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91.

“The two of you, I swear to god. You’re just like her,” Lynn complained.

After she picked out the book, Freya had rejoined Lynn at the table, eager to get the fight over with. Anyone else might have asked Freya about the book she’d picked, but Lynn didn’t care about books. Freya could only shrug in defense. She’d messed up coming home and she knew it.

For a silent moment Lynn just glowered at her. Freya kept her eyes low and waited for more, almost eager to be told how awful she was for disobeying. But ultimately Lynn just dropped it, rubbing her temples between her thumb and forefinger. With a long exhalation, Lynn reached for her phone and turned it back on.

Freya waited a moment to make sure she wouldn’t get yelled at and did the same. It took forever to boot.

I’ll text you, Dan had told her. But there was nothing. The desire to throw the phone at the wall with all her strength briefly ignited and then the spark died. Freya turned to Lynn.

“How fucked are we?”

“Fucked beyond fucked,” Lynn said. “If she was using the stolen data she’s been lying to me this whole time, which is insanely stupid. Never ever lie to your lawyer.” Lynn looked so tired and defeated, Freya wished she could tell her that Lassa hadn’t lied to her. She didn’t deserve this.

“Tell me all the details of what happened outside,” Lynn said.

Freya told her all about the confrontation in the driveway. Lynn’s eyes lit up when she got to the part about the dashcam, and Freya produced the card Reggie had given her. REGINALD BANKS, CAR #9 and the phone number with the SILVER STAR TAXI CO logo which a silver foil star over an embossed blue mountaintop.

“Why didn’t you just me? Or call the police?” Lynn asked.

“My phone was dead,” Freya said, and Lynn just stared back at her, unwilling to accept the excuse.

“Also, I didn’t want to get frisked. I have a gun,” Freya said.

“What?!”

“It’s in my coat pocket,” Freya pointed towards the foyer. Lynn was aghast.

“Freya, you’re breaking the law,” Lynn hissed.

“I know.”

Lynn’s fingers were back at her temples.

“Show it to me,” she said.

Freya took the Kimber from her coat pocket and brought it to the dinner table. “The safety is on,” she assured Lynn, who was eying pistol like it was a coiled serpent. Her mouth was a tight line of distaste. It was a Gom Jabbar moment, and above all else, Lynn was rational. She could do things that were necessary, even if she hated them.

“How do you shoot it?” Lynn asked, beating the needle.

Freya gave her the lesson Randall had taught her so many times.

A gun is always loaded.

Never point the gun at anything you don’t want to shoot.

Safety on and finger off the trigger until you want to fire.

Always be aware of what’s behind what you’re shooting.

Don’t stop shooting until you’re certain the threat is eliminated.

Freya explained each part of the gun, she showed her the chamber indicator and how to clear it and unload the Kimber. She had Lynn dry fire it a few times to get the feel for the trigger pull, and then she showed her how to load it. It was all she could do without taking her to the range. It was strange to instruct someone so much older than her, but Lynn took the whole thing very seriously. She murmured each step to herself with her brow creased as she memorized each thing Freya said.

They sat at the table afterward, and stared at the pistol. The safety was on, the barrel was pointed away from them.

“I don’t know if I can do it,” Lynn admitted.

“That’s ok,” Freya said. “I can.”

Their eyes met, and the moment burned in the air between them. Freya reached out and took the gun back, and Lynn nodded in acceptance.

“I have to go to Renanin tonight,” Freya said.

“What? No. Absolutely not,” Lynn began, winding up for another argument.

“I’m going. I’ll walk there if I have to. I need to be there,” Freya insisted.

Lynn stared at her, calculating. The dynamic between them had shifted further, and at last Lynn just sighed. There would be no argument.

“Have you eaten?” Lynn asked, and they were both glad to change the subject. Freya had forgotten how hungry she was.

“Can we order something? I have to finish something before we leave,” Freya said.

“That’s fine.”

“What do you want?” Freya said, flicking on her phone.

“I don’t care.”

Freya inhaled through her nose. Lynn would be mad about this for a long time.

You’re just like her.

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Freya’s phone rang during her fifth attempt at the solo. Even though it wasn’t Dan’s ring, she only made it two more bars before she flubbed a note. She snorted in frustration, sweat at her temples, sure she was about to nail it. It wasn’t a very difficult solo, but it was a fast one, and the time pressure didn’t help. She set her guitar carefully on the bed and picked up her phone, she didn’t recognize the number.

It’s him.

There was a lurch in her chest, and she looked out the window, expecting to see a rifle pointed at her from the trees. The phone kept ringing, she had voicemail disabled on her line. What if it was Lassa? Maybe Dan, calling from a different phone? She let the phone ring three more times before she tapped answer, and didn’t say anything. She waited for the other person to speak first.

“Hello? Freya? Hello?”

She struggled to recognize the voice over the speakerphone.

“Freya! Are you all right?”

It was Dr. Garbuglio! Freya swapped the phone off speaker and picked it up.

“Yes! I’m sorry. Is he ok?” It had to be about Dan.

“Dan is ok. What about you? I heard about what happened last night.”

“I’m fine,” Freya lied.

“Would you like to come in and talk about it? I’ve freed up some time tonight.”

“I’m sorry, I have class tonight. Can it wait until tomorrow?”

“Is there any possibility you can miss that class? I’ve been speaking with Dan. I’m a little concerned about some of the things he’s saying.”

No!

Freya shut her eyes, the phone slid from her fingers and fell face-first onto the bed. She laid down with her hand over her face as the tiny voice asked her comforter if she was ok again and again. It felt like a long time before she could manage to talk again, but it was probably less than a minute. Dr. Garbuglio was still on the line.

“I’m sorry,” Freya said. “I was just—I’m just really worried about him. He was supposed to text me last night and he didn’t. I haven’t heard from him all day. Is he there with you?”

“Dan and his mother are here. Again, he’s ok, not hurt, he’s just stressed out and a little confused which is perfectly normal given what happened to you two.”

“Can I come over and talk to you now?” Freya asked.

“If you need to, sure.”

“I’ll be there in 15 minutes,” Freya said.

In her pocket the Starball was hot with effort.