Chapter 6: Forty Missed Calls

By Friday my phone had logged forty-one missed calls from Hugh.

I knew the number because Maud counted them out loud over her lunch.

I had asked Ivo about the name once more on Tuesday, when I handed him the kayak outline.

"Pendry," I said. "You said you knew it."

"A common name in the shipping business," he said, and handed the outline back with two notes.

It was an answer, and it was a closed door.

I did not ask a third time.

"Forty-one. Forty-one calls in six days." She bit into her sandwich. "What does he want, a kidney?"

"Forgiveness," I said. "And his mug."

"You have his mug?"

"No. That's what he's going to say next."

She laughed so hard that a man two desks away looked over.

I blocked the number during the afternoon meeting.

Then I unblocked it, because I wanted to see one thing.

His last text said: "Jo, we need to talk before the lunch."

It went on: "My parents moved their trip a week and they're asking about you. Don't embarrass me."

I looked at the lake through the window for a while.

Then I took a photo of the water and sent it to him with one line.

"Found a lake."

I blocked him again before he could answer.

At six-thirty the office emptied out.

Maud waved at me from the elevator. "Don't stay late. The boss doesn't give out medals."

I stayed anyway.

The kayak copy was due on Monday.

For the first time in my life I wanted it good for my own sake, not because someone was waiting to be pleased.

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