And look what he was doing. Since he began with no lies, no posturing, it somehow made the lies bigger, worse, now that they were occurring.

“Well, it’s more income, isn’t it? It’ll help us with the rent.”

And when the rent bill comes, what’s he going to do? Open his pockets and show her they’re empty?

“I know you hate the work, Zack. I know it’s temporary. I really admire the way you’re stepping up and doing something while you—while we—try to figure it out.”

It was a relationship launched on trust. On immediate, necessary trust of the other person. Trust of the other person’s instincts for survival. Trust of the other’s good intentions. Of the other’s selflessness. Of the other’s mutual concern and personal good.

And look what he’s doing. Look what he’s destroying.

He has to tell her about meeting with Joey. She won’t believe it. She won’t accept it. But going behind her back is only making it worse.

Emily comes up to him suddenly and wraps her hands around the back of his neck, pulling him to her affectionately, sexually, totally. A moment of complete commitment and trust.

As if she knows and is making it harder. Making it as hard as she can.

Responding to Joey has put Zack suddenly, unpredictably, into a nightmare corner. He hoped that he could step in, hear Joey out, help solve whatever Joey’s problem was and be done with it. But suddenly Zack is looking at some kind of detonation. And all Joey knows about the job keeps coming back to Zack: It’s in the courthouse. Meaning inside a courtroom? Meaning innocent people could die. Dozens of them. Maybe more. Collateral damage from the actual target, whoever it is. All in the line of fire. All their fates held in the balance by a disposable phone in Joey Richter’s hands.

Zack suddenly realizes he has a huge responsibility here. The huge, weird responsibility, at least for now, of staying connected to Joey. Keeping this “friendship” with Joey temporarily alive. Until he can see his way to some kind of plan. Figure it out. Joey’s words coming back to haunt him.

But Zack needs to keep this alive too. Not risk what he has with Emily.

Will it be possible to do both? Or will he have to choose?

56.

56.

Joey was never clear on why he was taken to see Karloff in person. In the flesh. Wasn’t that unnecessary? Unnecessarily risky?

But now he starts to understand. The understanding seeping in slowly. It wasn’t really about seeing Karloff. It was so they could give him his phone.

That phone now in his hand. The last thing he’ll see? The last thing he’ll feel? The metal against his ear? Like it’s just another phone call?