You Can't Catch Me(59)

“A couple of times. Do you want . . . Would you like me to call him for you?”

“No, that’s okay. Everything in its time.”

Another Toddism, but I let it be. It felt so hopeful, you see. So normal. To be talking about a boy with Kiki like we should’ve been when we were growing up instead of learning how to prepare ourselves for the end of civilization.

I thought that we were making progress. I thought we were past the worst of it.

I was wrong.

“What the fuck was that back there?” I ask Jessie once we’re in my rented Jeep, heading back to the campsite. I’m driving. JJ’s next to me, and Jessie’s in the back seat.

“I could ask you the same,” Jessie says.

“Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?” JJ says.

I turn onto the highway toward the campground. There’s a steady flow of traffic ahead, though a continuous stream of cars is peeling off the road onto one of the turnouts where you can get great shots of the Tetons.

“She didn’t show,” I say to JJ.

“That’s not true,” Jessie says. “She was there. But Jess screwed everything up.”

“I did not.”

“You didn’t stick to the plan.”

“Neither did you.”

“Pull the fucking car over,” JJ commands.

She means business, and I do what she asks at the next pullout. We’re not alone, but the occupants of the other cars are too busy with their camera phones to take any notice of us.

JJ climbs out of the Jeep. We follow suit. She stands in front of us.

“Okay, spill.”

She’s looking at me, so I start. “I was in position, like we agreed. Five came in and sat down. There was a woman talking to her. I thought it might be Jessica Two.”

“Why?”

“Right age, right build. But I wasn’t sure. There wasn’t any way for me to get close to them without potential Jessica Two spotting me. So, I decided to try and flush her out. Use a page from her own book.”

“That wasn’t the plan,” Jessie says.

“What did you do?” JJ asks.

“I got them to page Jessica Williams.”

“And you figured, what?” Jessie says. “That she’d be stupid enough to fall for that? She’s not an idiot.”

“I know that. But I had to think fast. I thought that she’d at least react if that name was called, and then I’d know it was her for sure.”

“But she didn’t, did she? And then you blew your cover by going up to the counter with Five.”

“That’s right. And then you showed up.”

Jessie looks across the road. There’s a bison ambling slowly along the fence line. A car stops suddenly with a screech of tires, and the car behind it almost hits it.

“Bison jam,” I say.

“What?”

“Never mind. What were you doing in the airport?” I ask Jessie.

“I went in to use the bathroom.”

I look at JJ. She nods.

“When I was in there, I got your text saying you thought she might be there.”

“And?”

“Then I heard our name being called on the PA. I assumed it was Jessica Two who did it, so I bought a ticket to Salt Lake City so I could get through security.”

“Just like that?”

She grits her teeth. “I thought you might need help.”

“Well, I didn’t.”

“So, now what?” JJ says.

“She’s here,” Jessie says. “Jessica Two is here.”

“How do you know that?”

“Show her the text,” I say to Jessie.

Jessie takes out her phone and gives it to JJ.

“Why didn’t you tell me this back at the airport?”

“It wouldn’t have mattered.”

“Of course it might’ve mattered. She was there. She was right there.”

“She wouldn’t have sent that text if she was findable,” Jessie says. “She probably sent it from the plane.”

“What plane?”

“The flight that Five’s on,” Jessie says. “I bet she’s on it.”

“Fuck,” JJ says. “We have to warn her.”

“We told Five about Jessica Two,” I say. “She knows to be on the lookout.”

“That’s not sufficient,” JJ says. “Goddammit, we are so fucking dumb. We teed her up for Jessica, and now we’re here and they’re going to be in New York for the weekend together.”

“It’s not like she’s actually rich, though.”

“She’s not a pauper. Jessica will take her for whatever she can. Just to punish us. Just to show us she can.”

“What can we do about it?”

“You could ask Liam for help,” JJ says. “That’s his name, right?”

“That’s his name,” Jessie says.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She doesn’t say anything, just watches the line of cars that has piled up to get a photo of the bison, who’s chewing, unconcerned, on the side of the road.

“Jessie?”

“Just call him.”