And I thought you were just some clueless bumpkin, she answered, holding the spoon in front of her smile.

Callaways face broke into an easy grin. Turns out you were only half-correct, right?

Harley pushed her bowl aside. She searched for things to say, but she sensed the conversation would turn stale if she stayed much longerthey would start rehashing the case, talking about things that didnt need to be said, and either she would come to like Callaway a lot more or a lot less.

She rose and offered her hand. Callaway did the same. In the moment their eyes met, Harley tried to think of something meaningful to say, but everything that came to mind just seemed inadequate.

Callaway wished her good luck. Not that you need it, he added.

Then, as she was walking away, she stopped. Oh, she said. Can I offer you one piece of advice?

He raised an eyebrow.

Stop driving that old dinosaur around, for goodness sake. Its embarrassing.

He smiled, watching her go. Never change, Cole. Never change.

* * *

An hour later, Harley ran her hand along the frame of the living room door in the house she had grown up in, touching the slice marks still visible despite the new coat of paint. She couldnt read the names any more, but she thought that if she closed her eyes tight enough and thought hard enough, she could just picture the three names written in her mothers neat script.

Never thought Id see you standing there again, her father said. He was in the corner of the room behind her, sitting in the old recliner that had been Harleys mothers favorite. She hadnt noticed him when she entered.

How long have you been there? Harley asked, startled.

He shrugged. Dozed off. Woke when I heard you come in. Thought it was Greg reminding me to take my medicine. He sighed heavily, and Harley thought she heard years of regret in the sound.

She dropped her hand from the door frame and stepped into the living room. There seemed to be some current pulling her toward her fathertoward him, toward her brother, toward this house. She had felt it all her life, wading against it when she moved east, and she would continue swimming against it if she did not find some way to walk on her own two feet.

Maybe if she could find some small resolution with her father, the pull of that current would weaken just a little.

Listen, she said, searching carefully for the right words, Im heading back home. We wrapped up that case I was working on. But Im hoping to visit again soon.

That billionaire running his own private prostitution ring? Her fathers eyes sparkled with an excitement Harley had not seen there in a long time. Theyre saying on the news you were in the tunnel when it collapsed.