She shook her head. “That doesn’t sound like Talon.”
“Well, it dawned on me none of your brothers have any tats. You guys have something against them?”
Marj shook her head. “Of course not. I’ve known you wanted one forever. We were supposed to get one together, remember?”
I let out a sigh. “Yeah. You’re right.” It sure made more sense than what I had just been through.
“I thought you stopped before you got the tattoo.”
“I did, but Haley had already put the transfer on my back. You know, the temporary outline of the tattoo, for her to follow while she’s doing it.”
“Is that how it works?”
“Sure. Didn’t you ever watch Miami Ink?”
“I’m not the tattoo-head that you are, Jade.”
“Well, anyway, he freaked out. Threw me in the shower, made me wash it off, and then he left.”
Marj closed the book she’d been reading, her eyes troubled. “Makes about as much sense as anything Talon does.”
That was for sure.
“I think I’m going to go ahead home, Marj. I’m exhausted. Thanks for dinner.”
“I wish you’d stay.”
“No. I don’t want to. Besides, I have to unpack. But you have to drive me home.”
“Ha! I’m exhausted too. Please just stay tonight. You can sleep in your old room, and I’ll drive you to work in the morning.”
I sighed. “Marj, I can’t wear the same clothes to work tomorrow that I wore today.”
“That’s no problem. I’ll lend you something.”
I looked at my nearly six-feet-tall and slender best friend. “Right, because we’re so similar in size.”
“Look, those black leggings you’re wearing are classic. No one will know you wore them yesterday. I’ll give you a long, stretchy top. You’ll be fine.”
I relented. I couldn’t ask Marj to drive me home at this hour, and I didn’t really feel like going through all my luggage tonight. I’d do it tomorrow.
“Agreed,” I said. “And good night.”
After Marj dropped me off at the office in the morning, I started some coffee in the drip coffee maker I’d purchased for my office. I had picked up some great Arabica beans from Costa Rica while I was in Grand Junction for those few days. Decent coffee for a change, and I sure needed it this morning.
Larry was in court all day, so I had the office to myself except for Michelle and David, who were happy to leave me alone. I went back to the computer to do more research on the Steels.
Where to start? The article about Talon’s heroics, of course. It had been in the local paper, but it was such a huge deal, I figured I could find national or at least state coverage. A search proved nothing. The Award of Honor wasn’t worth a bit of national news? And why not the Medal of Honor?
I went back to the original article. No byline, but at the bottom was a name.
Wendy Madigan, NNN.
The National News Network? If this story originated from the National News Network, why hadn’t it actually been in the national news?
Maybe this Wendy Madigan would know.
I did a quick database search. Turned out she had been a NNN correspondent until about two years ago, when she retired.
Her image was easy to find, and I recognized her. She had been a staple on the news, and I was surprised I hadn’t remembered the name. She was an attractive older woman with short light-brown hair and blue eyes.
Since she was no longer with the National News Network, I had to find her on my own. I found a few e-mail addresses and phone numbers but decided against e-mail. I wanted to talk to her.
The first number I tried had been disconnected.
The second number, however, rang until someone answered. A Denver area code too. What luck.
“Hello?”
“Hi, I’m trying to reach Wendy Madigan.”
“May I ask who’s calling?”
“Sure. My name is Jade Roberts. I’m a city attorney in Snow Creek, Colorado.”
The woman cleared her throat. “May I ask what this is regarding?”
“I’d rather keep that between Ms. Madigan and myself, if you don’t mind.”
“All right.” A short pause. “Wendy, phone.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Then, “Hello?”
“Ms. Madigan?”
“Yes.”
“This is Jade Roberts from the city attorney’s office in Snow Creek, Colorado.”
“Snow Creek? Where did you get this number?”
“It’s one of your numbers of record.”
“This is my mother’s landline.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. At some point, it became a number of record for you.”