up here and save us? From what?” I didn’t say it, but I also wondered if Slash might think I was lowering the guys’ threshold of fun so I could win our bet…which I totally wasn’t doing.
“We’re not in danger,” I repeated. “We can handle a little drive-by recon on a building. Remember, we’re just collecting external information on a lab, from a distance, that may or may not be harming an animal we happen to know. No imminent danger whatsoever.”
“Why do I feel nervous when you say that?” Basia asked.
“You shouldn’t,” I said. “Besides, you can wait for us here in the hotel or in the car while we take a look. From a distance,” I added again for extra emphasis. “Trust me. It will be so much safer than New Guinea or even your bachelorette party.”
“Or Lexi’s wedding,” Gwen added and then snorted.
“What was unsafe about Lexi’s wedding?” Barbie asked, looking between them confusedly.
“Everything,” Gwen said emphatically.
“Especially the seagulls,” Gray added.
“And Lexi with a candlestand,” Basia said before they all broke down laughing.
“Ha-ha. Okay, guys,” I said. “Now that we’ve all had a laugh at my expense, let’s get back to the matter at hand.”
“Fine, I’m in,” Gray said, still smiling and wiping the corner of one eye. “As I’ve said, reconnaissance makes total operational sense.”
I glanced at her. She’d started to talk like Hands more and more.
Maybe that was something that happened to long-term couples.
To be fair, I’d sort of started to talk like Slash.
What if I started using Italian endearments and waving my hands around when I talked?
If I started to dress like him, it would be all over.
“Lexi?” Basia said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Did you hear what I said?”
“Oh, sorry,” I said. “I was thinking.”
“I said I’m in, too,” Basia continued. “I want to make sure Ginger is okay. I can handle Xavier and his questions. Let’s do it.”
“Me, too,” Gwen said. “Potential danger aside, I want to see what’s really going on and help Ginger and any other animals like her if we can.”
“You know I’m in,” Barbie said. “I’ll consult my notes and see if I have anything that may be relevant or useful.”
“Okay,” I said. “I want to do a little more research first, talk to Slash when he calls, and then we drive out and see the lab for ourselves. That work?”
Basia nodded. “But I need a nap first.” She stood. “Wake me when it’s time.”
“I will.”
“I’ll gas up the car,” Gray said. “Check the tires.”
“And I’ll stay here and help you and Barbie research,” Gwen added.
They all moved off, dividing tasks like this was just another day, which it wasn’t. I stayed where I was, staring at the quiet room, trying to understand the knot in my chest.
Animals had never been my thing. Chickens attacked me. Pigs chased me. A camel had tried to run off into the desert with me on his back.
Dogs, well, dogs had always been attracted to me, and that alone made them suspicious. Animals were unpredictable, instinct-driven, and impossible to reason with. I preferred systems. Code. Problems that behaved logically.
Ginger didn’t fit any of that.
She wasn’t random. She wasn’t chaotic. She watched. She listened. She understood. And more than that, she trusted me. For reasons I still couldn’t explain, she’d chosen me as her safe person.
Maybe that was the problem.
I barely knew her, but I knew she was scared and trapped, and people with power were treating her like a thing instead of a living being. I didn’t need to love animals to recognize injustice. I didn’t need a lifetime bond to know when something was wrong.
And once I understood that, I realized walking away wasn’t an option.
Not for Ginger. Not for me. Not for the girls.
Not for anyone.