Midnight Sun (58 page)

“
When
she
does
get
back,
I doubt she’s
going
to
be
in
the
mood
to
talk
business,
”
Hilde said.

“
I
don't
think
anything
more
is
going
to
happen
tonight,
”
Lonnie said.
“
If
you
guys
want
to
do
some
more
snooping
around,
that's
up
to
you,
but
this
pregnant
lady
has
to
get
some
sleep
or
she won’t be functional tomorrow.
”

“
All right,
”
Marcus said.
“
Let
’
s
meet
up
in
the
a.m.”

“
The
FBI
office
probably
opens
about
eight,
”
Hilde said.
“
How
about
if
we
meet
downstairs
for
breakfast
at
seven,
then
head
over
there?
”

“
That
works
for
me,
”
Lonnie said.

“
Let's
call
Hogan,
too,
”
Mike said.
“
He
can
get
us
an
immediate
audience
with
the
local
SAC.
”

They
said
their
good
nights,
and
Mike
and
Hilde
went
back
to
their
room.
Marcus
took
a
quick
shower.
When
he
came
out,
Lonnie
had
already
climbed
into
bed.
He
joined
her,
lying
face-to-face,
the
bulk
of
her
pregnant
belly
pressed
into
his
own
abdomen.
The
baby
kicked
against
its
father's
stomach.

“
Baby
wants
to
play
with
D
addy
already.
”
he
said.

“
He
likes
your
touch,
”
Lonnie
said.

“
Or
she
likes
my
touch.
”

“
Could
be.
”

Marcus
smiled
and
started
to
hum
a
soft
tune,
as
he
had
done
almost
every
night
since
they
were
first
married
two
years
earlier.
L
ike
the
arms
of
the
mythical
Morpheus, his
sonorous
baritone
and
smooth
notes
never
failed to
lull
her
into
a
deep
sleep.
Her
stress
faded
as
if
washed
away
by
a
warm
stream.
Gradually,
the
baby
stopped
its
movement,
and
Lonnie's
breathing
smoothed
into
a
hushed
rhythm.
A
few
minutes
later,
Marcus
drifted
off too.

***

Marcus
woke
promptly
at
six
a.m.
He
never
needed
a
clock's
buzzer
to
pull
him
out
of
sleep,
even
when
he
was
sick.
Whatever
time
he
had
to
be
up,
he
just
was.
Lonnie
slept
for
a
few
minutes
longer,
but
was
soon
roused
by
the
light
and
noise
of
her
husband
’
s
morning
rituals.
By
a
quarter
to
seven,
they
were
dressed
and
ready.
They
took
a
couple
steps
toward
the
door
, then
a
succession
of
beeps
burst
from
Lonnie
’
s
purse.
She
pulled
out
her
cell
phone.

“
Oh!
I
forgot
to
charge
my
phone
last
night.
Battery
just
died.
” S
he
plugged
it
in
to
the
charging
cord
on
the
table
beside
the
TV
cabinet.
“
I
’
ll
come
back
for
it
later.
”

They
stepped
into
the
hall,
shut
the
door
behind
them,
twisting
the
handle
to
make
sure
it
locked,
then
walked
to
the
elevators.
Marcus
held
Lonnie's
hand
as
they
moved.
In
spite
of
the
size
of
her
belly,
she
walked
erect
and
smooth.
The
fact
that
her
body
was
at
a
fitness
level
far
above
average
made
it
much
easier
to
maintain
her
poise.
Rather
than
shuffling
with
a
penguin-like
waddle,
she
strode
like
a
pregnant
momma
jaguar,
heavy
with
child,
but
still
in
control
and
still
lethal.