Julie was available and Reel picked her up outside her town house in Robie’s car.
She slipped into the passenger seat and looked at Reel. “So you guys survived wherever it was you went?”
“Actually the jury’s still out on that.”
Julie put on her seat belt as Reel drove off fast. “Any fresh wounds?” she asked.
Reel said, “Only on the inside.”
“Those hurt the worst.”
“Believe me, I know.”
“So how is Robie?”
“He’s glad to be back,” replied Reel.
“I’ve been watching the news for any global catastrophe so I might find out where you were.”
“And?”
Julie shrugged. “And none seemed to match you two.” She gazed out the windshield at the pouring rain. “You and Robie seem tight.”
“We are. Or as tight as someone can be with him.”
“Do you have anyone else you’re tight with?” asked Julie.
“Used to. Not anymore.”
“Because they’re not around anymore?” asked Julie.
“Something like that.”
“Robie really respects you. I can tell.”
“I would imagine there aren’t many who he does respect,” replied Reel.
“I bet you’re the same.”
“We trained together, Robie and me,” said Reel. “He was the best, Julie. I always thought I was, but I have to admit, he’s better.”
“Why?”
“The intangibles. On the big stuff we’re equal. Even he would agree with that. It’s the small stuff, though, where I fall behind. Sometimes I let my emotions get the better of me.”
“That only means you’re human. I wish Robie would let that happen to him more often. He keeps it all inside.”
“Which is exactly what we’re trained to do,” Reel pointed out.
“A job isn’t everything, is it? It’s not your whole life.”
“Some jobs are. Our jobs are; at least mine used to be.”
“And now?” asked Julie.
Reel glanced at her as she steered the car through the wet streets and over a bridge into D.C.
“Maybe I’m starting a transition phase.”
“Into another job, or retiring?”
“Retiring? How old do you think I am?” Reel chuckled, but Julie’s expression remained serious.
“Robie told me you don’t retire from the sort of work you two do.”
Reel glanced at her again. “He did?”
Julie nodded.
“Well, then it must be true. I’ve never known Will Robie to bullshit.”
Julie put a hand on Reel’s arm. “But you can make it true. You can be the first to do it.”
Reel stared out the window at the storm that had come in from the Ohio Valley earlier and looked like it wanted to stay a while.
“I’m not sure I’m a good candidate to be a trendsetter.”
“Really? I think you might be the perfect choice.”
“You don’t know me that well,” said Reel.
“So why did you come and pick me up and not Robie?”
This question caught Reel off guard. “He…he was making dinner and I’m a crappy cook.”
“So it was his idea for you to come get me?”
“No. I mean, yes. I might have suggested—”
Julie continued to study her. “So you wanted to talk to me alone? There’s no crime in that.”
A few moments of silence passed.
Reel said, “Robie told me about you. How you…”
“Made a transition to a new life?”
“You’re way too perceptive for your age.”
“I’m a lot older than I look.” Julie tapped her chest. “In here. You get that. I know you do. You’ve had shit in your life. And I’m not just talking with your job. I mean when you were my age, younger. I can tell. I just can. It was like me, right?”
Reel turned down a side street, pulled to the curb, and put the car in park. “Robie told me you were super smart and had been through hell, but still, how can you tell?” she asked quietly. “I play my cards close.”
“It’s in your eyes. It’s in your skin. It’s in how you walk. It’s in how you talk. I see it all over you. And I bet you see it all over me.”
Reel slowly nodded. “You see, Julie, it’s just that…” She couldn’t seem to make the words come out. It was like a hand was around her throat.
Julie gripped her arm and squeezed. “It’s just that you’re scared. I know you’re brave and can probably take down twelve guys at one time.” She paused. “But you’re still scared because you’re wondering if this is all there is for you.”
Reel was nodding before she finished.
Julie said, “I can’t answer that for you. But you can, Jessica Reel. You can.”