Roy was usually unshockable. Not so in this moment. He very much wanted back the time earlier that morning when he decided to leave the quarter.

“What do you want, Roy? Why—fucking exactly—did you call me out here today?”

“I’m sorry, John.”

“You really, really are.” John opened his wallet, pulled out two $20 bills, and shoved them into the pocket of Roy’s best work shirt. He hadn’t wanted to put it on over his dirty undershirt, but it was as good as he could manage in getting ready for their meetup.

John shook his head at him. “I swear to fucking God, Roy. . . .”

John got back into his car and drove away.

CHAPTER NINE

Owen Haig’s seatback was in the fully upright and locked position and he twisted the clip on his tray table to secure it for takeoff. The latch set home with a satisfying little click that was more felt than heard. Owen was a big man, but trim, and he fit into his economy-class space with no room to spare. He could afford business class, if he were buying. Which he never was. Hell, his boss would be happy to pay for first class, if only Owen would ask for it. But it would be ski season in Satan’s back acres before Owen would float his ass in a plush leather recliner next to someone who had paid for the distinction.

Coach was fine if it got him where he meant to be more or less when he meant to be there. And with his luggage. He did, however, fantasize that people were much less inclined to chatter at strangers way up there in the front of the plane.

Owen wore dark suits with dark sunglasses, even indoors when it wasn’t ridiculous for him to do so. It wasn’t that he particularly liked navy, hurricane gray, or dead-star black for a palette. It’s just what they wanted him to wear. For him, it was nice that it made the dangling cord of the white earbuds more obvious.

At six foot six with covered eyes, blocked ears, and a disinclination to smile, he would’ve thought it might have been enough to guarantee that he’d stay alone in a crowd. But it wasn’t foolproof. Like a lighthouse rising out of the sea of everything, the fools sometimes found him anyway.