Three-way

“We need your help, Mrs. Burma.” FBI Agent Clark said to the petite, dark haired woman. He fingered a small zip-lock baggie containing a nugget of marijuana, before replacing the bag and a glass pipe back into a wooden box. He closed the lid, regarding Mrs. Burma’s small son, who played next to his redheaded partner’s leg.

“Grace is fine.” Mrs. Burma said. Her serious eyes matched her son’s golden brown gaze.

Agent Clark, a tall and solid man, continued covertly searching through Grace’s closets, drawers, and boxes. Other than pot and a dismantled rifle, properly registered, the home was as Grace’s appearance and manner presented. She did not seem to have deep, dark secrets.

Grace saw Agent Clark open the box containing her paraphernalia, just as she noticed the exotically attractive female agent’s diversionary tactics. Grace offered no explanation about the box’s contents, and felt relief that neither agent mentioned it. She watched the pair watching her, answered their questions, and even made a few jokes. Calm and polite, she served coffee in green glazed Mikasa mugs after Agent Clark observed a fresh pot.

The agents briefly told Grace that her ex-husband had acquired the FBI’s attention by hacking into government web sites. This information provoked a strange expression from Grace, who raised an eyebrow and slightly frowned. She seemed ready to say something, but stayed silent. They finished poking around the neat home, asking again for Mrs. Burma’s assistance.

“I’ve told you what I know of him. It’s been a few months since we spoke. He hasn’t returned my phone calls. His family living in Highland should know more. Last I heard he lived with them.” Grace shrugged. “You said they sent you to me. So, I don’t see how I can help further.” she looked straight into Agent Clark’s eyes.

His partner, Agent Steely, moved away from the baby, who climbed into his mother’s arms. Grace’s olive skin contrasted with the child’s golden hue. Agent Steely stared at the one-year old while speaking.

“If he does call, or drop by, we’d appreciate you telling us. Here’s our card.” Agent Steely said.

The baby grabbed the card Agent Steely held out, putting it directly into his mouth. Frowning, Agent Steely handed Grace another card.

“O.K.” Grace said, placing the card on an end table. “He might call, it’s been a long time…but usually I call him. I doubt he’ll come here. He doesn’t know where I live, for one. It’s been five years, and I have a better life he doesn’t like rubbed in his face.”

“Can you call him now?” Agent Clark asked. His cold eyes glanced at Grace’s stash box.

“This puts me in a slight moral dilemma, but, yes, I will call him after I make a bottle for my little primitive.” she sighed after this agreement.

Both agents nodded, and watched Grace prepare a bottle with one hand. She talked through the event, describing each step to her son, preventing the agents from asking more questions.

Grace settled her son in a small reclining chair, where he drank his meal before falling asleep. The three adults moved into another room to use the phone, unwilling to disturb the welcome naptime.

“Usually, I don’t just plop him in his chair, but sometimes it makes life easier.” Grace told the impassive team.

Grace punched the speakerphone button on her white telephone, and dialed a number retrieved from her Nokia cell phone. She took a cigarette from an embossed silver cigarette case, holding it without lighting it.

“I only smoke outside.” she commented, before a man picked up the line on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi…” Grace frowned at the phone. “I’m calling for Tyler…”

“Yeah, Grace, it’s Daniel.”

“Oh. O.K. Is Tyler around?” her frown deepened as her fingers fiddled with the unlit cigarette.

“Yeah, but, maybe he doesn’t want to talk to you. Maybe that’s why I answered the phone.”

“Oh, really?” Grace responded. “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me.”

“Maybe that’s changed.” Daniel’s voice drew out in a little laugh.

“O.K. You’re stoned and fucking with me.”

The partners exchanged glances, intrigued by the conversation. An affirmation of Daniel’s location was a bonus, due to his partnership with Tyler. Steely noted Grace’s disdain for Daniel, and watched her intently.

“Ever get stoned, now, with that baby? Huh, Grace? Or does the kid cramp your style?”

“Aren’t you the one who said creating life was the greatest art form? Anyway, my style has changed, for the better. So, can I talk to Tyler now?” Grace evaded answering Daniel’s first question.

“Maybe…Do you know the password?”

“O.K. So, you’re his gatekeeper now. Never saw you as a guard dog…” she laughed, hoping to disgruntle him.

“Password.”

“The password is ass, as in you are one.”

“Hello?” a deeper voice came onto the line.

“You have me on speaker phone.” Grace stated.

“You have us on it!” Daniel chortled.

“Only because I need four hands with my son, and I have two…Tyler. How are you doing? It’s been a while.”

“Yeah. Had to get a new truck, totaled the last one. Phone was out until I had more money.” Tyler answered.

“Are you breastfeeding now? Is that why you need your hands free?” Daniel laughed in the background.

“Yeah, and I’m naked. But, I’ve gained a hundred pounds, so it’s not an exiting image.”

The agents stifled amusement.

“So, Tyler, I was about to call your mom, brave the daggers and all that…”

“Yeah? Glad you didn’t, she’s pissed at me right now. I try not to give her too much info, you know.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty invasive. Still living with her?” Grace paused, knowing from the agents that he did not.

“Nope. Couldn’t stand it. Daniel and I got a place together.”

“Oh. That’s cool. No wonder he’s back there, gloating.” Grace said, dryly.

“What’s that mean?” Daniel asked quickly, while Tyler laughed in a tight, funny way.

“So, How long have you been out of your mom’s?” asked Grace, ignoring Daniel.

“Oh… a couple of months…”

“Still in Riverside?”

“Yeah, can’t seem to get away…”

“Ah... so, my baby is almost walking. He’s all over the place.” Grace watched Agent Steely scribble on a notepad while she chatted. Grace nodded after reading the questions handed to her, adroitly changing the almost awkward conversation to gain the answers. Three bits of information took her five minutes to obtain without arousing Tyler’s suspicion. A moment later, she hung up the phone.

“I hope that helped.” she stated.

“Yes, a lot. Thank-you, Grace.” Agent Clark said, flipping his notebook shut.

“Seems to be some underlying tension between you three.” Agent Steely commented.

Grace nodded.

“Love triangle?” Steely mused.

“Used to be. Now it’s just between them.” Grace shrugged at two sets of lifted eyebrows. “But, I think it was about them all along. I was just a red herring, a diversion.”

“Anything happen?” asked Steely.

Grace smiled, her lovely visage subtly changing.

“I opted out.” she said, her warm voice conveying ambivalent emotions.

“I doubt you were just a diversion.” Agent Steely said. “Tyler’s fallen apart since you left.” her eyes bored into Grace, impolitely. “Do you ever regret marrying him, or leaving him?”

Grace regarded her sleeping cherub. She thought Steely’s query odd, yet answered.

“No.”