She was trying, he knew, but it didn't help.
John had escaped. Slipped through his fingers to carry on doing whatever it was he was doing, and it made his blood *boil*.
It wasn't fair, but this was what John always did. He always had a gift for avoiding trouble. No matter what, Virgil and Scott would always cover for him, and he would always get away with… Well, murder.
And now he was. Literally.
He believed Penny would hunt John to the ends of the Earth, but he also believed she wouldn't find him unless he wanted to be found.
But he smiled for her, nodded and said thanks, hoping that she wouldn't pick up on the forced edge.
She opened her mouth to say something when her purse buzzed, demanding her attention.
Those perfect features frowned, irritated to be interrupted. She reached in, and he couldn't help be distracted by her hands and those long, elegant fingers and manicured nails. Moments like this, he forgot everything, she was so distracting.
So beautiful.
He couldn't help but smile. He didn't think he would ever understand why she had agreed to go out with him that first time, and he certainly hadn't been prepared for a yes. He asked because he always asked. It was just what they did. Hi, how are you, fancy dinner? And she'd say hello, good, thank you, and not tonight.
Except that time, when she'd said yes.
He didn't even realise at first, about to follow on with the standard 'maybe next time?', but it clicked, and he'd instead said 'really?' without thinking.
Which, of course, led Virgil to scoff. 'Smooth, Squid.' He'd never let him forget it.
But that was then, and this was now, and she was still here with him, still saying yes.
No, he'd never fathom why. But that didn't matter. As long as she was happy.
He was.
He was pulled from his memories as she sighed, shutting the phone and looking to him. 'That was Parker.'
'And?' He could feel his expression matching her own.
'And our caller doesn't exist. At all.'
He didn't say what he was thinking. Never would in her company, instead settling on, 'Knew it.'