Chapter 97

“Yes,” Deems agreed, “but nothing so far, except one short phone call. It may mean nothing but we wanted you to hear it, see if you can identify the other voice.”

Pauly pulled a small tape recorder out of his pocket, gave Cam the earplug, and pushed the “play” button, holding it so Cam could hear.

“Hola.”

“We have to talk. There are unpleasant complications.”

“Dios Mio.”

“Same place. You know what time.”

“Yeah.” Click!

Cam looked from Deems to Pauly. The second voice was a woman, a younger woman.

“Yeah, we weren’t expecting that, either.” Deems shook his head. “Makes the lack of dirt we dug up on Spellman look real.”

“Maybe it was Tony’s girlfriend. Maybe she’s sick or something.” Cam still looked skeptical.

“Maybe.”

“Let me hear it again.”

Pauly pushed the rewind, then the play button. Cam listened, this time, with her eyes closed. Had she heard that voice before? Or did she just want to think she had? “I don’t know. Maybe. I can’t be sure.”